COMMUTER RAIL AND JAX PORT TOO CAUGHT IN OUR TIDAL WAVE OF GROWTH

COMMUTER RAIL STARTER LINES ARE CLOSER THEN EVER!

North Florida TPO holds B.I.G. roundtable discussion James Boyle, the enthusiastic, noble, dashing and handsome young project manager for the Jacksonville Transit Authority, points out a proposed commuter rail central hub at the Osborn Convention Center during his discussion of a commuter rail feasibility study to members of the North Florida TPO Business, Industry and Government Roundtable members Tuesday. (Smile James)

Two car SPV2000 train of Jacksonville Commuter Rail, as it would appear pulling into Gateway Mall station from the Southeast on a cold winter day.

Another scene, looking South toward the Arena, this Northbound Commuter Train of twin RDC units, is about to leave Springfield Yard, at the 21st Street Station for the Airport. Swisher International, Florida Rock Industries, and the Talleyrand Docks and Terminals are all just a few steps away.

An excellent piece appeared on our new Commuter Rail lines in this issue of the Jacksonville DAILY RECORD. It never ceases to amaze me how well our smaller newspapers do in reporting these events, while the regional paper seems to grope for details and accuracy.

Something not really addressed by the article is that a starter line such as downtown to the Airport or to Gateway Mall could be self financed by the City of Jacksonville. It would involve a change of rules for the Better Jacksonville Plan Transportation Set-Aside Monies, but it COULD be done with a bit of will power. If so we could have Commuter Rail up and running before any other Florida Metropolitan Area can get their paper work filed with the FTA.

Article reprints available.Find out more.
11/05/2008
by David Chapman
Staff Writer

The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) held its quarterly Business, Industry and Government (B.I.G) roundtable discussion meeting Wednesday, highlighted by a presentation discussing commuter rail and how it’s on track to go to the next step.
James Boyle, project manager for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, discussed the feasibility study and the process of what has been accomplished on the issue.
“People have been very responsive, very interested about commuter rail,” said Boyle.
Boyle and JTA began the $400,000 feasibility study by first looking at existing railroad lines within the nine county region, then reduced the area to 20–30 miles from Downtown Jacksonville, with the Osborn Convention Center turning into a central hub.
Whittled down into a Northern line (Downtown to Yulee), Southwest line (Downtown through Green Cove Springs) and Southeast line (Downtown to St. Augustine), the feasibility study then looked at preliminary operating plans of each.
The study showed how many miles of each track would need to be repaired in order to be operable, along with early three-corridor combined statistics including rail lengths (ranging from 22.8– 38.4 miles), stops (from 10–15), travel time (37–51 minutes), average speed (32–46 mph) and ridership (770– 4810 people a day), all 2015 target figures.
An early, “moving target” cost, according to Boyle, is $543 million for the 91.5 - mile, 3 - corridors system, but the estimate is preliminary and will be influenced by things such as potential agreements with the railroad companies, additional track building where only single lines exist, signal improvements and type of rail cars purchased.
The key to these particular corridors working, said Boyle, is the use of existing lines. Building completely new lines to areas such as the Beaches would be cost prohibitive at this point.
A central transportation hub being located Downtown is something Boyle believes will attract new business.
“Something like this I think could help attract people to Downtown a lot,” he said. “Especially for developers.”
Funding is the big issue, said Boyle, but further studies on each corridor will help. Additionally, each corridor can be built piece by piece, stop by stop – so the costs aren’t all needed up front.
After putting the final touches on the study, Boyle and JTA will begin making further rounds to different agencies to share continuing results until an alternative analysis study can be done.
“Every time it gets mentioned, people get excited,” said Boyle.
Also discussed during the North Florida TPO B.I.G. Roundtable on Tuesday:
• North Florida TPO’s Wanda Forrest gave the group an update on the organization’s efforts and steps to become part of the Clean Cities, a government-industry partnership designed to reduce petroleum consumption by promoting alternative fuels. Forrest said the hope is to have the first planned meeting on the topic in January, but the organization is still searching for more stakeholders in various fields who are needed to complete the stakeholder process. Currently, the local effort has resulted in 120–125 stakeholders, according to North Florida TPO, but more stakeholders are needed. Some fields include health and transportation departments, commercial fleets, transit agencies and nonprofit organizations. For more information on Clean Cities, go to www. northfloridatpo.com.
• Jeff Sheffield, North Florida TPO planning director, gave updates on Port infrastructure improvements on the Northside. “We’re trying to figure out what we can do now,” said Sheffield. “There is a lot going on.” Some of the discussed projects include Alta Drive improvements, changes to the Zoo Parkway at the Port entrance (near the future Hanjin Container Terminal) and improvements at State Road 9A and Pulaski Road. All are considered short-term improvement projects with a goal of 2011 completion. “There is still time to do all these,” said Sheffield.

Commuter Rail

Port of Jacksonville

Clean Cities

Jacksonville Development

The Trolley Song Dissected Analyzed

Was THE TROLLEY SONG a secret Light Rail cheer?

Was this about St. Louis or Yosemite? A case could be built for the later.

No where near St. Louis, but there are hints of this story in the song

The stage presentation features a trolley similar to the Pacific Electric Mount Lowe - Echo Park excursion line. Certainly from the lower photo we know the PE engineering department could finish the YV RR into the national park. Perhaps the song writer was a member of the Pacific Railroaders Association.


THE TROLLEY SONG

as sung by the Late Great Judy Garland

Hidden within the words to a song set in Saint Louis, Missouri, comes an interesting reference to the high alpine country around Yosemite National Park, in California. You have to make your own conclusions on why this entered into a song about a Trolley-Interurban ride in St. Louis. But here is a fascinating theory. The play was released just as the famous Yosemite Valley Railroad was facing abandonment. The railroad a long-time favorite of the rich and famous was used to effortlessly reach the remote park, forests, falls and lakes.

Just as the railroad was about to be sold for scrap, a young railroader named John Mc Fadden, of Los Angeles, stepped forward and examined the property. He was said to represent The Pacific Coast Railroading Association. The case could be brushed away except that the Southern Pacific, owners of the Pacific Electric Railroad, had their legal department file Mc Fadden's attempt to delay the abandonment. Nationwide announcements went out of a "Great new electric line to the park", would be built on the lines of the YV. California, saw this as a god-sent attempt by the Southern Pacific for a sub rosa buy out. As quickly as it was dreamed up, the concept and the backers vanished. The Yosemite Valley was scrapped in 1945, and California - indeed the nation, has been trying to put it back as a LRT line, ever since. coincidence? I don't think so.

The Yosemite Valley Railroad was on in it's last hours when the movie was released in 1944. The YV died in 1945, and within 20 years the electric railroad industry would pass into the history books and sleep for 40 years.

Clang ,clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell
Zing, zing, zing went my heartstrings as we started for Huntington Dell.
Chug, chug, chug went the motor
Bump, bump, bump went the brake
Thump, thump, thump went my heartstrings as we glided for Huntington Lake.


We're off on a "trolley" which is more likely an interurban car from the description in the song. The Clang, Clang, Clang, is from the "trolley gong" mounted under the floor or on the roof and usually operated with a small foot peddle. Contrary to Hollywood the Trolley would not sound the gong constantly and it is reserved for busy intersections or any area of caution. The Ding of the bell here represents the signal bell or buzzer to the motorman and conductor that someone wishes to stop at the next station.

Note that this is a young romance and her heartstrings are tense, and though the movie is set in St. Louis, Missouri, the Hollywood producers of that era thought that all the world was California. So in reality we have her headed for a mythical recreation place called Huntington Park. While the real Huntington Park name paid tribute to the massive Pacific Electric Railroad builder Henry Huntington.So there is a direct relation in the song to Southern California's great electric system.

Note that the Trolley doesn't bounce, rock or roll, it "glides" to Huntington Lake.
Once again the producers used the romance of California to impact the songs listeners. Anyone that has spent time near Yosemite, may indeed have spent some time at the 7,000 foot high Huntington Lake. This is an alpine paradise of unprecedented proportions. It's implication to the Trolley Song is that Trolleys deliver us to a place where the dreams we dare to dream, really do come true.

The day was bright, the air was sweet
The smell of honeysuckle charmed me off my feet
I tried to sing, but couldn't squeak
In fact I felt so good I couldn't even speak
Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer
Time to all disembark,
Time to fall went my heartstrings as we got off at Huntington Park
As we got off at Huntington Park.

In the era of the electric streetcar, smog in all but the worst steel producing cities was all but unheard of. The air was clean and sweet, there is often a distinct smell of ozone around the electric motors and wires as well. This Trolley terminal wasn't even on a street, but somewhere where the honeysuckle grows. No doubt she found the lake, the alpine wilderness, the snow capped peaks and the electric way to the mountain as breathtaking. So much so she says she couldn't sing, squeak or speak. I've had that happen in the Yosemite Valley floor - the feeling that one can reach out and touch the face of God.

As she arrives in the mythical Lake garden, she rings the buzzer or bell and the big interurban pulls to a stop. Spotting her heartthrob, she can't speak, taken back by the beauty of this electric world, all she can think to do is fall - Maybe he'll pick her up?


With my high-starched collar, and my high-topped shoes
And my hair piled high upon my head
I went to lose a jolly hour on the Trolley and lost my heart instead.
With his light brown derby and his bright green tie
He was quite the handsomest of men
I started to yen, so I counted to ten the I counted to ten again

Here we get a glimpse of the romance in her head already set to this perfectly clean, pristine environment of electric railway - a celestial backdrop - and a beautiful young couple with springtime in their eyes. She certainly dressed for the occasion to knock the men off their feet with her high-starched collar and high topped shoes. She also dressed to do some manner of hiking, such as it was in those days. High topped shoes protect the delicate ankles from rocks and accidental twists and injury on mountain trails. Her hair was up and out of the way.

But note that she deliberately went just to spend a "Jolly Hour on the Trolley". Trolley excursions are a lost American past-time. Sadly, we are too much in a hurry to follow Judy and just go out and kill an hour for the sake of the wonderful ride. Frankly, most of us have never seen a Trolley much less ridden on one. I find this part of the song a bit modern-tragic.

Note the man of her yen was wearing a derby hat, and a tie, certainly the standard outdoor suit of the day. A time when self respecting men considered the them selves naked without a coat and tie. As recently as WWII, General Patton wrote up dozens of allied soldiers who would "dare to fight a war without a tie!" So we see from this they both boarded the trolley for a frolic.

Clang, clang, clang went the trolley
Ding, ding, ding went the bell
Zing, zing, zing went my heartstrings
From the moment I saw him I fell
Chug, chug, chug went the motor
Bump, bump, bump went the brake
Thump, thump, thump went my heartstrings
When he smiled I could feel the car shake

Mostly a repeat of the first verses, this chorus changes the meaning somewhat, here we see that the trolley has reached the destination. The buzzer is going off constantly and the gong is clanging to clear the way of picnic basket carrying tourists.

She See's herself behaving as a trolley, certainly high on love she feels the electric surge as her heartstrings go zing, zing, zing. This time when she saw him she fell - but it was a fall of love at first sight. The motors are slowing the car as she feels a slight chug motion, the brakes are applied in a smooth rhythmic bump, bump motion. Her heart is again identified with the trolley as the air compressors kick in and she hears the rapid ka-thump - ka-thump - ka-thump under the floor. Just as the gentleman smiled the car shook to a stop.

He tipped his hat, and took a seat
He said he hoped he hadn't stepped upon my feet
He asked my name, I held my breath
I couldn't speak because he scared me half to death
Chug, chug, chug went the motor
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels
Stop, stop, stop went my heartstrings
As he started to go then I started to know how it feels
When the universe reels

Here the scene seems to change again, I believe the writer now was considering the tiny narrow gauge cars of the old Mount Lowe Railway. The Pacific Electrics narrow gauge alpine streetcars to Echo Park. Note the words he tipped his had, and said, "I hope I didn't step upon your feet." This was because the narrow gauge cars were a tight fit inside. Too young to know how to respond in words she felt she had arrived at the gates of the universe, but the Trolley is moving again and she didn't get off.


The day was bright, the air was sweet
The smell of honeysuckle charmed you off your feet
You tried to sing, but couldn't squeaks
In fact, you loved him so you couldn't even speak

The other passengers get caught up in the moment - Trolley - Young Love - Beautiful Girl - Handsome Man - Incredible scenery and sweet air.


Buzz, buzz, buzz went the buzzer
Plop, plop, plop went the wheels
Stop, stop, stop went my heartstrings
As he started to leave I took hold of his sleeve with my hand
And as if it were planned he stay on with me
And it was grand just to stand with his hand holding mine
To the end of the line.

The journey continues on forever, though neither planned it that way. It was just a lark on the trolley and a day in the park. It ended up being the quintessential Trolley Romance of all time. The two lovers now hand in hand decide they will take the car to the end of the line - where ever that may be.

And may it be that Judy and her love truly are spending the rest of time - to the end of the line - Somewhere over the rainbow.

Trolley Song

Interurban Rail

Musicals

ANOTHER DAY - ANOTHER AIRLINE

AIRLINE MERGERS SIGN OF SUCCESS OR DISASTER?

Southern Airways 1952

We have lost another airline folks, this time it's the "mighty Northwest" that was eaten by Delta. While I had much rather fly a number of smaller regional carriers then throw my loyalty to a single giant, we have to hope the employees of both will be well cared for. For the nostalgic about air travel, you may recall the worlds largest airline merger when NORTHWEST took control of REPUBLIC. Republic it's self was a product of the old lovable SOUTHERN AIRWAYS and NORTH CENTRAL merger, a sad day in Dixie indeed.

Here is the news release, and lets all hope that the employees and their families are well cared for in every aspect of this newest "Worlds Largest Airline".

Officials surprised at ease of airline merger

Times News Service

Officials at MBS International Airport say they're a bit surprised Delta Air Lines completed its $2.8 billion acquisition of Northwest Airlines without much turbulence.
Now, they're hoping for a smooth transition, including no decreased flights at the Freeland airstrip.
"I was just talking with (Northwest Manager of Customer Service) Rich Bostwick about how I thought the merger would become final by December," said Jeff Nagel, MBS manager.

"I'm very impressed with how Delta went about the whole process."
Two of America's most well-known carriers became the world's biggest last week. The Justice Department said it had no antitrust objections.
The company will keep Delta's name, Atlanta headquarters and Chief Executive Richard Anderson, who once ran Northwest.
Delta executives said travelers will see no differences right away. New uniforms will appear in the next year, and Northwest fleet's signature red tails will get a new logo over the next two years.
Consumer advocates believe the proposed merger won't bode well for travelers in the long run.
Antitrust regulators are downplaying those worries and in a statement wrote "the proposed merger between Delta and Northwest is likely to produce substantial and credible efficiencies that will benefit U.S. consumers and is not likely to substantially lessen competition."
Rick Seaney, chief executive of Dallas-based FareCompare.com, which tracks changes in airline ticket prices, disagrees.
While it's true that Delta and Northwest flights didn't directly go head to head with each other, "the reality is you have one less airline across the U.S. to drive down prices and that's never a good thing for consumers," he said.
"Prices are going to take a hit and in the northbound direction," Seaney said.
Nagel, meanwhile, said it's too soon to determine what to expect by way of the number of flights at MBS as Delta absorbs Northwest.
"We don't know what's going to happen," he said.
For the past five years, Northwest has maintained seven daily flights in and out of Freeland.
MBS' other carrier, United Express, has planes leaving four times daily.
"As the two airlines become fully integrated, we'll learn more," Nagel said.
Much is at stake: The travel hub handles 400,000 passengers annually. This year's head count of 237,412 through September is a 10-percent drop compared to the same period last year.
In September, MBS leaders unveiled designs for a proposed $48 million terminal that stresses conservation and Saginaw Valley's heritage.
Jacksonville, Fla., aviation architectural firm Reynolds Smith & Hills Inc. will handle the work.
The 75,000-square-foot terminal will feature a steel-and-glass construction that relies heavily on natural lighting to reduce the need for electricity. White pine accents and other wood trim are meant to pay homage to Saginaw's lumbering lore.

Airlines

JAXPORT REACHES FOR THE STARS

WHAT IF A NEW COMPANY COMES TO TOWN AND BRINGS IT'S FRIENDS?

It's been no secret that JAXPORT with it's western location on the Atlantic, not under New York or Boston mind you, rather South of Cincinnati, is well positioned to take flight. Already the 14Th in the Nation, this port is headed for number 3 and maybe number 2 on the Atlantic. We've all known something huge was about to take place right under our noses and we for the most part knew 3 of the carriers. But today's news article blows away the whispers and names names, COSCO, YANG LING and K-LINE have been added to our mix. Holy "Made in China" Batman, while the rest of the nation staggers we seem to be soaring. Incredible! Thanks JBJ...THANKS.

Monday, November 3, 2008 - 3:01 PM
Hanjin could call on Jaxport by January

Jacksonville Business Journal

Hanjin Shipping Co. Ltd. could begin calling on Jacksonville as soon as January, but it’s more likely it will be another year before the South Korean company adds shipping service to the port.

Jacksonville Port Authority Executive Director Rick Ferrin said Hanjin could call on the TraPac Terminal when it’s completed in January. The good news made the Jacksonville Port Authority Board’s approval of a contract with Hanjin that much sweeter.

If, as expected, Hanjin’s board approves the contract on Nov. 11, then the authority’s board will have a signing ceremony Dec. 10. Hanjin’s board’s signing of the contract will added their shipping line and three others through their alliance with China Ocean Shipping Co., “K Line,” and Yang Ming Line.

With Hanjin coming aboard, the port would double its service to Asia, adding incentive for distributors to ramp up service through Jacksonville.

“This makes a great case for them to get off the fence and go to Jacksonville,” sad Roy Schleicher, the authority’s senior director of trade development and global marketing.

The soonest Hanjin’s $207 million terminal at Dames Point is expected to be completed is July 2011, and the latest is June 2012. The 88-acre terminal will have a 2,500-foot berth that will allow it to handle two post-Panamax ships simultaneously.

Ferrin said Mitsui will handle about 800,000 containers each year. The company will pay $4 million in rent annually for the first seven years, after which the rent will go up to $5 million per year and include U.S. consumer price index increases.

Mitsui will pay the authority $80 per box for 170,000 boxes and will be charged at that annual rate for the first seven years even if it doesn’t handle the full amount, Ferrin said. About 90 percent of the time there are two TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent, a container measurement standard) in a box.

The minimum rate jumps up to 220,000 boxes between the eighth and the 15th year, and then to 250,000 boxes in the 16th year. The 30-year contract has a 10-year potential extension.

The incentive for Mitsui and its alliance partners to handle more cargo is that the charge per box drops to $5 after the minimum amount is reached.

Ferrin acknowledged that the slumping international container traffic and the credit crunch could affect Mitsui, but said the company was strong enough to come through it. Hanjin has an “A” bond rating by a South Korean equivalent to the U.S.’s Fitch and Moody’s, said Michael Poole, the authority’s chief financial officer.

Ferrin said Hanjin’s use of rail-mounted gantry cranes, which are automated container handling machines that work around the clock, will allow it to handle nearly as much freight on the current site as the originally intended site known as the Zion property owned by Zion Jacksonville Limited Partnership.

He said Mitsui’s rail-mounted gantries will likely handle the larger Asian ships, and its rubber-tired gantries will handle the smaller South and Central American ships.

The terminal is expected to create 1,600 direct jobs and 4,000 jobs indirectly. The addition of new Asian shipping service by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. and Hanjin are projected to triple the port's container traffic.

transit

Florida and Colorado Railcar

IS THE DMU DEAD?

Dallas - Fort Worth uses the rebuilt RDC's.

I wasn't impressed by either the looks or the feel of the Colorado Railcar. Some may recall that I took a "test drive" at 80 mph and the thing sounded like it was leaving parts scattered along the tracks as we flew past. Doors rattled and banged, plastic everywhere not unlike an airliner but with obvious beat-up look and these were new. Perhaps the bugs just haven't been worked out yet. The original Budd RDC car, had some bugs when they were first delivered along with "trailer" cars. While not as powerful as the DMU, the Budd car operators quickly found that in pulling the trailer (basically a ultra-light but other wise standard railroad passenger coach) the RDC's transmission fell apart. But the Budd RDC has stood the test of time and those 1950's era stainless steel beauties are still clicking off the miles in commuter services throughout the country and beyond. Several firms are offering a rebuilt RDC at a fraction of the cost of the DMU, with the added benefit of getting almost double the diesel fuel mileage. Florida needs to use caution when it makes the purchases of these DMU vehicles, I tend to like the well tested path of the old faithful RDC.

Here's Why:

Another ugly possibility is that Colorado Railcar is on shaky ground. The lead Rader family member running the company got the ax not too long ago. Seems like this "sign" has happened three or four times already? The DMU is not getting any orders, and especially after TriMet's Portland, Oregon order is now three-four months overdue. The Vermont deal collapsed and Florida is sitting on Orlando - Jacksonville - Tampa commuter rail projects paralyzed by legislative inaction, so no orders are coming from here either. I wonder how many more transit agencies will cut a deal with them?

Railway Age magazine had this to say:

Less than a decade ago, when all but the last few passenger services operated with aging Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) equipment were phased out, the day of the diesel multiple-unit, or DMU, appeared to be about over on North American railroads. But hardly had the diesel railcar been declared dead when it came back to life in a flurry of proposals for new passenger rail starts with DMU equipment, together with supplier proposals for a variety of new designs for the North American market. Lying behind this new interest were the same potential cost advantages and operational flexibility over conventional locomotive-hauled equipment-particularly in applications for which the required passenger capacity is relatively low-that had made such a success of the RDC almost a half century earlier.

This was manifested first in a modest revival of rehabilitated RDCs in new-starts at Syracuse, N.Y., and Cape May, N.J., during 1994 and 1996. A far more significant example came on line at the beginning of 1997, when Trinity Railway Express began operating regional passenger service over a 10-mile route between Dallas Union Station and South Irving with a fleet of 13 Alstom Canada-remanufactured RDCs. Well satisfied with their operating performance, flexibility, and reliability, and anticipating a growing role for RDCs as full Dallas-Fort Worth operation grows and other planned services develop, TRE is now looking for another six RDCs for eventual rehabilitation.

The revival of interest in the DMU, however, is owed in large part to a variety of new designs, most of them based upon successful recent European equipment. Siemens Transportation, for example, is marketing three options, all based upon successful German designs. For short-haul "diesel light rail" services, Siemens is marketing the Regio Sprinter, an articulated diesel-hydraulic design, while the larger VT-642 diesel-electric railcar is being offered for commuter and short intercity markets. Neither of these vehicles complies with FRA Tier 1 crash worthiness standards, and can be used only in services separated from other railroad operations. The third Siemens option, however, is an FRA-compliant version of the VT-605, a diesel-electric vehicle available in tilting or non-tilting versions and capable of 125 mph maximum speed for extended commuter or intercity services.
Adtranz is offering an FRA-compliant version of the Flexliner DMU for both commuter and intercity services, and a diesel LRT design based upon the firm's GTW vehicle developed in Switzerland. Bombardier and Alstom are jointly marketing a modified version of Alstom's 125-mph XTER diesel-hydraulic trains built for the French National Railways. Bombardier is also marketing the Talent, a European articulated diesel light rail vehicle design

Progressive Railroading has announced:

Colorado Railcar Manufacturing L.L.C. recently named Larry Salci president and chief executive officer. He succeeds company founder Tom Rader, who will remain the company’s sole shareholder, but focus on other business interests, such as his role as GrandLuxe Rail Journey’s president.Salci has 37 years’ experience in the transportation industry, including stints as president of The Budd Transit Group, Bombardier Corp., and Morrison Knudsen Transit Group and its successor company American Passenger Rail Car Co. He most recently was president and CEO of St. Louis Metro. Salci previously served as general manager and CEO of the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority.

The final piece of the puzzle in our state might be the Bio-Diesel fuel. Miami has converted the Tri-Rail locomotives to Bio-Diesel, a mix of homegrown cooking and other oils. But they just announced the DMU's can't be converted or their warranties will expire.

We can only hope the former Budd Executive will spin the company around and get it back on track. The competition is tough, the new Flexliner is a thing of beauty and the Siemens vehicle is no slouch either. We're hoping the American Made - Colorado Company will survive, but as we say in Florida; "when your up to your neck in alligators, it's difficult to remember the original objective was to drain the swamp."

transit

RSS FEED IS FIXED

JACKSONVILLE TRANSIT RSS FEED IS FIXED!

For those who have been trying to subscribe to the RSS feeds for this blog, we have finally found the problem. So go for it and come along for the ride.

Bob

Jacksonville Traction Company

transit

MONORAIL SUBWAY COMING SOON

Las Vegas is pointing the way for Jacksonville. The downtown monorail is going to the airport, which in the case of Vegas, is "where the people are". Jacksonville is much larger and many miles more scattered, but could they be onto a novel idea? In Jacksonville, "the people" are in San Marco, 5-Points/Riverside Ave, Shands, (the "new" courthouse) or the Stadium district. Who in Jacksonville would have thought of taking our Skyway, "where the people are?" Note that this Vegas job might end up being the most expensive monorail ever built. Not because the technology is THAT expensive, but because they are going to build a monorail SUBWAY! Now please don't jump to the conclusion that I would EVER support such an idea in Jacksonville, we simply don't need it. But we do need to make the Skyway viable, so we look on jealously and "wish" we had leaders that were not idea challenged invertebrates. So my beloved City, read it and weep:

Edward Lawrence, Reporter

Monorail Looks to Expand to McCarran Airport

Imagine getting off a plane and onto a train to get to your hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas Monorail announced plans to do just that by expanding to the airport.
The monorail runs behind the casinos on the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard in a four mile stretch.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority board members say this will be the only way to save the project. The monorail opened four years ago to fewer than expected passengers. To increase the riders, they want to go where the people are.
The monorail impressed visitor Jim Norbury, "I think the monorail is brilliant, absolutely brilliant."
Take a look at the Las Vegas Monorail's proposal
He and his wife Lee are visiting from England. They say the monorail looks new and clean.
To survive, monorail executives told the LVCVA it needs to go to the airport. Monorail President and CEO Curtis Myles says it's a necessary next step to generate the needed riders and revenue.
"Certainly that is where the people are in this town. 70-percent of the people who visit Las Vegas through the airport are going to the resort corridor where our system is," he said.
Myles put together a team to identify creative financing for the project, "There is a lot of money out there today that is chasing infrastructure projects and this is an infrastructure project. Oddly enough, the best time to do a project is in a down economy. It puts a lot of people to work. It invests in the community."
He refused to say how much it will cost. Myles made his presentation for a blessing from the elected leaders on the convention board, which he got, with strings.
"They have given us reassurance that our taxpayers will not be on the hook. We are going to take them up on that," said Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid.
Commissioner Tom Collins put it best, "County will not be on the bite for this thing."
Once the money is settled and expansion is finished, the Norbury's look forward to using it for a cool trip to their hotel, "We had a 10 hour flight, we were pretty tired. Then to stand in the heat. We arrived at 1 o'clock. It was maybe five minutes, but it seemed a long time when you have done a 10 hour flight."
Curtis Myles says he doesn't expect any resistance from cab drivers for the monorail expansion.
If all goes according to schedule the first train will run to the airport in 2012. It will go from MGM Grand, east on Tropicana, then turn south on Swenson into the airport.
There will be two more stations, one at terminal one and another that will be inside the airport expansion for a terminal three.
Part of the trip for the monorail will also be underground to give the monorail space and avoid moving roads. The final design work is being finished now.

transit

WHEN AMTRAK GOES SOUTH

Amtrak test train on the Florida East Coast was led by an FEC locomotive that was equipped for the railroads high tech ATC signals. (automatic train control)


Typical Florida commuter train in Fort Lauderdale. Journalists might want to note the pronounced different look from the Amtrak trains. This one is on the CSX railroad.


This little article appeared in the Jacksonville Florida Times-Union Newspaper. It didn't appear on my blog as I was in the meeting and besides Amtrak's desires on the Florida East Coast and the story or "how important" the Southeast is to Amtrak. We were then told the company would do nothing unless the State sponsored the trains.

Never mind that the Amtrak Representative said that they calculate that a 5 train grid, running:

Jacksonville-Miami (FEC Route)

Jacksonville-Miami (former Seaboard "S" line or I-75 route)

Jacksonville-Miami (former ACL or CSX "A" line)

Orlando-Miami

Orlando-Tampa

Apparently it matters little if a route in Florida will cover it's own expenses from the fare box. Either our State Representatives are asleep on this issue or somebody needs a good butt kicking.

The Times-Union writer did a good job on his railroad subject matter. I've spotted only a couple of small errors. The worst is the service from Jacksonville to Miami WOULD NOT be commuter train service. A 368 mile commuter train would be quite a sight to behold. This would drop in place as part of the New York - Miami long distance trains we already have. When the trains arrive or depart from Jacksonville, they would split apart southbound, or rejoin northbound. Just as they have done since the 1800's. Jacksonville Terminal would again be a bee hive of train activity, and the City would stand to gain hundreds of high paying jobs. As engine servicing, dining car commissary, baggage facilities and other support is added that will only grow. The point the representative was trying to make is "IF" Florida would pay the bill, Amtrak would be along for the ride. Meanwhile, those "Amtrak" improvements to the Florida East Coast could then be used by Jacksonville Commuter Rail, between Jacksonville and St. Augustine, a rail distance station to station of 35.0 miles.

The second and lesser error was the statement that the FEC shut down passenger service in 1968, due to a labor dispute. Truth is, the 1963 strike of non-operating unions on the Florida East Coast Railway resulted in the abrupt end of all passenger services on that railroad. While after a long absence, passenger trains would return in two short E9-powered consists that operated due to a requirement in FEC's charter to provide such trains. The two short trains Locals # 1 and #2, only lasted until 1968, and provided connections at Jacksonville with all of the major railroads and trains remaining. But the era of through service from distant cities to the FEC was over. It only took a couple of years before the railroad successfully petitioned to the State Public Utilities Commission to end all passenger service. Almost overnight every sign of a passenger had vanished from the FEC, the stations, with only a couple of exceptions were razed, and for many years the railroad was openly hostile to anyone but the freight shipping public.

Today we have a completely different Florida East Coast Railway, one that has gone through two major changes in management in just a handful of years. The company is still a maverick but now welcomes the attention of Amtrak, railfan's and the general public. With the current mess in Tallahassee and our lack-luster leadership in anything but expressways, Amtrak will continue to "Go South in Florida." But as far as the citizens of this state are concerned, Amtrak only "Goes North or West."

Amtrak weighs return of direct route to Miami

It would use Florida East Coast Railway tracks paralleling I-95.

By LARRY HANNAN, The Times-Union
It's a little early to get nostalgic for 2001, but Amtrak officials have begun talking about turning back the clock and taking a second crack at a passenger train route from Jacksonville to Miami.
Amtrak offers passenger service from Jacksonville to Miami on its Silver Star and Silver Meteor trains, but the Silver Meteor takes nine hours and goes to Orlando, while the Silver Star takes almost 11 hours and goes to Tampa on tracks owned by CSX.
Using the Florida East Coast tracks would create a quicker route down the east coast of Florida while also allowing stops in cities like St. Augustine, Daytona Beach, Fort Pierce, West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale.
Speaking at a meeting of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority Commuter Rail Task Force last week, Jay McArthur, officer for state contracts with Amtrak, said the government-subsidized rail company wants to offer commuter rail on the Florida East Coast rail lines that parallel Interstate 95 from Jacksonville to Miami.
"Amtrak thinks the corridor between Jacksonville and Miami is very viable," McArthur said. "The Southeast is one of the most underserved regions in the country when it comes to rail, and Amtrak wants to change that situation."
The federal government recently authorized a new bill that will give Amtrak $15 billion over five years. Increased interest in rail has led Amtrak to consider expanding services.
The rail company set a record for number of riders in 2007 with 25.8 million.
A Miami-Jacksonville route would require a partnership among Amtrak, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida East Coast Railway. It also would require millions of dollars, although the cost is unknown.
Officials with Amtrak and the transportation department both expressed interest in the project but said the other government entity would have to take the lead to get the project done.
While Amtrak wants to pursue this route, it won't do it unless the state supports it and partners with Amtrak by putting state funds into the route.
Florida hasn't done that yet, McArthur said.
Nazih Haddad, manager for passenger rail development at the Florida Department of Transportation, said the state remains interested in rail service on Florida East Coast lines, but there has been no recent discussion on the issue.
Amtrak previously discussed the possibility of using the lines in 2001-02. But that plan fell apart because Amtrak was having financial problems and the state was unwilling to allocate as much money to the project as Amtrak wanted.
Passenger service on the Florida East Coast lines occurred until 1968. The Florida East Coast Railway, founded in the late 19th century by Henry Flagler, ended service that year during a labor dispute.
Florida East Coast officials are aware of Amtrak's renewed interest but said there have been no substantial discussions about offering service.
There would need to be some rail improvements made to the existing lines before Amtrak could offer service, said Scott Williams, general counsel for Florida East Coast.
Those improvements would allow Florida East Coast Railway to continue shipping freight on the lines while Amtrak also operated.
That would guarantee passenger and freight rail could both use the tracks without delays.
It would also be essential that the state partner with Amtrak, said Ken Charron, commercial counsel for Florida East Coast and the company's representative with the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. They are not aware of any effort to do that, he said.

transit

HOW TO LOVE BRT

Phoenix, AZ

Cleveland, OH.

Mexico City, Mex.

HOW TO LOVE BRT...

It’s a bad thing if BRT in Jacksonville doesn't materialize. I couldn’t state this any more strongly. We need as much transit as we can get; our buses are currently ineffective in all but rush hours. Just because I prefer rail over BRT doesn’t mean I’m against BRT, I just prefer rail to BRT. In all of my rants I have tried to point out that I think it’s a bit telling that we never seem to get that cheap BRT that we are promised by the anti-rail crowd. That doesn’t mean I would prefer these bus projects canceled.

If we could get more bus service in any form, that would be a net good thing. I would ride a JTA bus to work every day when I worked at Trailways, and it was great. It came to Monument Road at Atlantic a few blocks from my house, and droped me off right in front of my office, at the bus station. In order to provide service like that, the bus has to stop a couple dozen times between my house and my office. That’s what buses do really well: providing local service. Rail can’t do that level of local service very well. It’s a good thing we aren’t asking it to.

Saying buses are cheaper than rail in the long run is a misleading argument. We’ve discussed this ad nauseam here, here, here and here. The two sentence version: Buses are suited for one sort of transit, rail for another. BRT is trying to get buses to do the type of service rail is best suited for, which never seems to really work. The most common anti-rail argument is that investment in rail is regrettable because we can get BRT to do the same thing for less money.But the very crux of the argument is dishonest, because no one has ever seen this BRT that can do what rail does. We’ve seen BRT that can’t do what rail does, Boston’s Silver Line and LA’s Orange Line. And we have seen BRT that costs almost as much as rail (see the Silver Line), or more then rail (see the Euclid Corridor). But we’ve never seen BRT that can do what rail does.



Euclid Corridor BRT Opens


The Euclid Corridor BRT opens this weekend in Cleveland making it the third true BRT line to launch in recent years (Orange Line and Eugene EMX). Expectations will be high, err low. Projected 2025 ridership stated in the Plain Dealer is 15,000. That's a far cry from the previous projections of 39,000 cited by the FTA (Echo's of our own Skyway's 50,000 daily rider estimates). Given the amount of destinations and jobs on the line I doubt it will take long to get to 15,000.They basically reconstructed the street and are running the same buses as the Eugene system, (buses which weigh more and cost almost as much as modern streetcars). It's also another case of a project in the FTA process opening over 10 years after conception. I thought BRT was supposed to be cheaper and quicker to implement? Though if it started today, the project wouldn't even be funded under Ma Peters. It got a Medium Low in Cost-Effectiveness and a promised cost of $21 million per mile. Which ended up being $29 million per mile. I thought the reason for BRT projects was because they are more cost-effective. Basically what this proves is that the FTA doesn't want to spend money on projects that give transit its own Right-Of-Way. No not painting lanes on the street, but a true separation from other traffic that makes it more effective. Today, its required to get a medium in Cost Effectiveness.




So why does JTA just keep hammering on the same BRT routes and plans? Simple, they are already in the Federal pipeline. Those projects that do not currently have a rating of "medium" in cost-effectiveness would automatically be precluded from funding recommendation by the FTA, notwithstanding the merits of other criteria applicable to those projects. This is part of the cutdown in projects that has been going on lately. It's recently dropped from 85 projects in the pipe before the 2005 "medium" enforcement to 2007. Not counting small starts, this year only has 31 projects in the New Starts report.Lest you think that projects are rightly being cut, it should be noted that Denver's Southeast Corridor, Charlotte's South Corridor, the Los Angeles Orange Line, and the Minneapolis Hiawatha Line all had a Medium Low ratings. Those projects have all passed their projections yet would not have been funded under the current process. Anyone else tired of cost-effectiveness being used as a blunt object to bludgeon the alternatives that will truly get people into transit, including rail AND true BRT? Let's see how this line goes. I still wish it would have been rail and electrified, but it's an improvement in the corridor, one that the FTA would not approve of these days.

The BRT subject in Cleveland during the planning and building of the Euclid Corridor BRT line, Rightly or wrongly, has been fairly controversial with locals - you can see what I mean by looking at the comment section on any Plain Dealer newspaper article written about the EC project. Some of the criticism comes from a misunderstanding of who funded the project and where the money came from. Other criticism comes from the idea that building the EC meant that we squandered resources that could have been used for a better transit project. It is true that EC replaced an existing bus line on Euclid Ave. It is also true that the old bus line was horribly crowded, slow, and inefficient. A primary selling point of the EC is that it connects the city's two biggest employment centers: downtown and University Circle. Of course, they already have the Red Line (heavy rail) that connects those two neighborhoods (although the stations could be relocated to better serve that end; and one of them is currently planned to be rebuilt).The alignment of the BRT line is one of the biggest disappointments. The alignment that was built continues down Euclid Ave. into East Cleveland, which few locals will argue is the city's roughest, most rundown, and unsalvageable parts of the area. It is also an area that is already served by the Red Line. Not unlike Jacksonville's BRT plans that run under the Skyway or along side railroad tracks. It would have been exciting to see an alignment that turned south and east at University Circle and provided transit service to neighborhoods like Cleveland Heights and University Heights. It would have also certainly been more exciting to have a new electric rail line (whether light or heavy) down Euclid Ave. and into neighborhoods that currently lack good transit service to University Circle and downtown. Ridership expectations may not necessarily be high, as the PD claims, but the stakes certainly are high. Critics are ready to pounce on the project and officially label it as a failure and waste of valuable resources.

Cleveland’s Mr. Calabrese, is the push behind the Euclid BRT, he parrots the JTA line on BRT just being a stepping stone to rail. "Bus rapid transit lines can be designated and more buses can be tacked on if the service starts to grow. If the volume grows to a point, then some of these vehicles can be linked together. And then tracks can be laid".

Suddenly a bus system has become a fully fledged light rail system. If the volume grows some of "THESE VEHICLES" can be linked together? Buses? Really? Where has this happened? Where have they just slipped rails under the bus and got instant light rail? Can you image this happening on the Arlington Expressway or I-95 North BRT alignments? Someone please tell me which lane the trains will be in. The fact is, the BRT proponets are being dishonest with the public. They know the only thing even close to this is when the Cuirtiba, Brazil, BRT system failed to meet demand (after being the model for both Cleveland and Jacksonville) forcing the City of Curitiba to build a new Metro Rail System.

I don’t think light rail is cheap, I think light rail, especially vintage streetcars, or modern streetcars (in that order) is cheaper than the alternatives. Even more so in Cities like Jacksonville where many lightly used railroad branchlines or abandoned rights of way can be accessed for transit. Roads are very expensive. Adding the outter beltway, just the Federal contribution is $69.2 Million. Adding the new interchange at I-10 and I-95 is another $148 Million. Completing a widening redesign to accommodate FDOT’s budget on a 2-mi segment of Interstate 275 just west of downtown Tampa in the Westshore Business District. Construction of the first phase of this project will cost $277.5 million, begin in 2007 and wrap up in 2012. Ultimate construction cost will exceed $500 million. Each of those cost considerably more money per mile than light rail does, just the new viaduct and 520 bridge in Seattle, will each cost more than a billion dollars per mile. None of these will move as many people as light rail would. Light Rail is cheaper to operate per passenger miles than buses are, which is why you want riders going long distances to do so on rail. Exclusive lane BRT around here is not going to work if the current routes pass review. Even if BRT and the expanded interstate highway fails, congestion and fuel will continue to eat into bus funding, making buses ever more expensive to operate per passenger mile. This is why buses are better suited for local access than rail, and rail is better suited for longer distances than buses are. Investment in light rail will pay off spectacularly, because we’ll be able to put buses that are used for long-haul service back to where they are effective, into shorter local service. Once riders get on rail, they become much cheaper per over the distance, we save money, and can improve service. Light rail isn’t cheap if you have no buses, and buses aren’t cheap if they are asked to do what rail should be doing.

I am very much pro-bus, which is why I took the bus to work everyday when I could drive, thank you very much. However, I do have a problem with the Mike Miller, JTA, et al. argument that, every thing being equal, buses can do what light rail can do cheaper. It’s a dishonest argument, and the first bit of proof that BRT is not cheap is provided by the fact that we don’t seem to be able to get any cheap BRT.

The only people I can imagine who would be happy that Jacksonville Commuter Rail, Streetcar or, a Skyway expansion, might not arrive are the anti-everything set, who claim to be in support of BRT, but, of course, if it comes time to vote on funding, they'll be more then happy to vote no. They might be happy because they can continue to make the the argument that BRT will be cheaper than rail, and instead of having an example to compare light rail to, they can continue to compare high dollar subways to BRT systems in far away places like Lima, Peru and Bogotá, Colombia. They know full well that BRT can’t do what light rail can, and they can remain against any form of transit mix that actually works.

Special Thanks:

The Overhead Wire

City of Cleveland

Cleveland Plain Dealer

JTA

Mr. Mike Miller

Mr. Rob Pitingolo

The Toledo Blade

APTA

Seattle Transit Blog

Light Rail Now

FTA

transit

BICYCLES, SCOOTERS AND SEGWAY'S ON THE SKYWAY

We have an ongoing discussion in Jacksonville about allowing bicycles on our Skyway (monorail), even though thousands of riders have brought aboard wheelchairs, shopping carts and baby carriages. Yet bicycles, especially in the urban core, usually come with experienced commuter-riders, or student-riders. They are perhaps the least likely to go on some imagined rampage down an elevated track with 440 volts AC hanging off the side. What we haven't considered is a policy that includes bicycles, Segway's AND scooters of different variety's.

For those not familiar with the Jacksonville Skyway system, it is a Bombardier Monorail system of 2.5 miles and 8 stations. It crosses the St. Johns River in downtown Jacksonville, which is a major shipping channel. The monorail cars are small, with a capacity of about 20 persons each and only have seats on the ends. Otherwise the lightly used system, is wide open in the center for all manner of passengers or cargo, with just enough standee poles to make things safe. This blog sees no reason why we should not follow San Francisco's lead on this issue.

ASSOCIATED PRESS SAN FRANCISCO – Bicycles are not the only two-wheelers jockeying for position on Caltrain cars.

For the last several months, the transit agency has been discussing whether to allow the increasingly popular Segway scooters onto trains, said spokeswoman Christine Dunn.
The initial idea is that only disabled people with permits would be allowed to bring the 100-pound devices aboard. The scooters would be hoisted onto train cars much like wheelchairs, which are propped on lifts manned by transit personnel, Dunn said.
The push to accommodate the battery-operated devices comes as Bay Area Segway dealers report a spike in sales. Jim Heldberg, owner of Pacifica-based Segway of San Francisco, estimates that 3,000 of the scooters are currently zipping around the Bay Area. Their popularity continues to grow as commuters hunt for alternatives to gas-guzzling cars, he said.
Caltrain officials also say the scooters will not cause train delays. The “dwell time” at stations — when trains stop before leaving — is enough to accommodate the Segways without delay, Dunn said.
“I think one of the issues we have is storage [of the Segways]. … Where are we going to put them?” she said. “The other would be safety. You don’t want them getting away from people on the platform or onboard trains.”
BART has dealt with similar issues. In June, a rider lost control of a Segway at the 24th Street station in San Francisco, sending the scooter into the path of an oncoming train. The scooter was struck, which halted service for more than half an hour, BART spokesman Linton Johnson said.
The accident, which raised safety concerns, led to a 45-day ban of Segways on BART trains. During the ban, the agency’s board of directors developed a new policy that requires Segway riders to obtain a permit. Initially, up to 50 permits are being offered.
It’s not known how many permits would be offered to Caltrain’s Segway riders.
At issue is how the scooters would safely squeeze into train cars at a time when Caltrain is reporting record ridership. The transit agency is already struggling to make room for bicyclists that get stranded on platforms during peak commute hours.
“We are still developing our Segway policy,” Dunn said.
At this point, she said, what Caltrain directors have determined is that the Segway — which will be classified as “mobility devices” — will be required to meet standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The devices can be no greater than 30-by-48 inches, with a total weight, including the occupant, of no more than 600 pounds, Dunn said.
The Segway draft policy will be presented to the Caltrain board of directors Nov. 6. A similar policy will be presented to the SamTrans board the following week.

transit

SOMETHING ROTTEN IN CLEVELAND?

Just down the shore from Cleveland, the Toledo Blade reports some "truths" on the new Euclid Corridor Bus Rapid Transit Line. Of course Cleveland claimed "It's just like rail, only cheaper", and the familiar battle cry, "TOD just like rail". But is it really? Cleveland put out two proposals, one for a double track rapid LRT system - partly in a subway, and compared it with buses running in exclusive lanes. Hum? Rail $100 Million a mile and Bus $30 Million (a bit more per mile then expansion of JTA's Skyway) so they ran to the bus. They claim to have just as much TOD as any new rail line, but is it true? A survey shows that nearly 75% of this TOD is NOT PRIVATE. It's City, County, State and other government type service centers and office buildings. Unless you count a MacDonald's Restaurant, hardly the super-booster on the tax rolls they are claiming. Meanwhile over in Toledo, they are watching "big brother" Cleveland, and do THEY have something to say.

IT'S A BUS? IT'S A TRAIN? IT'S BOTH
Cleveland’s bus rapid transit line is expected to launch in October, running a 9.4-mile loop. MATTHEW EISENBLADE STAFF WRITER

Our system has almost every attribute of rail except rail,” said Joe Calabrese, chief executive of the Cleveland transit authority. “If you operate a system that is perceived to be simple to use, has great frequency, is safe, and is clean, you will attract new riders. I am confident we will attract new riders.”

Local possibilities

Mr. Calabrese, who credits former Cleveland Mayor George Voinovich for championing the project as mayor, governor, and now U.S. senator, said the scalability of bus rapid transit makes it a viable option for cities the size of Toledo. He calls the system “BRT Light” when cities pick and choose the elements that gel best with their existing infrastructure.Toledo and other similarly populated cities could take advantage of the Federal Transit Administration’s recently overhauled “Small Starts” and “Very Small Starts” programs, which offer up to $75 million in funding for small bus, rail, or ferry projects. James Gee, general manager of the Toledo Area Regional Transportation Authority, which operates more than 40 bus routes a day in the city and most of its suburbs, agreed bus rapid transit could work in northwest Ohio. “Even if we start small and build a smaller line here in Toledo, we could see the resulting increases in private development,” he said. “It does take a leap of faith, but as other cities have demonstrated if you do take that leap with public dollars, private dollars will follow.”

Along for the ride

While bus ridership in both Toledo and Cleveland has grown in recent months, diesel costs have ballooned. And those fuel bills threaten the revenue and viability of busing systems across the country. “Many systems around the state, instead of adding service when demand is at an all-time high, are probably going to be cutting service,” Mr. Calabrese said.“My diesel bill went from $5 million in 2003, to $12 million last year, to $21 million this year, and it should be about $24 million next year.”In Toledo, TARTA will cut its bus service by 7 percent on Aug. 24, a decision that has caused outcries from local riders.Aside from rising fuel prices affecting expansion possibilities, Neil Reid, director of the University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center, warned transit officials to consider the American comfort level with buses.“Most people in Toledo, people say under 50, probably have never ridden a bus before or only on sporadic occasion,” he said. “People probably just don’t consider that an option.”The issues may cut deeper than simple unfamiliarity.Busing systems in many cities have been painted as ferries for the poor. Alan Plattus, director of the Yale Urban Design Center in New Haven, Conn., said dismantling a classist attitude — as has been done in many European countries — may be as important to the success of buses in America as the routes they follow.“The bus system has gotten to be a class system,” he said. “Middle class people who might use the bus instead of taking a car trip don’t do it.”For many urban planners, busing systems also have become the figurative poor man’s light rail, a shot below the mark for cities focusing on asphalt instead of track and relying on tenuous data promising real estate development around buses.John Norquist, president of the Congress for the New Urbanism in Chicago, agreed developers are more likely to be attracted to areas along rail stations or lines where the city has signaled its intention to make large, nearly indelible investments.“Light rail is good because it’s permanent,” he said. “People say with buses they’re good because they’re flexible, but they could disappear at any moment.”Light rail — the term applied to streetcar systems such as trolleys — is nothing new.The Richmond Union Passenger Railway came online as the first large electric street railway system in 1888, displacing horse drawn buggies. Many cities, including Toledo, decommissioned their streetcar systems in the 1950s as the country began its migration to the suburbs and the automobile industry flourished.

Finding the right path

James Seney, former executive director of the Ohio Rail Development Commission, said old streetcar lines in Toledo fit the layout of the community and may be a guide for rail revampment.“What makes urban rail work is when you create transit routes that have clusters of neighborhoods on them,” said Mr. Seney, the former mayor of Sylvania. “You should design [routes] based on your existing neighborhoods and tie that into the growth of downtown businesses, rather than trying to capture a larger area.”Though Mr. Seney said new tracks would be needed if Toledo decided to move forward with a rail plan, he admitted “the old guys logistically were correct.” The push toward rail is being seen in other U.S. cities.About 100 years after its invention, light rail experienced a heavy resurgence. Most of the United States’ busiest light rail systems today were built or intensely renovated in the last two decades, including lines in Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; St. Louis; Denver, and Dallas. Even smaller cities such as Little Rock, Tacoma, and Galveston, Texas, have invested in light rail systems since the turn of the century.The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston shuttles over a quarter million people per day on its green and red lines, making it by far the largest light-rail operation in the country.

BLOGGER NOTES:

Putting our faith in BRT for our main or trunk line transit is a serious error in Jacksonville. We have corridors where BRT makes good sense, in fact perhaps many more miles then what JTA planned in the original study. Blanding, JTB, Arlington Expressway, Edgewood, University and Lem Turner, just a few that come to mind.

The scary part of this story is we have just worked out that the Skyway at 26 miles would cost about 1/2 of the projected BRT system. Commuter Rail and Streetcar are much cheaper then either and as ridership grows, both have the ability to form trains and use cheaper electric power. So the question is, why not send our excellent planners back to the boards to draw up plans for an ultra-light-rail-lite-BRT network extending in all directions from Skyway, Streetcar and Commuter Rail?

transit

A SKYWAY CALLED REPULSIVE

What did $184 Million buy? All of the red lines. But it goes much deeper then that, it bought access to all of the yellow lines too. It also bought and paid for a maintenance facility for a large railroad, Positive Train Control, a complete signaling system, full automation, full surveillance, instant communications and automatic dispatching. It paid for a monorail railroad yard, the rights to the center cars of this design which we own outright. It paid for an impressive soaring bridge with double track over the St. Johns River - no small feat in the swift flowing extreme depths of the twisting narrows downtown. The same spot where a US Navy frigate was tied up last weekend, and before that the research vessel Atlantis. This map just demonstrates some of the lines that are being actively watched, if not planned by JTA.


Love this photo, it was evening and a rather ferice storm had just past. Everything was fresh and washed the the fall weather in Jacksonville unlike the rest of Florida is seasonal. So while Orlando, Tampa and Miami sweltered in 90 degree heat, we enjoyed one of those evenings of eternal 72 degrees.


Are there any plans to move forward? Oh yes, just blow off the dust and belly up to the bar. This is the inter modal center planned for Brooklyn Park. Brooklyn is a historic neighborhood on a bluff, south of Jacksonville Union Terminal and Mc Coy's Creek. This station would be located between the Skyway rail yard and Riverside Avenue, across the street from the Florida Times-Union Publishing Company.



At the Rainbows end, I caught the 2 car shuttle heading for Riverplace Station just after a thunder storm. Had to climb a wall for this shot which probably caused no small consternation back in the control-monitoring center, but with the help of a very kind homeless man, we cleaned the window inside and out and I got my shot. In celebratory thanks my new friend got his Skyway fares.

Some of that investment went inside the operations center, a center that once inside is jaw dropping impressive, even for a hardened railroader. Here is a cross between NASA's "VAB" or Vehicle Assembly Building and railroad shops of the FEC's Bowden Yard. Great pride shows throughout as the employees all seem on first name basis, jokes flew around the room and yet one could eat off of the polished floor. This shop is so well equipped that the Skyway Train in this picture is under it's own overhead Monorail - one that can move it around the shop. The bright work, painted surfaces, lettering and layout would make a fireman blush.

What is Positive Train Control? The best way to describe it to the layman would be to say it's running a railroad as if it were a computerized toy train. Here the operator on the left and the monitor - station manager and voice of the Skyway is on the right. There is room for two more positions here as the system grows, and it would be easy to add four new people. A system map in the the upper center, it shows the movement-size-speed-direction-track and signal indication of every train. Around that map are 72 computer camera screens, including aboard every train car. We would never have to buy this building and all of it's treasures again, they are ours to use.

We mentioned growth, did you know the system could handle 30,000 passengers per hour per direction according to Steve Arrington of JTA. Of course we need the center cars and we could order them in sets of 1, 2 or 4 so our trains could range from 2 - 6 cars long. The gates are also already in place at the stations, we simply need to punch them out, but everything is in readiness.

A SKYWAY CALLED REPULSIVE...

THE JTA Skyway is a monorail in Jacksonville, Florida, in the United States. It is operated by the Jacksonville Transportation Authority. The course of its 2.5-mile dual track includes the Acosta Bridge, spanning the St. Johns River, which divides downtown Jacksonville. Each train is automated by SCADA, can have two to six cars, and travels at up to 35 miles per hour. Fare between any of its eight stations is 50 cents.The idea of a Jacksonville people mover dates back at least to a 1971 report for the Jacksonville Area Planning Board. Work began in 1984, and the first leg opened in 1989. The second phase and third phases, including the river crossing, and conversion to monorail, were completed by November 1, 2000. The total cost of the system $184,000,000, much of it paid through Federal Grants.Old Skyway original route map here:The Skyway has been one of the biggest points of contention in Jacksonville. Many critics say it goes "from nowhere to nowhere", yet it was never finished. Some community activists have suggested that extensions into neighboring communities like Riverside, San Marco, and Springfield would improve the line's usefulness. Further, it has been noted that the Skyway would attract ridership from the proposed (but unbuilt) East Line, which would resolve the issue of Jacksonville's future rail transit system being one of the few in the country that does not serve its local sports district.According to figures from APTA, average weekday ridership in first quarter 2008 was 1,700, about 30% below the previous year's figure.

It's certainly easy to sit back and make light of the Skyway, everyone seems to be guilty at some point. Robert Mann a Transportation Supervisor with Trailways Bus System joined with Jacksonville Journal Editor, the late George Harmon, in launching an all out attack on the Skyway plans as soon as they became public knowledge. The two were promoting a combination Light Rail and Heritage Streetcar system that would have been the first of it's kind in the country. Based on the San Diego experience of the same time period, and our ultimate investment in the Skyway, we could have built 32 miles of rail for the cost of 2.5 Skyway miles.

Even former Mayor Jake Godbold, who pushed the project over the top says we should have never have built it. Perhaps the only thing worse then building any unproved fixed transit system, is half-way building it. In the case of the Skyway it seems the City and the original critics have swapped positions. As the wildly optimistic ridership projections of JTA began to crumble from 50,000 to 30,000, 17,000, 10,000 and finally 7,000 daily riders, to a reality of about 3,000. Then the jokes started and the splashes made by the politicians bailing off this sinking ship could be heard in Washington DC. Indeed the City went into damage control when international press attention was focused on the half built transit system. "A hotel wasn't built", "downturn in the economy," "downtown failed to develop", everyone inside had an excuse. Everyone outside couldn't resist one more swipe at Jacksonville. JTA no longer had a voice and the vultures were already circling. Even the FTA in Washington when speaking about the Skyway claimed they didn't know where Jacksonville was. Today fear paralyses all party's at a time when the worst thing we can do is sit on the Skyway as-is and hope for the best. This is done by a well meaning political machine that doesn't want to appear irresponsible for the stewardship of the City's limited budget. They feel they would appear irresponsible as the media has continued the attack started on the Skyway in 1980. No one has taken pause to consider the fallacy of attacking our only green, fixed, clean, electric, traffic free source of transportation in a world of soaring gasoline prices.

The following is a typical excerpt from the press, though I didn't reprint the entire article, the writer actually ended it with the word on monorail systems, "None of them make a profit." Incredible.

Skyway ridership remains sparse
Passenger count on the downtown rail system has dropped by almost 20 percent in the past two years.
By LARRY HANNAN, The Times-Union
Jake Godbold lobbied for the Skyway when he was Jacksonville mayor. He looks at the elevated rail system today and said his support was misplaced.

"I keep thinking it will catch on, but so far, it hasn't," said Godbold, who was mayor from 1979 to 1987. "We just don't want to give our cars up."
Former Mayor John Delaney, who was critical of the Skyway when he first ran for office, jokes that he has now mellowed to the point he thinks the Skyway can work for Jacksonville.
"For some special events, like the Super Bowl, it's been very nice," said Delaney, who was mayor from 1995 to 2003. "It's also been an asset to downtown development, even if there aren't many people who ride it."
Almost 20 years after the first portion of the Skyway opened in 1989, the 2 1/2-mile downtown rail system remains an underachiever. Ridership has dropped by almost 20 percent in the past two years.
In the first quarter of 2008, the system averaged 1,700 riders a day. That increased to 2,000 a day in the second quarter, which Jacksonville Transportation Authority attributes to more people accepting a fare increase from 35 to 50 cents that occurred in 2007. But for a system that was once expected to attract 38,000 riders a day, an increase to 2,000 riders is still underwhelming.
In fiscal year 2007-08, expenses were $4.5 million for the Skyway and revenue was $407,000. About $1.7 million of those expenses were paid for by a recurring grant awarded by the federal government, and JTA paid the rest at a loss of more than $2 million.
Robert Mann, a retired transportation consultant and a longtime Skyway critic, said the fundamental problem with the Skyway is it doesn't go anywhere. Expanding it so it can go closer to Five Points, Jacksonville Municipal Stadium and San Marco is the way to make the system viable, Mann said.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority still sees it differently.
The key to increasing ridership isn't in expanding the Skyway, it's in complementing the existing Skyway with other transportation options, said Scot Clem, JTA's strategic planning director. Those options include a new bus rapid transit system and efforts to bring commuter rail from the suburbs to the city. Major expansions to the Skyway, Clem said, are just too expensive.
Minor expansions
JTA is considering minor expansions to Riverside and Leila streets and might also try to extend the Skyway from its current endpoint at Kings Avenue to Atlantic Boulevard.
JTA is also studying the feasibility of commuter rail. Executive Director Michael Blaylock has previously expressed optimism that people living in the suburbs would be willing to take a light rail system into the downtown area.
Light rail usually means streetcars or trams. Some light rail cars run on streets, while others require tracks to be built. Although the JTA has studied similar systems in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., it is unclear how much a commuter rail system would cost here. It is also unclear if local officials possess the funds or the political will to build a new transportation network.
The city is also working toward a new rapid transit system that will put more buses on the road, Clem said.
Steve Arrington, director of engineering for JTA, said there were a lot of plans for downtown development in the late '80s and early '90s, when the city built what was then called the Automated Skyway Express. Most of that development didn't happen.
The development that has happened in the last few years was not constructed with the Skyway in mind. For example, new parking garages went up near or within some of the new developments, which discouraged people from using the Skyway, Arrington said.

Feds paid more than half
The $184 million project opened in different phases between 1989 and 2000. More than half the money came from the federal government, without whose help Godbold and Delaney agreed the system would not have been built.
Godbold said the Chamber of Commerce was convinced the Skyway was one of the keys to redeveloping the downtown, and when the gas crisis hit in the late '70s, the Skyway sounded like a solution.
At the same time, the federal government also contributed money to Miami's 4.4-mile Metromover and Detroit's 2.9-mile People Mover. All three projects were an attempt to determine whether fully automated downtown rail systems would stimulate economic development and cost less than running downtown bus services.
Clem said there are differences between the systems. Miami's Metromover is free; you have to pay 50 cents to ride the Skyway. The Metromover also connects to the 21-mile Metrorail system that goes throughout the Miami area.
The People Mover in Detroit, which costs 50 cents, connects directly to government buildings in the downtown area, Clem said.
All three projects have one thing in common, though: Ridership has been disappointing, and none of them turns a profit.



TOO EXPENSIVE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY?

Was the Skyway too expensive? Certainly, for the actual route miles that we have running, the cost per mile was one of the most expensive in history. But that isn't the Skyways fault, most of that was system support, maintenance base, bridge and computer-signal systems. Wouldn't expansion, even modest expansion, just continue the hemorrhage of red ink? No! In fact every inch of expansion would bring down the cost per mile of the entire system.

Please understand the real expense in the original building and the conversion to monorail accomplished two major goals. The facilities and signals, computers and shops, are State-of-the-Art, expansion would take place with little to no more investment, they could handle the needs of a system 20 - 40 or 60 miles long. The money quite simply was spent up front to give us the ability to expand quickly and cheaply in any direction. The conversion to monorail from the original system gave us untold flexibility and off-the-shelf purchasing power. The final big piece was the St. Johns River crossing on the new Acosta Bridge, certainly not a cheap undertaking even if we would have built a bridge for pogo sticks. Perhaps the blue neon chaser lights were an added option, but hey, this is Jacksonville, can you think of a bridge that isn't distinct?

Working with City Council Woman Glorious Johnson, has been a joy, she is one of the few, proud visionaries that see past the gloom and doomsayers. Speaking with many suppliers of monorail systems they can't understand why we couldn't expand for under $15 Million per mile. So we have this fantastic Skyway, a wonderful super system that frankly the city hasn't caught up with. Every mile we add for $10 or even $20 Million will bring down the overall cost-per-mile of the finished system, and raise the passenger count. In fact, doing the math, demonstrates that the Skyway at 10 miles in length, would come down in price - allowing for the $184 Million already spent + the $300 Million in new expansion to about $28 Million per mile. The Quick-Way BUS RAPID TRANSIT that JTA has in it's current sights will cost about $26 Million a mile. In short we could build true Monorail for the cost of Quick-Way BRT. Using the same numbers, if the Skyway ever reached the proposed 26 mile length of the planned BRT system, by then it's cost per mile would drop to 1/2 that of the "super bus system".

Monorail for half the price of bus.

But City Hall, DOT and perhaps even JTA have cold feet. Like an angler that went over the top for the most expensive rod and reel in the world. He now has the tools to bring home the really big fish, but he spent so much on the basics, that now his wife won't let him buy any line... "You've already broke the bank, I'll be darned if I'm going to let you add one inch of new line, or invest one more dollar, just go out there and figure out how to make it work just like it is!"

We already have everything we need for a first class Skyway system, many miles worth if we so desire. Our Skyway with it's tight curves and grades was never intended as a long distance carrier, but it could be the master of "up town" in Jacksonville. A matrix of central Skyway trunk lines, Streetcar-LRT suburban lines, Commuter Rail from the surrounding metroplex, bus - BRT Lite - electric trolley bus feeders and shuttles, and our water bus, all layered for choice and connectivity, would be unbeatable. Bay Street at Hogans Creek could even become the only station the world where Monorail meets bus, water bus, heritage streetcars, and a proposed Sky Cable. Certainly the Skyway itself isn't going to catch many "fish" without some line. All the PCT-Trolleys in the world feeding it are not going to amount to a drop in the sea. So expand it now, Riverside, The Stadium, San Marco, St. Vincents, Shands via Davis and the new Court House, Memorial Hospital, Ed Waters, JU, Jones, JUST DO IT. Add in a few miles of streetcar, commuter rail to the outlaying areas, and BRT-LITE (known as: "BRT-Light-rail-lite") or electric BRT-L, Trolley buses to Mandarin, Beaches, and Northwest side, and we would join the worlds big league cities with a transit system second to none.

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Terms Defined:

BRT Quick-Way: is a bus system using grade separateded, sometimes elevated buswaysand exclusive bus lanes - it has been shown to cost as much or more then Light Rail.

BRT Lite: is generally called "Light rail - lite" is a bus system using some of the Quick-Way features at congestion points, otherwise it uses HOV lanes and signal priority - it's cost is about equal with commuter rail.

PCT-Trolleys: A local term introduced by this blog and it's author to describe the faux trolleys that are built on chassies used to build Potato-Chip-Trucks, Thus the name "Potato-Chip-Truck-Thinks-It's-A-Trolley" or JTA own accronym for this phenomonon which is simply the "PCT Trolley Fleet".

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Special Thanks to my friend and fellow activist Mr. Ennis Davis, Urban Planner, and the MetroJacksonville.com team, see: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/ for more storys, photos and information.

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