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Old 02-28-2011, 06:12 AM
 
Location: Orlando Metro Area
3,595 posts, read 6,912,155 times
Reputation: 2409

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Quote:
Originally Posted by chopchop0 View Post
Do you think any of us fiscal conservatives disagree with that? Just because bush farked up doesn't mean we want obama to do the same.
I was referring to the elected officials that are screaming about fiscal conservatives. I'm actually not at all against some serious state and federal budget reductions, however, I think our country (dems & repubs) has it's priorities outawack when we're over funding our defense department and considering these massive cuts to education "just trimming the fat, and tightening our belts a little bit. "
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Old 02-28-2011, 07:18 AM
 
26,826 posts, read 43,300,897 times
Reputation: 31449
Quote:
Originally Posted by OrlFlaUsa View Post
I was referring to the elected officials that are screaming about fiscal conservatives. I'm actually not at all against some serious state and federal budget reductions, however, I think our country (dems & repubs) has it's priorities outawack when we're over funding our defense department and considering these massive cuts to education "just trimming the fat, and tightening our belts a little bit. "
Especially when one considers that the Air Force just spent 62 BILLION dollars for 120 more F-22s. Yep, education seems like a worthy cut because we're short on fighter aircraft and under threat of invasion at any moment... Where's the outrage over that???
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Old 02-28-2011, 07:23 AM
 
1,468 posts, read 4,728,511 times
Reputation: 1087
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa View Post
I would agree that we should end the crap in the middle east, slash the military budget, and bring troops home.

And we shouldn't build trains that ALREADY EXIST.

Why has no one responded to my post about how Amtrak ALREADY RUNS SERVICE between Tampa and Orlando. If it's so necessary, why aren't they running trains all day long now? It doesn't take much longer than the proposed rail line!

Again...we already have rail between Tampa and Orlando. Why aren't hordes of tourists using it? By reading this board, Canadians who are used to rail should be hanging off the caboose of this train, flying back and forth between Tampa and Orlando. Businesspeople should be clamoring for more trains to be added to this service as they really would like to use it.

Why is this train virtually ignored if this service is so needed?
I train that runs once a day will not get riders. It is a catch-22 or a "Build it and they will come" scenario. Real studies need to be done just like with anything else. I have never seen any studies of any kind, (Although they may exist), just speculation.
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Old 02-28-2011, 07:27 AM
 
8,289 posts, read 13,511,513 times
Reputation: 5018
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa View Post
I would agree that we should end the crap in the middle east, slash the military budget, and bring troops home.

And we shouldn't build trains that ALREADY EXIST.

Why has no one responded to my post about how Amtrak ALREADY RUNS SERVICE between Tampa and Orlando. If it's so necessary, why aren't they running trains all day long now? It doesn't take much longer than the proposed rail line!

Again...we already have rail between Tampa and Orlando. Why aren't hordes of tourists using it? By reading this board, Canadians who are used to rail should be hanging off the caboose of this train, flying back and forth between Tampa and Orlando. Businesspeople should be clamoring for more trains to be added to this service as they really would like to use it.

Why is this train virtually ignored if this service is so needed?
To begin with Amtrak has to share the rails with freight trains who own the tracks. Only in certain parts of the Northeast does Amtrak actually own it's own tracks. This greatly slows down their service nationwide.

A trip on Amtrak between Tampa & Orlando takes well over 2 hours and if your a business traveller you can forget it because the earliest train to depart is at 10:35 AM in Orlando. Amtrak is already underfunded as it is so expanding it would only make sense if it had it's own set of tracks it didn't have to share with freight trains.

The real goal of the Tampa to Orlando line is to eventually expand it to Miami
which will probably be the most profittable & heavily used portion if it gets built. Right now a trip from Orlando to Miami on Amtrak takes an average of 6 & 1/2 hours and with delays well over 7 hours.
My own family has done this route and Amtrak stops at every podunk town throughout central Florida. This should have been the first route choosen but since the state still hasn't purchased the right-of-way from Orlando to Miami they went with what was shovel ready which is Tampa to Orlando.

A permanent high speed rail line will spur development in Tampa unlike Amtrak which faces budget cuts every year at the mercy of Congress. The state agreed to pay for 10% of the cost to build this line and now Scott is trying to renig on a contract that was made between Florida & the Feds before he ever was in office. As it is now there are 8 HSR companies that want to pick up the state's 10% obligation so Scott is getting a better deal than any other state.

Don't worry though Scott still will reject this come Friday and turn down $2.4 billion which will probably go to California along with 24,000 lost jobs for Florida.
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Old 02-28-2011, 07:28 AM
 
1,468 posts, read 4,728,511 times
Reputation: 1087
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXRyan23 View Post
I would assume no one uses Amtrak because it's $20 round trip per ticket..

Lets say you were someone that had to make 5 trips a week from Tampa/Orlando that's $100 a week not to mention having to pay for a taxi to get from the train station to where you need to go..

A train from Tampa to Orlando won't work for the region because the people that would use it can't afford it.

Didn't there used to be a rail in Tampa that closed because no one used it ?
They used to offer, and I assume they still do, passes you could buy. My wife used to have a pass for unlimited ridership for $200.00 a year. It had some rules of use but they can create passes that are practacle for the average rider. They even do this for daily bus riders in most cities.
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Old 02-28-2011, 07:31 AM
 
Location: Toronto, Ottawa Valley & Dunedin FL
1,409 posts, read 2,729,241 times
Reputation: 1170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin from Tampa View Post
Canada does not have high speed rail, and I mean no offense, but someone from Canada is not who we should be looking to for advice.

I'd be ok with some light rail projects in Florida cities. This boondoggle is just a waste of resources.
I said that we did not have high speed rail here in Ontario, if you read my post.

Light rail also makes sense for Florida, I agree (they are trying to push light rail on us here in southern Ontario and it makes no sense here because of the weather.)
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Old 02-28-2011, 11:25 AM
 
Location: Houston, TX
4,678 posts, read 9,840,866 times
Reputation: 1960
Quote:
Originally Posted by mango23 View Post
They used to offer, and I assume they still do, passes you could buy. My wife used to have a pass for unlimited ridership for $200.00 a year. It had some rules of use but they can create passes that are practacle for the average rider. They even do this for daily bus riders in most cities.
So what happens if they build a railway that goes from Orlando/Tampa and hundreds of thousands buy the year round passes ? Then you'll have two cities complaining that theres no seats availible..
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Old 02-28-2011, 11:42 AM
 
8,289 posts, read 13,511,513 times
Reputation: 5018
^ they increase service?
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Old 02-28-2011, 11:51 AM
 
1,468 posts, read 4,728,511 times
Reputation: 1087
Quote:
Originally Posted by TXRyan23 View Post
So what happens if they build a railway that goes from Orlando/Tampa and hundreds of thousands buy the year round passes ? Then you'll have two cities complaining that theres no seats availible..
Quote:

"Ya, nobody ever goes there anymore, it is always too crowded"

Yogy Berra
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Old 02-28-2011, 12:53 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
13,570 posts, read 10,272,378 times
Reputation: 8247
Quote:
Originally Posted by MiamiRob View Post
Don't worry though Scott still will reject this come Friday and turn down $2.4 billion which will probably go to California along with 24,000 lost jobs for Florida.
Very observant - CA Gov. Jerry Brown has already asked for Florida's rejected share of fed funds for HSR.
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