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Title: Too Long To Drive, Too Short To Fly?
Source:
Forbes
URL Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/irenel ... n-travel-dilemma/#19ace72f7851
Published: Jul 1, 2018
Author: Irene S. Levine
Post Date: 2018-07-01 11:48:07 by Willie Green
Keywords: None
Views: 4986
Comments: 34
When distances between cities are great, air travel may be the only practical way to travel. When distances are short, driving or public transportation may offer alternatives. But many times, the distance between U.S. cities falls somewhere in-between these two extremes. Brightline—the only privately owned, operated and maintained passenger railway system in the U.S.—has a bold plan to connect these cities by higher-speed passenger rail. Earlier this spring, the company submitted an unsolicited proposal to develop inter-city rail service between the Tampa Bay area and Orlando, Florida (a distance of about 85 miles), for what would be the next phase in the railway’s development. “We think there are a lot of city pairs that have similar characteristics, kind of too long to drive, too short to fly,” said Wes Edens, head of Fortress Investment Group, one of the visionaries and financial backers of Brightline, in a recent interview with CNBC. Charlotte and Atlanta, St. Louis and Chicago, and Houston and Dallas are among other such city pairs that come to mind, he added. Six years in the making, Brightline launched introductory train service between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in southern Florida in January 2018. In May, the service was extended to Miami. Carrying both residents and visitors between these three population-dense cities, the new higher-speed train is an eco-friendly alternative to the crowded, bumper-to-bumper north-south highways. Currently, approved plans call for Brightline service to Orlando from South Florida in the near future; construction of Phase 2 connecting Orlando will begin later this year and take approximately 30 months. Brightline’s home in Orlando will be in the new international terminal of the airport. The modern, passenger-friendly Brightline trains, made by Siemens USA, offer complimentary Wi-Fi and power outlets at each adjustable seat; places for convenient luggage and bicycle storage; wide windows to watch the passing scenery, and food and beverage service. The cars are also pet-friendly, wheelchair accessible and 100 percent “Buy America”-compliant. With signature BrightYellow locomotives at both ends, trains never have to turn around. The latest Brightline expansion proposal follows Florida Governor Rick Scott’s recent announcement that the state will begin accepting competitive proposals for private investment in a high-speed rail connection between Tampa Bay and Orlando. The solicitation seeks private entities interested in leasing rights-of-way to tracks currently owned by the Florida Department of Transportation and the Central Florida Expressway Authority. (Governor Scott had previously rejected more than $2 billion in Federal funding support for rail service under the Obama administration because he feared that cost overruns would create a burden for taxpayers.) While Brightline doesn’t match the speeds of bullet trains operating in Europe and Asia, the Florida trains can travel at top speeds of 79MPH between Miami and West Palm (much like Acela trains on the northeast corridor and Amtrak Cascades in the Pacific Northwest). Between Tampa and Orlando, where there are no grade crossings, top speeds are expected to reach 125MPH. More than a century ago, Standard Oil founder Henry Morrison Flagler transformed Florida when he built the Florida East Coast Railway, in essence laying the foundation for the state’s tourism industry. Using these same tracks and other underutilized freight tracks for its infrastructure, Brightline hopes to create a higher-speed passenger rail system in Florida that will serve as a model for the transformation of inter-city travel across the U.S.
Poster Comment:
Brightline Seeks To Solve A Common Travel Dilemma
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 7.
#2. To: Willie Green (#0)
(Edited)
I generally have no problem with private non-subsidized rail systems. If they can navigate the nightmare of acquiring the land and permits, more power to them. What I do object to are these daft publicly subsidized systems that serve relatively few people and rarely deliver on the promises of reduced use of cars/fuel or reduced road congestion. Here's a nice fap photo for you.
That's retarded. Railroads are the future Not anarcho capitalism
Railroads are mostly the past. They are problematic when trying to deal with a country like America. America has the best heavy-freight rail system in the world. It just is not very compatible with trying to accommodate passenger trains. And people just don't like traveling by train that much. Not when flying is cheaper and you still have to rent a car or arrange rides at your destination. Train systems in densely populated areas with relatively short runs make sense, like the Acela trains. Cross-country trains make no sense. We should eliminate Amtrak subsidies entirely. Then the true costs of passenger trains would be revealed. At present, we heavily subsidize most passenger train traffic outside a few metro area routes like Acela.
Dagny disagrees.
Who is Dagny and why should anyone care?
#13. To: Tooconservative (#7)
Mr. Objectivist asks me "Who is Dagny"? That's rich.
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#3. To: Tooconservative (#2)
#4. To: continental op (#3)
#6. To: Tooconservative (#4)
Railroads are mostly the past.
#7. To: misterwhite (#6)
Dagny disagrees.
Replies to Comment # 7. Who is Dagny and why should anyone care?
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