SunRail

[Dale]

Yeah, one old codger feared that the commuter rail line would bring congestion of the sort seen in New York and Boston.

[otowner]

I saw a recap of the story on WESH at around 1230pm today and they said that the commuter rail plan was passed 5 votes to 1 and would now go in front of the state government to secure some federal funding for the project. I think i heard that correctly, does anyone know anything else?

Edited August 9, 2005 by otowner

[Dale]

I saw a recap of the story on WESH at around 1230pm today and they said that the commuter rail plan was passed 5 votes to 1 and would now go in front of the state government to secure some federal funding for the project.  I think i heard that correctly, does anyone know anything else?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, it passed 5:1. And the WESH report was better balanced, profiling roughly equal numbers of supporters and dissenters.

[bic]

Sweet deal for commuters

Our position: Orange County's support of rail puts the project on the right track.

Posted August 10, 2005

Central Florida inched closer to realizing a desperately needed rapid-transit alternative to gridlocked roads when Orange County commissioners voted Tuesday to move forward with a commuter-rail system that would link Volusia County to Osceola County.

Read More - Orlando Sentinel

[bic]

Regional train gets step closer to reality

Orange OKs a commuter rail project -- with some caveats.

By Scott Powers | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted August 10, 2005

The proposed commuter train through Central Florida got a clear track Tuesday from Orange County commissioners who expressed eagerness to spend $44 million on it -- if the details can be worked out to their satisfaction.

Read More - Orlando Sentinel

[bic]

Props to Richard Crotty for his quote in the article that at least makes it seem like he might finally be seeing the light that is a multi-modal regional transportation network.

[sunshine]

I watch much of the debate on ORange TV, the point that the opposing people made were rather stupid and clearly showed that they have no clue what they are saying. They even find a kid to go up there and talk about governement is for the people, by the people crap..

Anyway, lets hope I can ride this damn thing by 2009.

[Aessotariq]

Congratulations guys... Central Florida commuter rail finally made statewide headlines.. Let's hope Tampa and Jax follow suit.

Funding troubles have stifled efforts over decades to link Central Florida with commuter trains and get more cars off I-4, the region's core traffic artery. However, that could be changing.

This week, Orange County, the last remaining holdout of four counties trying to start a Central Florida commuter rail, pledged to support its portion of a $473 million plan that could run trains from southern Volusia County to Orlando by 2009.

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/12363209.htm

Now you need to come up with a spiffy name for it... I4Rail???

[JRS1]

If commuter rail happens, it will go a long way in doing three things:

1. Taking Orlando out of the backwards-ass category w/re to transportation (ie, lack of rail transit).

2. Rail will probably be used in the pitch to lure some companies to C Fla that would not otherwise relocate or open up shop here.

3. Have a positive spillover w/re to the building of future surface roads and highways, making the train stations nodes of development and easy access to help facilitate its success.

[bobliocatt]

Imo, the main thing it will do is make it possible for someone willing to put aside their car, for the most part, able to get around town by totally avoiding traffic gridlock.

[sunshine]

Isnt the light rail supposed to be follow around 2009?

[Dale]

Any new news anyone ?

[monsoon]

I am pinning this thread to discuss the proposed Orlando Commuter Rail system.

This Article was posted earlier about the Florida State goverment granting $220 million dollars towards the projected $440M cost to built this line. This amount would meet the 50% local funding requirement in order to receive Federal funding under the current New Starts program.

The current proposal for Commuter Rail in Orlando can be viewed at this link.

[bic]

Can we change this sticky to include discussion about all of metro Orlando's transportation news? There is already a lengthy thread about the commuter rail, and several other threads discussing everything from I-4 expansion to I-Drive circulators. It'd be nice to consolidate the discussion of all transportation news into one sticky.

[bic]

Thanks.

[DelGreco]

I am pinning this thread to discuss the proposed Orlando Commuter Rail system.

This Article was posted earlier about the Florida State goverment granting $220 million dollars towards the projected $440M cost to built this line. This amount would meet the 50% local funding requirement in order to receive Federal funding under the current New Starts program.

The current proposal for Commuter Rail in Orlando can be viewed at this link.

How I wish a circular light rail system along I-4 could become reality, from Altamonte Springs, down to Winter Park, Downtown O-Town, Millenia Mall, Sandlake, and over to OIA. Then from there over to South Alafaya/Waterford Lakes Area, up to UCF/Research Park, Oviedo, and back over to Altamonte. All this with dedicated parking areas at each stop. I would use this service 7 times a week, twice a day!!!

Am I dreaming, or do other people think this is a good idea. If it happened, I wouldn't know what to do with myself! Does Dyer, Crotty, and Bush read this forum......please make it happen!

[sunshine]

It probably will happend when I retired and no longer need to drive during rush hour.

[DelGreco]

It probably will happend when I retired and no longer need to drive during rush hour.

Hey, stop that! Maybe my dream will come true.....read this Orlando Sentinel article hot off the press.

Downtown Traffic Solutions

[sunshine]

Alright, if I win a one billion lottery, I will use half to build a rail line. LOL

[macrocosim144]

Very disappointing. I guess I was hoping that since were going to shell out all this money and this being the twenty-first century and all .. I mistakenly thought we would get something better than this low-tech antiquated crap.

On the lighter side .. all those people in Winter Park that opposed the light-rail will now (every half-hour) hear these behemoths raging through their community. LOL

[Dale]

Very disappointing. I guess I was hoping that since were going to shell out all this money and this being the twenty-first century and all .. I mistakenly thought we would get something better than this low-tech antiquated crap.

On the lighter side .. all those people in Winter Park that opposed the light-rail will now (every half-hour) hear these behemoths raging through their community. LOL

It's not going to be 'low-tech antiquated crap'. The cars are purpose-built and very sleek. Besides, lightrail is years off.

[monsoon]

I agree. It appears they may use Colorado Rail Car DMUs (currently being tested in S. Fla.) which are of a fairly advanced design. Running light rail over such a long distance really doesn't make much sense. It doesn't go fast enough.

[macrocosim144]

I agree. It appears they may use Colorado Rail Car DMUs (currently being tested in S. Fla.) which are of a fairly advanced design. Running light rail over such a long distance really doesn't make much sense. It doesn't go fast enough.

If you've ever been to the UK than you'll know what I mean. Our trains leave a lot to be desired ... in fact its embarrassing how behind in technology we are ... even still we keep building and reworking the same crap.

I know most people are saying at least something is being done about mass transit and I suppose that's a valid point, though seriously I think we could be doing better especially when you see the cost involved.

To verify I wasn't saying that light-rail should run that distance ... my point was if the light rail would have been approved those tracks going through our central area would have been mostly for light-rail and other tracks would have been used to pass the much larger trains. It would have made for a much quieter system through those areas such as winter park which conversely will now get more noise and more often.

[monsoon]

I have been to the UK and for that matter Tokyo too (where the most advanced train system in the world exists) so I am aware of the state of current train technology. I will also point out that much of the UK and certainly no where in Japan has developed around the automobile as we have in the USA. The solutions required here are going to be different than what you will find in those countries. (Both countries also run some pretty old equipment too)

Light rail and Commuter rail serve two totally different purposes and I don't believe this system is meant to address high density development around a transit corridor in Orlando. There is no reason the city could not go after this plan too, but the last time they did, it was turned down. They could certainly revive a LRT and have it attach to the CR system once it is built.

[ironchapman]

I have been to the UK and for that matter Tokyo too (where the most advanced train system in the world exists) so I am aware of the state of current train technology. I will also point out that much of the UK and certainly no where in Japan has developed around the automobile as we have in the USA. The solutions required here are going to be different than what you will find in those countries. (Both countries also run some pretty old equipment too)

I just wanted to know if perhaps the reason we developed around the automobile is becaus ewe are several time Japan and UK's size in area and so the car was favored as the mode of transportation back in earlier days when trains were slower than they are now?

Seems so odd that a development (the car) that was supposed to be an advancement in technology is actually proving to be evidence of "backwardness".