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Bullet trains coming to Florida!


DoomsDave

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Howdyall, ran across this in the news.

Looks interesting. Florida's going to get some bullet trains soon, if all goes well.

Any Floridians have any thoughts? Sounds exciting!

http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/first-look-new-florida-passenger-train-unveiled/ar-BByaFpg?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=spartanntp

train.thumb.jpg.39c27109624d10d069d8ede7

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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125mph isn't too impressive. Currently Amtrack runs at 150mph on portions of the route between NYC and Boston.

Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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4 minutes ago, RedRabbit said:

125mph isn't too impressive. Currently Amtrack runs at 150mph on portions of the route between NYC and Boston.

Hope no one's on the wrong side of the tracks . . . .

I think the Metroliner runs that fast, if memory serves.

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Dave, you should try the trains on the plain in Spain.  :D  300 kph (180mph)  Totally smooth, easy to walk around to the refreshment bar.  One does not get a true sense of speed, until the track runs parallel to the motorway.  The train overtakes motor traffic like an arrow shooting past ! 

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San Francisco, California

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Neat, though I don't think "bullet" is an appropriate term at the speeds advertised.

 

Now if only we could bring back our streetcar system. 

Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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34 minutes ago, Darold Petty said:

Dave, you should try the trains on the plain in Spain.  :D  300 kph (180mph)  Totally smooth, easy to walk around to the refreshment bar.  One does not get a true sense of speed, until the track runs parallel to the motorway.  The train overtakes motor traffic like an arrow shooting past ! 

They even get going pretty quickly in the more hilly/mountainous parts of Central Europe.

IMG_5781.thumb.JPG.6772a628147aac59db29c

 

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Keith 

Palmetto, Florida (10a) and Tampa, Florida (9b/10a)

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Mein Gott!

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Aren't we supposed to be getting a bullet train as well in Cali? 

640px-Triple_facepalm.png

Nein!

 

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4 hours ago, GottmitAlex said:

Aren't we supposed to be getting a bullet train as well in Cali? 

You're eventually going to get a hyperloop.

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Westchase | 9b 10a  ◆  Nokomis | 10a  ◆  St. Petersburg | 10a 10b 

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As far as I am aware the Shinkansen rail project between Dallas/Ft. Worth and Houston is closer to a reality than any other high speed rail project in the county. This is a true bullet train slated to run at 205mph.  According to the local news eminent domain has already started, it is 100% funded by private equity, and almost all of the engineering has been completed. 

The last steps are a few eminent domain fights from ranchers and about a dozen towns with 500 people that think the rail should stop in every one of them.

http://www.rtands.com/index.php/passenger/lockwood-andrews-newnam-selected-to-conduct-texas-high-speed-rail-study.html

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I have not followed the Florida "bullet" train story very closely because I never thought it was a good idea. Why just West Palm to Miami and eventually to Orlando? Why not to Atlanta or New York. West Palm already has the Tri-rail that goes to Miami and nobody uses it; and Amtrak already goes from Miami through West Palm to Winter Park (which actually is Orlando). I believe this is not about transportation but about real estate development. Just the other day the Mayor of West Palm vetoed a $114,000,000 credit granted by the City Commission to a developer to build a huge "transit" mixed use project next to the train station.

The weight of lies will bring you down / And follow you to every town / Cause nothin happens here

That doesn't happen there / So when you run make sure you run / To something and not away from

Cause lies don't need an aero plane / To chase you anywhere

--Avett Bros

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California was supposed to get a true, bullet train for a lot less money that is currently projected (much different than the proposition that California voted on).  But, as expected there were cost overruns, and political favors.  Looks like Dianne Fienstien's husband will come out nicely in the matter though.

Obviously, I'm not a proponent, but the project has been becoming increasingly unfavorable among California residents, and local media outlets.

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1A,_High-Speed_Rail_Act_(2008)

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In the abstract, I love the idea of the bullet trains. They worked great in Japan and elsewhere. They would be a real boon to those who have to travel a lot between SF and LA. Commercial air travel is expensive and a pain in the posterior. Driving is even worse.

But there's lots of problems, too.

High speed trains need high speed track, and that needs to get built. Also, the lines have to be as straight as possible. Where's that track going to go? Which cities will have stations in them? Also, those trains will be a hazard for someone.

I think it's a great idea, but it needs to be explained fully and honestly.

 

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20 hours ago, Gonzer said:

I didn't know Moonbeam moved to Florida?

That is so Mike Royko in the 1970s!

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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On 1/22/2017, 9:34:58, The Steve said:

California was supposed to get a true, bullet train for a lot less money that is currently projected (much different than the proposition that California voted on).  But, as expected there were cost overruns, and political favors.  Looks like Dianne Fienstien's husband will come out nicely in the matter though.

Obviously, I'm not a proponent, but the project has been becoming increasingly unfavorable among California residents, and local media outlets.

https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1A,_High-Speed_Rail_Act_(2008)

It's a shame, because it really would be a good idea. Especially if San Diego were added to it.

Anything requiring a lot of real estate in California is going to be expensive. As noted above, it requires a candid honest sell, which apparently didn't happen. And you know you're in trouble when the bullet train guru says the work done sucks.

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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2 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

It's a shame, because it really would be a good idea. Especially if San Diego were added to it.

Anything requiring a lot of real estate in California is going to be expensive.

Well said.  

To be clear, I'm not against bullet trains, per se, but rather the ever persistent bait-and-switch tactics from our politicians.  

But, I'm not sure that we should be building infrastructure for the purpose of further residential or commercial appeal/development.  That seems to go against this constant push for resource preservation, particularly here in California.

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3 minutes ago, The Steve said:

Well said.  

To be clear, I'm not against bullet trains, per se, but rather the ever persistent bait-and-switch tactics from our politicians.  

But, I'm not sure that we should be building infrastructure for the purpose of further residential or commercial appeal/development.  That seems to go against this constant push for resource preservation, particularly here in California.

You point out one of the big differences between here and that line between Dallas and Houston. We have lots of scenic areas and parks, etc. Plus a lot of NIMBY.

We really need all the decent public transport options we can get. That trip to the PSSC banquet in Balboa Park on Saturday was a madhouse; four traffic stops on the freeway in the OC, 10 - 15 minutes each, while mishaps were cleared from the roadway. And drive the 91 Freeway? Yike.

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Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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2 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

That is so Mike Royko in the 1970s!

If it wasn't for him the Cubbies wouldn'ta won The Series.

Edited by Gonzer
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Has anyone heard of the hyperloop? It's the brainchild of Tesla's Elon Musk to bring in the next era of high speed transportation. There is currently a test track in the desert near Las Vegas that is (I think) operational now - for testing purposes only. Hyperloop is looking to connect San Francisco to LA with a track along interstate 5. It would wisp riders from one metropolis to the other in 35 minutes, passing through the (FUTURE) city of Quay Valley which just received approval from Kings County to begin development last year.

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I've been following news about high speed rail in Florida for quite some time now. All I can say is I pray this actually works. Despite my love for it, South Florida is one of the most overbuilt regions in the country and the problems are only getting worse. There are almost no new roads/highways being constructed yet that doesn't stop developers from building hundreds of high rise condominiums each year. ANY alternative to cramming more cars on to I-95 is a much needed addition in my opinion. Plus I've always loved the convenience of public transportation when it's done properly.

Going over to Europe, it's amazing just how far ahead of us they are in this department. You see people walking/biking/taking the train everywhere. Not because they have to but because it's a legitimately better alternative than driving. In most cases it was faster and easier traveling between European cities as a tourist then it is to travel between U.S cities as a resident.  So yeah I really want to see brightline succeed. In theory Florida is the perfect place for this. We've got a big population  (7 million between Orlando & MIA), lots of tourists, lots of traffic, mostly good weather, and a flat landscape perfect for high speed trains.

So far they seem to have been making the right decisions so I'm hopeful they can pull this off. That said I do have my doubts. I've seen too many transportation projects look great in concept, only to fail in the real world. I think the biggest obstacle will be ticket price and transportation connections at the stations. Miami's Tri-Rail is inconvenient enough. Orlando's Sunrail is almost unusable. No one will take a train between these cities if you have to rent a car as soon as you get there. Since your only saving an hour or two, people won't take it if driving/flying is still considerably cheaper. 

To be viable in the long run I think they need to either expand Tri-rail/Sunrail to have better connections, or market this to tourists flying in and out between the cities. Probably the best marketing would be for cruise ship passengers so they can fly into Orlando/Miami and then connect to their ship in Port Canaveral/Port Everglades. Anyways fingers crossed this is successful. Hopefully in a few years I'll be taking this trip regularly. 

Edited by ThePalmNovice
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21 hours ago, ThePalmNovice said:

I've been following news about high speed rail in Florida for quite some time now. All I can say is I pray this actually works. Despite my love for it, South Florida is one of the most overbuilt regions in the country and the problems are only getting worse. There are almost no new roads/highways being constructed yet that doesn't stop developers from building hundreds of high rise condominiums each year. ANY alternative to cramming more cars on to I-95 is a much needed addition in my opinion. Plus I've always loved the convenience of public transportation when it's done properly.

Going over to Europe, it's amazing just how far ahead of us they are in this department. You see people walking/biking/taking the train everywhere. Not because they have to but because it's a legitimately better alternative than driving. In most cases it was faster and easier traveling between European cities as a tourist then it is to travel between U.S cities as a resident.  So yeah I really want to see brightline succeed. In theory Florida is the perfect place for this. We've got a big population  (7 million between Orlando & MIA), lots of tourists, lots of traffic, mostly good weather, and a flat landscape perfect for high speed trains.

So far they seem to have been making the right decisions so I'm hopeful they can pull this off. That said I do have my doubts. I've seen too many transportation projects look great in concept, only to fail in the real world. I think the biggest obstacle will be ticket price and transportation connections at the stations. Miami's Tri-Rail is inconvenient enough. Orlando's Sunrail is almost unusable. No one will take a train between these cities if you have to rent a car as soon as you get there. Since your only saving an hour or two, people won't take it if driving/flying is still considerably cheaper. 

To be viable in the long run I think they need to either expand Tri-rail/Sunrail to have better connections, or market this to tourists flying in and out between the cities. Probably the best marketing would be for cruise ship passengers so they can fly into Orlando/Miami and then connect to their ship in Port Canaveral/Port Everglades. Anyways fingers crossed this is successful. Hopefully in a few years I'll be taking this trip regularly. 

All of which goes to my point about holistic systems.

one major reason Europeans take public transportation is because driving is very costly.

Driving is relatively cheaper here.

Also, many cities in Europe were laid out to walk in because that's all you could do in, say, 1 AD in Rome. Horses and chariots might e good between cities  . X

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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