Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. Announces Plans for Private Passenger Rail Service in Florida

[jzquince69]

isn't the plan to have Sunrail go to OIA during Phase II ala the Taft spur?

[ThatFloridaDude]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

isn't the plan to have Sunrail go to OIA during Phase II ala the Taft spur?

That's correct. But I emailed Merlene or whatever her name is for SunRail and she said the state is "Studying" that. So Thats why I hope FEC goes downtown , regardless.

[JohnBalzer]

Getting better connectivity between Miami and parts North in Florida has been long in the making with fits and starts. Now that the FEC is ready to make the investment, all of Florida will benefit. The reduction in traffic, more revenue for the state and a safe and comfortable way to travel between business and tourist destinations. Private money is doing what needs to be done to continue building and progressing at a time when we need the jobs and the economic boost. The FEC is to be highly applauded for this initiative.

[ThatFloridaDude]

Originally Posted by JohnBalzer

Getting better connectivity between Miami and parts North in Florida has been long in the making with fits and starts. Now that the FEC is ready to make the investment, all of Florida will benefit. The reduction in traffic, more revenue for the state and a safe and comfortable way to travel between business and tourist destinations. Private money is doing what needs to be done to continue building and progressing at a time when we need the jobs and the economic boost. The FEC is to be highly applauded for this initiative.

All of FLorida won't benefit. It's only Miami to orlando as of now. Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando (Brevard) all have important ports/cruise ports not included.

[Lakelander]

The FECI project won't go the the MIC in Miami. FECI is going to construct a station in downtown Miami, adjacent metrorail and metromover. Also, this will benefit Jacksonville. FEC is also working with Amtrak to create a new service between Jacksonville and Miami. Since, they'll be upgrading the tracks, this makes the complementing Amtrak corridor service more feasible to pull off. The main question I have is if they'll put a station in Brevard initially or not. It just seems like a huge missed opportunity to not have a station in Cocoa, tying Port Canaveral with Orlando.

[yapp1850]

U.S. Rep. John Mica is doing everything he can to help Florida East Coast Industries establish passenger rail service from Miami to Orlando.

On Wednesday Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, announced that he was expecting the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fast track the approval of permits for the passenger rail service.

“With the right-of-way already in place there is no reason to drag this out,” Mica said in a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Jo Ellen Darcy. “This should not be a bureaucratic process."

FEC announced earlier this year that it was establishing private passener rail service within the next two years with stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Orlando. If it's successful, FEC will look at expanding the service to Tampa and Jacksonville.

[yapp1850]

Originally Posted by Lakelander

The FECI project won't go the the MIC in Miami. FECI is going to construct a station in downtown Miami, adjacent metrorail and metromover. Also, this will benefit Jacksonville. FEC is also working with Amtrak to create a new service between Jacksonville and Miami. Since, they'll be upgrading the tracks, this makes the complementing Amtrak corridor service more feasible to pull off. The main question I have is if they'll put a station in Brevard initially or not. It just seems like a huge missed opportunity to not have a station in Cocoa, tying Port Canaveral with Orlando.

were is FECI going put orlando station oia or downtown, i am hoping for downtown because of sunrail,amtrak and local transit and orlando magic

[Lakelander]

Most likely OIA because it will generate more ridership for their target market. As long as Sunrail is extended to the airport to connect with it, I think its a decent idea.

[xerxesjc28]

Agree. That is the way it should be. Regional rail connecting to a transport hub (OIA) that has a rail system that spreads commuters all over the local area. Miami already has this, with the metro rail, and Orlando will hopefully soon have this with Sun Rail. Now if only Tampa can get its act together.

[ThatFloridaDude]

SuNRail won't connect to the airport unfortunately

[xerxesjc28]

Oh wow really? Well that makes no sense. We made that mistake here in Miami with the Metro Rail, and had to have buses connecting the airport and Metro Rail system. We are only just now finally correcting this by extending the Metro Rail to the airport.

So I am guessing they will have just buses that will go from the airport to a hopefully nearby Sun Rail stop?

[ThatFloridaDude]

Originally Posted by xerxesjc28

Oh wow really? Well that makes no sense. We made that mistake here in Miami with the Metro Rail, and had to have buses connecting the airport and Metro Rail system. We are only just now finally correcting this by extending the Metro Rail to the airport.

So I am guessing they will have just buses that will go from the airport to a hopefully nearby Sun Rail stop?

Well there is supposed to be light rail or maglev trains connecting sun rail and the airport. There is a maglev plan going before the county on the 26th so we shall see but the outlook doesn't look good.

The thing with the sun rail spur is that it is being studied but wouldn't be likely during first two phases that a spur is used.

So were fucked.

[Dale]

I spoke to someone in political circles the other day and they told me that there is a SunRail spur planned for East Orlando. Said the tracks were already pretty much in place.

[ThatFloridaDude]

Originally Posted by Dale

I spoke to someone in political circles the other day and they told me that there is a SunRail spur planned for East Orlando. Said the tracks were already pretty much in place.

I heard the same. If you look on google maps you can see it too.

[jzquince69]

I've spoken with Mica's office at length about this for the past 5 years (I know a few of them) and they have represented me that the Taft spur to OIA has always been part of the plan (future plan) to get a separate train to OIA from the SLR station. Now, maybe I misunderstood and thought they meant an actual dedicated Sunrail locomotive when in essence they meant another actual system merging with Sunrail at the SLR station. I'll find out.

[KLStorey]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

I've spoken with Mica's office at length about this for the past 5 years (I know a few of them) and they have represented me that the Taft spur to OIA has always been part of the plan (future plan) to get a separate train to OIA from the SLR station. Now, maybe I misunderstood and thought they meant an actual dedicated Sunrail locomotive when in essence they meant another actual system merging with Sunrail at the SLR station. I'll find out.

If it's on the same track at the SLR station couldn't it in theory run up those same tracks to downtown or even connect to the OBX going to Lake county?

A stop at Lynx Central Station would make sense if it is already going to the SLR station. I know many tourist who fly into Orlando and then take a bus to Gainesville or Tampa so a stop at LCS where the intercity buses now are would be very helpful.

They could easily extend tracks across sanford to Sanford Orlando International. And if it could run up into Lake County couldn't they extend some tracks between Tavares and Leesburg (I actually think some may exist going thru Grand Island, or at least a ROW thru this area) and connect to Leesburg International (yes it is an International airport, idk how/why but just go with it). The OBX already is planning a stop near Orlando Apopka Airport. This would mean all of the major local airports except Orlando Executive could be connected via a dedicated Airport line that would also stop at certain SunRail stops. That would really be helpful in the area.

[ThatFloridaDude]

Originally Posted by KLStorey

If it's on the same track at the SLR station couldn't it in theory run up those same tracks to downtown or even connect to the OBX going to Lake county?

A stop at Lynx Central Station would make sense if it is already going to the SLR station. I know many tourist who fly into Orlando and then take a bus to Gainesville or Tampa so a stop at LCS where the intercity buses now are would be very helpful.

They could easily extend tracks across sanford to Sanford Orlando International. And if it could run up into Lake County couldn't they extend some tracks between Tavares and Leesburg (I actually think some may exist going thru Grand Island, or at least a ROW thru this area) and connect to Leesburg International (yes it is an International airport, idk how/why but just go with it). The OBX already is planning a stop near Orlando Apopka Airport. This would mean all of the major local airports except Orlando Executive could be connected via a dedicated Airport line that would also stop at certain SunRail stops. That would really be helpful in the area.

Your talking an extension of SuNRail on sunrail tracks, or a seporated system using SuNRail tracks?

Originally Posted by jzquince69

I've spoken with Mica's office at length about this for the past 5 years (I know a few of them) and they have represented me that the Taft spur to OIA has always been part of the plan (future plan) to get a separate train to OIA from the SLR station. Now, maybe I misunderstood and thought they meant an actual dedicated Sunrail locomotive when in essence they meant another actual system merging with Sunrail at the SLR station. I'll find out.

Same question for you.

[KLStorey]

I think a seperate system, market it with a name like Airport Express or something. Essentially it would be the same trains as SunRail and running on some of the same tracks but it would also use extensions specific to it.

I'm imagining a train with stations at OIA, OIA South Terminal, SLR Sunrail, ORMC SunRail, it would then have spur going to Leesburg International with stops at Apopka Orlando Airport/Zellwood OBX, Mt Dora OBX, Tavares OBX, Leesburg International Airport. The other spur would link to LSC SunRail, Winter Park SunRail, Altamonte SunRail, Lake Mary SunRail, and Sanford Orlando International Airport. Does that make sense? You could have the Airport Express-2 Spurs connecting 4 airports and specific stops in-between them. It would essential kill two birds by being both an airport express and a SunRail express since it would only stop at specific stops along the route.

I would prefer another system to also run the Mag-lev route linking the airport with SLR SunRail, Florida Mall, OCCC/UCF Rosen (then run it up Universal Blvd and to Kirkman via I-4 ROW and along Kirkman (where ROW for a BRT is in the long term plans anyway) up to Valencia and MetroWest. This would would then allow the system to be used by a larger demographic than just tourist. Valencia and Rosen students could use to get to SunRail, creating a simple commute to school or work with only one transfer at the SLR SunRail station.

In the meantime I would prefer to just have SunRail also to connect to the OIA inter-modal station. If its the same tracks I don't see why it can't just go down and back, like what's being looked at for the Seminole State College spur.

[jzquince69]

I'm not sure now what their "vision" is for, but i thought it would be simple to have a Sunrail locomotive travel exclusively between SLR station and OIA... back and forth, back and forth. That's quite a few miles of track between SLR and OIA thru Taft.

All they would have to do is to buy another train and pay CSX to use the track part way and schedule around the coal train schedule. unless there's more to it than that, I don't know.

[SkyDiveJunkee]

Originally Posted by ThatFloridaDude

I heard the same. If you look on google maps you can see it too.

Link to googlemaps? I'm not sure I'd know what to look for in East Orlando.