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Posted on 05/12/2015 5:41:16 PM PDT by Roos_Girl
The SunRail commuter train finished its first year of operation $27.2 million in the red, bringing in $7.2 million while spending $34.4 million.
The shortfall was covered by taxpayers through the state Department of Transportation, which oversees the system running from DeBary in Volusia County through downtown Orlando to south Orange County.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, chairman of the SunRail board, called the performance "good for a first year."
He predicted SunRail's losses would fall in coming years because the train would carry more passengers and advertising income would increase.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
This runs from what?
Daytona to Orlando?
60 miles / 60 minutes?
You’d spend more time than that standing in line.
NO private entity would have ever funded such a project.
But when you are spending OPM (other people’s money),
I guess it made sense to the beaurocrats.
The commuter rail that they’re trying (and probably will) expand in Southeast Florida will be on privately owned railroad right-of-way. The gov’t will lease the use of the lines from the RR owner. I believe that is how SunRail is operating as well. So, the gov’t comes in, refurbs the rails to accommodate the passenger loads, and then leases the rails from the owner. Pretty sweet deal for the owner. Particularly in Southeast florida, I know Jupiter has a very old railroad bridge that lowers for the train every time it goes through and halts any larger boat traffic. I guess that will get rebuilt for the railroad.
Orlando metro.
Yes, the problem is that I-4, which runs basically parallel with this commuter rail, is over - crowded and there is no room left for expansion without some major eminent domain purchasing. So this was their “fix”.
Rail: A 19th Century solution for 21st Century problems!
“bringing in $7.2 million while spending $34.4 million.
To the liberal mind, this indicates that more “scaling” is needed.
but ... but ... but ...
... they could have double and triple deckered I-4 for less $$$.
Quadrupled is debatable.
Things can get sticky when it comes to dispatching and liability for repair of the rails.
The present active part of SunRail was bought by the state from CSX (causing most of CSX’s trains to be rerouted onto their “S” Line), and they hired Bombardier Technology to run the passenger trains.
On top of all of that, no matter how fast you run the passenger trains, there is the recent added expense of the FRA requiring “automatic train stop” devices on trains, triggered by the signal system. Costs will never go down under the present-day micromanaging governments.
All Aboard Florida is a scheme of Florida East Coast Industries to run passenger trains from Miami to north Titusville then west to Orlando. FEC runs freight trains up and down the east coast of Florida, Jacksonville to Miami. They now want to run over the same tracks 32 passenger trains per day at 125 mph from Miami to Orlando. There are no stops planned between West Palm and Titusville. Every municipality and county will have to pony up millions of dollars for upgraded crossings. Additionally there is an increase in traffic interruptions, which has implications for public safety (police/fire/ems) and likely new buildings required to mitigate impact from increase traffic disruption. That’s the tip of the iceberg. Several counties are suing.
They haven’t disclosed their ridership estimates. They want to issue tax exempt bonds, the Florida Development Finance Corporation (state) is meeting in a few weeks. More: http://www.floridanotallaboard.net/news/fdfc-is-not-empowered-to-grant-1-7-billion-in-tax-exempt-bonds/
I’m aware of this because it effects my area.
Debary is only half way to Daytona from Orlando.
My mother is in an area that is affected as well and why I know the little bit about it that I do. I cannot imagine the traffic problems all those additional train trips per day is going to cause.
The thing is there isn’t any passenger service that is profitable. So what are they really up to? Some say it is to take advantage of expanded freight capacity planned for the Port of Miami (Panama canal container ships. FEC (parent company, freight) plans some sort of expansion of rails at the port and AAF (passenger subsidiary of FEC) plans to double or triple track sections en route to Orlando (the rails shared with the freight service). So this passenger service scheme could be a ruse to gain advantages, like tax exempt bonds. At one point I think they were going for taxpayer guaranteed loans, but that was dead once people found out about it.
He most certainly is of that ilk. He is a personable fool and that is the kindest thing I can say about the dope.
That there is some scheme though I am sure. Wonder when we’ll learn what it really is. I figured it was for FEC to get upgraded rails that they won’t have to pay for and in a few years when they “realize” that so many passenger trips aren’t necessary they’ll have full use of the new tracks just for shipping.
My husband has one woman in his office of about 100 people that used it the first week when it was free. But her job requires her to make frequent visits to vendors and subcontractors to check out their facilities, so of course she has to drive to work.
This just in...
At least 50 people were hurt after an Amtrak train, carrying 240 passenger, derailed and rolled onto its side
Eight to ten cars left the tracks
The Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 was heading to New York from Washington, DC.
zactly
To make this a success, they need only to ban private vehicles.
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