Sunset limited to orlando

[Devil's Advocate]

I'd probably ride this segment occasionally if it were still in service since I enjoy Florida beaches but do not enjoy driving across this dull and boring route. However, the plane still beats the train when it's this slow and there's so little to see. I've come to the conclusion that Amtrak is what I will take when I have nowhere in particular to go and just want to watch the scenery go by. When I have a specific destination in mind I will fly there so I don't waste half of my trip or more just waiting to arrive.

We've discussed this so many times before, can we just quite discussing it to death?

You're free to stop discussing it any time you please.

 

[jphjaxfl]

From a simple logistical standpoint, how many Floridians are willing to go to Washington DC and Chicago in order to get to the west coast?

How many Floridians would be willing to take the train to the West Coast even f they got the best and most direct possible routing?

I don't think it is about people going to the west coast. It is more about serving relatively local journeys.

I took the Sunset Limited from and to Jacksonville west to New Orleans and beyond before and since I lived in Jacksonville when it was operating. There was usually a good crowd boarding here and usually well partonized from Orlando. Lots of passengers changing to the City of New Orleans going to Chicago. The schedule was much more reliable west bound than east bound because the train was frequently very late arriving in New Orleans from the west. Since the Sunset's demise east of New Orleans, I have flown on several trips where I would have taken the train because I am not going through Washington, DC and Chicago to go to Houston or Tuscon.

 

[slimchipley]

From a simple logistical standpoint, how many Floridians are willing to go to Washington DC and Chicago in order to get to the west coast?

How many Floridians would be willing to take the train to the West Coast even f they got the best and most direct possible routing?

I don't think it is about people going to the west coast. It is more about serving relatively local journeys.

I took the Sunset Limited from and to Jacksonville west to New Orleans and beyond before and since I lived in Jacksonville when it was operating. There was usually a good crowd boarding here and usually well partonized from Orlando. Lots of passengers changing to the City of New Orleans going to Chicago. The schedule was much more reliable west bound than east bound because the train was frequently very late arriving in New Orleans from the west. Since the Sunset's demise east of New Orleans, I have flown on several trips where I would have taken the train because I am not going through Washington, DC and Chicago to go to Houston or Tuscon.

Florida likely has the largest population of the demographic of an "average" Amtrak LD customer. These retirees have both the resources and the nostalgic desire.

 

[jphjaxfl]

When I rode the Sunset Limited from Jacksonville west to New Orleans and beyond, there were some retirees, but also quite a few younger families specially to and from Orlando. I seriously think that if the schedule was more dependable and ran daily, it would have done extremely well if the connection with CONO was maintained. CSX had a small problem with timeless, but nothing like the UP. For a while there was also a decent connection at New Orleans with.the Crescent to the Sunset eastward.out of New Orleans.

 

[VentureForth]

Remember that a lot of the time lost was on UP trackage to the West - the same UP that kept the Coast Star-late. Since 7 years ago, UP has managed to make quite a few improvements to allowing Amtrak to stay on time. I think that this and daily service are two good reasons why the Sunset doesn't need to be ridden off into.

 

[beautifulplanet]

Reviving an old thread, in case this already has been posted feel free to move or delete...

Grant sought to study N.O.-Orlando rail service

May 10, 2014

by Advocate staff report

http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/9111193-171/grant-sought-to-study-no-orlando

and

Expanding passenger rail a goal for local leaders
Published: 5/10 6:25 pm
Updated: 5/10 7:32 pm

by Brittany Jones

http://www.actionnewsjax.com/content/topstories/story/Expanding-passenger-rail-a-goal-for-local-leaders/v_bQ6rSfekC5dx2lBx9kFA.cspx

 

[afigg]

Reviving an old thread, in case this already has been posted feel free to move or delete...

Grant sought to study N.O.-Orlando rail service

Ok, so the Southern Rail Commission has applied for a $1 million TIGER planning grant for a feasibility study on restoring service between Orlando and New Orleans. What is the feasibility study going to find that Amtrak did not already state in its report of a few years ago? If the states and cities want the Sunset Limited restored or a daytime corridor service between ORL/JAX and NOL, they need to raise the money.

 

[VentureForth]

I need to get into the business of studies. I am truly amazed that someone can actually get $1 MIL of our taxpayer money to report what has already been reported.

 

[visitor]

+1, VentureForth. That $1M could be much better utilized.

 

[jphjaxfl]

Corine Brown, the local Congressional Representative was on the local news this morning tauting this. Ms. Brown has been very supportive of Amtrak and just the opposite of Mica, but doesn't seem to have as much impact as Mica. We will see if anything changes, but I am not holding much hope.

 

[Bob Dylan]

+1, VentureForth. That $1M could be much better utilized.

Hey guys, the Government Gravy Train is the way to roll! Seems like there are more "consultants" and studies done on Government money than any real work!(ie the "Do Nothing Congress!)

I'm a retired Government Employee and we had file cabinets full of reports from consultants that wasted Millions and Billions and told us what we lowly Civil Servants already knew from working on them @ a fraction of what these political pork barrel projects cost!

Blame the Politicians from the Courthouse to the White House!

 

[FriskyFL]

Keep beating that dead horse.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Keep beating that dead horse.

Did you somehow misunderstand the thread subject?

Don't like it. Don't read it. Simple. Easy. Effective.

 

[afigg]

I need to get into the business of studies. I am truly amazed that someone can actually get $1 MIL of our taxpayer money to report what has already been reported.

They submitted an application for a $1 million TIGER planning grant. Given that the previous FY applications for TIGER grants have greatly exceeded the amount of funds available, they may not get the grant. $1 million with at least a 20% state or local match is a lot for a feasibility study when the alternatives are pretty constrained and there have been previous studies. It is not as if the study will have to choose between totally different routes.

A couple of hundred K to refresh and expand on the previous Amtrak reports to get an updated cost baseline would be reasonable. Before the state DOT agencies and local communities can allocate funding, if there is enough political support to do so, they need to have initial cost estimates to work from.

OTOH, maybe the study is more than a simple feasibility study, hence the $1 million request.

 

[Ryan]

Or at least be civilized enough to post the animated version.

 

[Acela150]

I need to get into the business of studies. I am truly amazed that someone can actually get $1 MIL of our taxpayer money to report what has already been reported.

Who says our government isn't dumb and stupid. I'd use another word but considering I'm sure I could offend some folks I'll refrain. Even though I consider my self one of them.

 

[Caesar La Rock]

Or at least be civilized enough to post the animated version.

It's not really a dead horse if the train itself is still running. I mean sure it hasn't ran to Florida since 2005, but the Sunset itself is still alive. Got a look at it from an overall point of view there. Now as for the route east of NOL goes, this is what I have to say.

They have a better chance of re-extending this route to Florida, then us seeing new long distance routes being added to the existing network. My two cents on that. <Drops the microphone>