Is Amtrak bluffing?

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I would hope that Amtrak is bluffing, but this is Amtrak we're talking about, anything is possible. They do have the ability to re-route Silver Service down the S-Line to Lakeland, Tampa, and points south. The plus is the S-Line would get daylight service, which hasn't had in a LONG time. But you lose valuable service to Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimmee. Also in question is what would become of Auto Train given the fact that it will run over FDOT owned trackage (in spite of what TransitRider thinks).
 
Amtrak warns it may sever usage agreement - Tampa Bay Online
Thought this was an interesting story. I'm checking out Google Earth now - but does anyone familiar with this trackage know if an alternate route to Tampa is possible?
The Silver Meteor and Silver Star could easily be rerouted from Jacksonville to Lakeland over CSX's S-Line (the line the state plans to buy is the A-Line). Service to Tampa would not be affected. Passengers could be bussed from Jacksonville and/or Lakeland (which already has connecting buses from trains 97 and 98) to Palatka, DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimme.

Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
 
Amtrak warns it may sever usage agreement - Tampa Bay Online
Thought this was an interesting story. I'm checking out Google Earth now - but does anyone familiar with this trackage know if an alternate route to Tampa is possible?
The Silver Meteor and Silver Star could easily be rerouted from Jacksonville to Lakeland over CSX's S-Line (the line the state plans to buy is the A-Line). Service to Tampa would not be affected. Passengers could be bussed from Jacksonville and/or Lakeland (which already has connecting buses from trains 97 and 98) to Palatka, DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimme.

Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
Echo echo echo. :lol:
 
Amtrak warns it may sever usage agreement - Tampa Bay Online
Thought this was an interesting story. I'm checking out Google Earth now - but does anyone familiar with this trackage know if an alternate route to Tampa is possible?
Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
Based on my observations as of late,

I will be very very surprised if there is any change of service due to this issue. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Paula Dockery doesn't have her hand in this situation from the start. She is very pissed about Sunrail's passing! Personally, I would like to see her butt out of office soon! That said, I believe this entire situation is being blown WAY out of proportion which is precisely the way Mrs Dockery operates in my observations of her performance!

Anyway,

For starters, Auto Train is Amtrak's premier East Coast service which comes very close to breaking even (and could show profit with certain expenses omitted). That point alone (Auto Train) and losing the Orlando market would be very detrimental to Amtrak's Florida business (remember ORL is the busiest station in Florida). C-mon, Amtrak management ISN"T THAT STUPID!!!! I just see Amtrak simply being added to the liability agreement with the state giving them the same protections CSX (and Sunrail) has. CSX and Amtrak can / may also handle this situation "in house" as CSX is still the host railroad even though the state will own the right of way. At this time, I highly doubt this issue will be much of a sticking point to Sunrail moving forward. As far as I can tell, it is all a done deal. I can see where CSX is moving forward with their own plans which will have a positive effect on my job in the long run.

Secondly, even though I somewhat believe Mrs Dockery may be involved with this somewhere (the following I say in Amtrak's defense), is Amtrak certainly deserves to be treated as an equal partner in the equation, here. Why shouldn't they enjoy equal provisions in regard to liability issues as CSX and Sunrail? It works with Tri-Rail as well as just about everywhere else! Mrs Dockery knows darn well there is an easy solution to all this, though she won't be a part of it being she would rather see Sunrail die!

Thirdly, a good and solid relationship with Amtrak is very important and necessary for the state of Florida! Amtrak (in my personal opinion) should be the number one contender with every aspect in regard to the future of passenger rail in Florida. I may have a love /hate relationship with Amtrak, but they certainly do have the ability to provide the resources, manpower, etc, needed to build and operate rail transit in Florida. And with proper management and funding, they are best suited for the job over any others (unless CSX were asked to do it). I hope to see my current employer CSX taking an active role in the future of rail in Florida being they can benefit from the results of increased capacity and service area.

Lastly, Florida recently has been awarded a decent portion of stimulus dollars for high speed rail to be implemented. No matter what the critics believe, the passage of Sunrail was "the icing on the cake" for Florida to receive these funds! Why else was it passed so quickly?

OBS gone freight...
 
Amtrak warns it may sever usage agreement - Tampa Bay Online
Thought this was an interesting story. I'm checking out Google Earth now - but does anyone familiar with this trackage know if an alternate route to Tampa is possible?
The Silver Meteor and Silver Star could easily be rerouted from Jacksonville to Lakeland over CSX's S-Line (the line the state plans to buy is the A-Line). Service to Tampa would not be affected. Passengers could be bussed from Jacksonville and/or Lakeland (which already has connecting buses from trains 97 and 98) to Palatka, DeLand, Winter Park, Orlando, and Kissimme.

Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
Echo echo echo. :lol:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

OBS gone freight...
 
Aloha

Amtrak said to the Vegas Hotels and California to pay them or the Desert wind would Stop. Well we know how that turned out.
 
Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
Isn't there a brand new station being built right now at Sanford for the Auto Train?
 
Amtrak's big problem in this case is the Auto Train, which can't be rerouted to get to Sanford, and another facility with ramps to unload autos, staging area, and some sort of acceptable station facility off the A-Line would be very difficult to find.
Isn't there a brand new station being built right now at Sanford for the Auto Train?
Yes.
 
That said, I believe this entire situation is being blown WAY out of proportion which is precisely the way Mrs Dockery operates in my observations of her performance!
Agreed!

She's got half of Florida believing that CSX is getting $1.2 Billion in taxpayer monies for selling the tracks to the state. When the reality is that $823 million of that money really has nothing to do with CSX. That only leaves about $377 million that is going to CSX for various reasons, including actually buying 61 miles of the A line.

I don't count the monies going to close the 5 grade crossings on the S line as being money given to CSX. Yes, CSX benefits a bit from that in that they don't have to maintain the signals and the actual crossing. But the real beneficiaries are the citizens living near those crossings who won't have to wait for a 100 car freight to go by any more. That's a taxpayer benefit in my book, not a CSX benefit.

Then she had all the lawyers up in arms over the liability thing, getting them all to think that they wouldn't be able to sue CSX's deep pockets in the event of a crash. Eventually someone looked up Federal law and figured out that they can't get into CSX's deep pockets no matter what happens, since the Fed puts a cap of $200 million per passenger rail accident. Once the lawyers figured this out, their support of Ms. Dockery vanished faster than Tinker Bell can.
 
Maybe it will take as long for Amtrak to show their hand on this bluff as it has to start the Sunset East again...it might be a dead horse before all is said and NOT done :lol:
 
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