Light Rail

[Jernigan]

I believe FDOT is reviewing the proposal.

Considering that they were looking at an "OIA Connector" of their own, I'd imagine they would be willing to work with the company if it's feasible.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

FDOT gets on my last nerves. Anyhow Whats the differance between Mag-Lev and Lite Rail in Orlando? I don't see which one makes the other one better. As I recall, the original connector was supposed to be Lite rail, assuming lite rail suites the Orlando area better? Or I could be wrong.

[klstorey]

I discuss in a recent entry on my blog what each of

FDOT gets on my last nerves. Anyhow Whats the differance between Mag-Lev and Lite Rail in Orlando? I don't see which one makes the other one better. As I recall, the original connector was supposed to be Lite rail, assuming lite rail suites the Orlando area better? Or I could be wrong.

I discuss in a recent entry on my blog what each of these proposals is and the history of them. The original was proposed in the 80s connecting along the same routes as the current Maglev path was a different maglev proposal, that time Disney even supported it.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

What I find ironic is that I think this 3rd rail line could be much more successful than the commuter and HSR lines, and leave it to independent investors to recognize that potential.

I know this is old, hopefully someone can answer. Is Monorail, or Lightrail, or 3rd rail cheaper to build than Maglev? If so why not look at one of these options? Also I dug this up.

Maglev will NOT be getting built! I am happy. After researching this thing, costing x amount per mile $40 to $100 million, then for a $12 ticket, didn't sound to good.

Here's the link.Maglev Train Proposed for Orlando Gets Financial Backing From Spanish Firm {sodEmoji.|} News from other sources {sodEmoji.|} ENR Southeast {sodEmoji.|} McGraw-Hill Construction

Now it doesnt clearly say that but the general Idea is that it won't happen.

What will our leaders do about this?

We obviously need a connector of some sort so why not light rail?

I do like the Idea of a Light Rail

Particularly like

San Diego Sprinter

NJ Transit Light Rail In Newark

It will help create a stable Public transit network in which we can expand. !

I see Light Rail in our future hopefully. I don't know too much about Monorails, but would it be an alternative to Maglev if they wanted to go with eye candy and speed?

[cloudship]

I guess I am really confused. This article (although I have to say I am suspect of it given the disclaimer) seems to me to say that there is financial backing and proposals in other locations as well, although the time frame seems different. I don't at all get where you get the claim figures you are presenting, and kind of am suspect about just having them thrown about.

Also, San Diego and NJ don't have light rail. They have passenger rail that is not FRA compliant, but that is a big cry from Light Rail.What is your perception of what they are presenting?

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I guess I am really confused. This article (although I have to say I am suspect of it given the disclaimer) seems to me to say that there is financial backing and proposals in other locations as well, although the time frame seems different. I don't at all get where you get the claim figures you are presenting, and kind of am suspect about just having them thrown about.

Also, San Diego and NJ don't have light rail. They have passenger rail that is not FRA compliant, but that is a big cry from Light Rail.What is your perception of what they are presenting?

It costs $40 Million to $100 Million Dollars a Mile to build MAGLEV TRAINS.

If Maglev is built in Orlando, there would be $12 to $18 ticket prices.

San Diego does't have light rail (It's Oceanside California) I just combined San Diego county to San Diego sorry.

http://www.gonctd.com/sprinter

The Sprinter. It's DMV Light Rail.

http://www.njtransit.com/sf/sf_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=LightRailTo

New Jersey has three light rails.

Newark Light Rail.

Hudson -Bergen.

RiverLINE.

Personally I don;t think the Mag-Lev will come about because the article states one of the financial backers having Maglev Projects in Atlanta and Brazil and said "A project in Orlando is years out"... That sounds like a red flag to me.

I just want to see a light rain so it can be expanded and at a cheaper cost and allowing us to build a region wide transit system. There is no way we are doing that through MAglev.

[klstorey]

I place this Mag-lev in the highly doubtful category but something along this route will eventually be built and I suspect it will happen sooner than later. Hopefully this whole mag-lev thing doesn't stretch out for too long, if it does that may mean it will block other more likely efforts for mass transit lines along this route.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I place this Mag-lev in the highly doubtful category but something along this route will eventually be built and I suspect it will happen sooner than later. Hopefully this whole mag-lev thing doesn't stretch out for too long, if it does that may mean it will block other more likely efforts for mass transit lines along this route.

Exactly what I was thinking. It's either yes it will be built. Or no. Meaning we can move on and exercise other options!

[cloudship]

And where do those figures come from? The company is spending $20 million a mile.That is pretty much on par with other transit modes, including road. I know the $12 a ticket, I believe that is too high, but can be easily adjusted. Be careful of what figures you pull out - a) this is not high-speed MagLev, and b) even those figures that are presented have no real basis - just figures claimed by various oponent groups in non-objective studies. I am not going to go into all the arguments - they are well presented in other threads here.

A couple comments on those light rail systems you presented - important because these are exactly the things that have tripped up so many other initiatives in other cities.

The Sprinter in San Diego is not light rail transit. It is heavy rail, but is not FRA compliant. That is very different from true light rail. In this case you are using full grade rail infrastructure, which is much more costly than light rail transit infrastructure. This is important because many proponents quote teh performance figures (speed, capacity) based on the larger units, but cost figures based on true light rail. In the end they end it always looks like they were misleading people because someone eventually figures out the numbers just dont jive.

NJ labels their transit system Light Rail, which gets a lot of people upset because again it is not real light rail. It uses the smaller units which are used on some of the largest light/medium transit networks, but does so on transit grade infrastructure. this again is NOT the prices that are quoted for Light Rail proposals in Orlando, nor will they meet the same performance figures.

True Light Rail as proposed would be much slower, runs with traffic and so would not provide a performance improvement over the car, and has much smaller capacity. I do think light rail would work in the attractions corridor for giving tourists an alternative to car rentals; but it does not have the capacity or speed to be able to serve a a connector to the airport. I am not saying there are not other systems that would work, but light rail is not the way to go for this.

I am not trying to bash light rail in Central Florida - I just dont want to see it get shot down again for misleading claims and have everyone put off the idea for it.

[Jernigan]

It's important to note that the "OIA Connector" term is not synonymous with the mag-lev project. As others have said, this connection WILL happen in a form better than city bus, preferably rail, and will happen sooner than later. So I do agree that if the mag-lev can't get it done, in time, it will not happen because it will be impossible for it to compete with another mode.

I'm about to update the intercity rail thread (All Aboard Florida, FEC) with updates from the last 24 hours which give another reason to fill the critical gap from both SunRail and the attractions to the airport.

[IAmFloridaBorn]

And where do those figures come from? The company is spending $20 million a mile.That is pretty much on par with other transit modes, including road. I know the $12 a ticket, I believe that is too high, but can be easily adjusted. Be careful of what figures you pull out - a) this is not high-speed MagLev, and b) even those figures that are presented have no real basis - just figures claimed by various oponent groups in non-objective studies. I am not going to go into all the arguments - they are well presented in other threads here.

A couple comments on those light rail systems you presented - important because these are exactly the things that have tripped up so many other initiatives in other cities.

The Sprinter in San Diego is not light rail transit. It is heavy rail, but is not FRA compliant. That is very different from true light rail. In this case you are using full grade rail infrastructure, which is much more costly than light rail transit infrastructure. This is important because many proponents quote teh performance figures (speed, capacity) based on the larger units, but cost figures based on true light rail. In the end they end it always looks like they were misleading people because someone eventually figures out the numbers just dont jive.

NJ labels their transit system Light Rail, which gets a lot of people upset because again it is not real light rail. It uses the smaller units which are used on some of the largest light/medium transit networks, but does so on transit grade infrastructure. this again is NOT the prices that are quoted for Light Rail proposals in Orlando, nor will they meet the same performance figures.

True Light Rail as proposed would be much slower, runs with traffic and so would not provide a performance improvement over the car, and has much smaller capacity. I do think light rail would work in the attractions corridor for giving tourists an alternative to car rentals; but it does not have the capacity or speed to be able to serve a a connector to the airport. I am not saying there are not other systems that would work, but light rail is not the way to go for this.

I am not trying to bash light rail in Central Florida - I just dont want to see it get shot down again for misleading claims and have everyone put off the idea for it.

I don't know what point your trying to make, by proving to me those aren't light rail when the site and references clearly states them as light rail. Therefore I'll continue to relate to them as light rail.

Another thing. Not all light rail transit is at grade with the street. There is elevated light rail in Seattle (Central Link) Sound Transit. Orlando could build something like that or an Elevated Light Rail. For that proposed route, at grade anything would no be ideal, and will lack ridership I assure it. Some elevated rail of some kind will serve as the OIA connector.