Addendum: MY proposed FEC schedule

Note: This schedule is based on what I'd do, not anything else. I have no idea what's going on in Jacksonville other than an effort to reopen the historic Union Terminal to train traffic.

The FEC schedules are extensions of the previous post and the overnight sleepers entry.

SOUTHBOUND READ DOWN	Local 1	Core 3	Core 5	Local 7	Core 9	Premium 11
Jacksonville Terminal	6:15	9:15	12:15	15:15	18:15	A 0:15
South Jacksonville	6:20	9:20	12:20	15:20	18:20	0:20
St. Augustine	6:50	9:52	12:52	15:50	18:52	0:52
Bunnell	7:18			16:18		F
Ormond Beach	7:32			16:32		F
Daytona Beach	7:46	10:42	13:42	16:46	19:42	1:42
New Smyrna Beach	8:06			17:06		F
Titusville	8:39	11:18	14:18	17:39	20:18	2:18
Cocoa Beach	9:06	11:45	14:45	18:06	20:45	2:45
Bonaventure	9:21			18:21		F
Melbourne	9:31	12:06	15:06	18:31	21:06	3:06
Palm Bay	9:36			18:36		F
Sebastian	10:06			19:06		F
Vero Beach	10:29	12:34	15:34	19:29	21:34	3:34
Fort Pierce	10:44			19:44		F
Stuart	11:04	13:09	16:09	20:04	22:09	4:09
Jupiter	11:34			20:34		F
West Palm Beach	12:15	13:57	16:57	21:15	22:57	4:57
Lake Worth	12:29			21:29		F
Boynton Beach	12:42			21:42		F
Delray Beach	12:55	14:15	17:15	21:55	23:15	5:15
Boca Raton	13:06			22:06		F
Deerfield Beach	13:11	14:27	17:27	22:11	23:27	5:27
Pompano Beach	13:24			22:24		F
Fort Lauderdale	13:41	14:41	17:41	22:41	23:41	5:41
Hollywood	13:54	14:54	17:54	22:54	23:54	5:54
Miami	14:18	15:18	18:18	23:15	0:15	B 6:15

NORTHBOUND READ DOWN	Local 2	Core 4	Core 6	Local 8	Core 10	Premium 12
Miami	6:15	9:15	12:15	15:15	18:15	A 0:15
Hollywood	6:33	9:33	12:33	15:33	18:33	0:33
Fort Lauderdale	6:47	9:47	12:47	15:47	18:47	0:47
Pompano Beach	7:01			16:01		F
Deerfield Beach	7:08	10:01	13:01	16:08	19:01	1:01
Boca Raton	7:13			16:13		F
Delray Beach	7:23	10:12	13:12	16:23	19:12	1:12
Boynton Beach	7:30			16:30		F
Lake Worth	7:43			16:43		F
West Palm Beach	7:58	10:36	13:36	16:58	19:36	1:36
Jupiter	8:18			17:18		F
Stuart	8:41	11:15	14:15	17:41	20:15	2:15
Fort Pierce	9:08	11:36	14:36	18:08	20:36	2:36
Vero Beach	9:22	11:50	14:50	18:22	20:50	2:50
Sebastian	9:40			18:40		F
Palm Bay	10:07			19:07		F
Melbourne	10:17	12:19	15:19	19:17	21:19	3:19
Bonaventure	10:27			19:27		F
Cocoa Beach	10:42	12:49	15:49	19:42	21:49	3:49
Titusville	10:59	13:06	16:06	19:59	22:06	4:06
New Smyrna Beach	11:32			20:32		F
Daytona Beach	12:02	13:42	16:42	21:02	22:42	4:42
Ormond Beach	12:30			21:30		F
Bunnell	12:48			21:48		F
St. Augustine	13:21	14:33	17:33	22:21	23:33	5:33
South Jacksonville	14:08	15:13	18:13	23:08	0:08	6:05
Jacksonville Terminal	14:18	15:18	18:18	23:13	0:13	B 6:10

A—Sleepers open up at 22:45

B—Sleepers can be occupied until 7:45

F—Stops on signal to receive or discharge passengers

Station notes:

·         Stations between Jacksonville and Jupiter are served by FEC.

·         West Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Miami are jointly served by Amtrak, FEC and Tri-Rail.

·         Lake Worth, Boynton Beach, Boca Raton and Pompano Beach are jointly served by FEC and Tri-Rail.

Sunshine State musings

Is it time for Florida East Coast Railway to step up? That is more than a valid question because Vero Beach is now reconsidering Amtrak service due to high costs. As a result, the concern could lead to FEC taking charge, which is more feasible than anyone thinks.

Given all the recent news concerning private involvement in passenger rail, FECR and its owner Rail America could surprise everybody by telling local officials, state officials and Amtrak “Thanks for the interest, but we’ve got it from here” and restart the long-dormant route after the new Miami Intermodal Center opens in 2013.

The reason for the move is that Rail America is a member of the AIPRO, which represents some of Amtrak’s competitors on the transit and HSR fronts. Whether this new organization can get Congress to make competitive bidding a legal obligation (see Germany) or the Class II FEC implements intercity service on its own, Floridians and tourists alike will benefit in having two different companies provide Jacksonville-Miami service—and this doesn’t include an intrastate passenger rail system not unlike California’s once Rick Scott is replaced by a more forward-thinking governor.

Under this scenario, Amtrak would remain at its current location on Clifford Lane without any changes to its current route structure in the state…at least in the short term. Union Terminal would then be used as a hub for FEC and the statewide system, so it would be very important for Amtrak to win the contract to run the Florida routes. Winning the rights would definitely allow management to restructure the central Florida route alignment so the Silver Star would no longer be forced to backtrack in and out of Tampa. Rather, #91 and #92 could terminate and originate in Tampa while Miami-bound passengers would transfer to a regional train in Orlando. The other good news is that even if an AIPRO member were to win a contract for the Florida system, passengers in Winter Haven, Sebring, and Okeechobee would still have access to a long-distance train as the Silver Meteor would stop at those stations as opposed to the recently proposed FDOT plan. 

Addendum: The Rio Grande Corridor

The schedule is based on this entry

Operator notes:

Amtrak

There would be no changes to the California Zephyr along this portion of its route.

Rail Consortium West

The Texas Zephyr is a Salt Lake City-Dallas-Houston train that will be extended to New Orleans. For its stops in the suburban Denver area, the TZ would utilize either Englewood or downtown Littleton nearby the light rail station to handle passengers traveling to/from points south while either Sheridan Blvd or 41^st Street will handle passengers traveling to/from western points.

Rocky Mountain Rail

This is a (hypothetical) regional organization composed of ID, MT, WY, CO, UT and NM that oversees local and regional passenger rail service. The Prospector is an all-sleeper train. Most of its other routes would be daytime trains.

The Desert Wind Group

A coalition of rail fans and businessmen forms an independent group in the event that Amtrak deems a Desert Wind restoration between Chicago and Los Angeles via Las Vegas infeasible. The train would use LaSalle Street Station instead of Union Station as its eastern terminus. 

	Rocky Mountain Rail Royal Gorge 17	Amtrak California Zephyr 5	Rail Cons. West Texas Zephyr 60	Rocky Mountain Rail Prospector 19	The Desert Wind Group 111
Denver Union Station	5:05	8:05	14:05	17:05	23:05
Denver 41st Street or Sheridan Blvd	Future stop		Future stop	Future stop
Fraser-Winter Park	7:07	10:07	16:07	19:07	1:07
Granby	7:37	10:37	16:37	19:37	1:37
Glenwood Springs	10:53	13:53	19:53	22:53	4:53
Grand Junction	12:10	15:10	21:10	0:10	6:10
Green River	13:58	16:58	22:58	1:58	7:58
Helper	16:20	19:20	1:20	4:20	10:20
Provo	18:26	21:26	3:26	6:26	12:26
Salt Lake City	20:05	23:05	5:05	8:05	14:05

	Amtrak California Zephyr 6	Rocky Mountain Rail Royal Gorge 18	The Desert Wind Group 110	Rocky Mountain Rail Prospector 16	Rail Cons. West Texas Zephyr 59
Salt Lake City	3:30	9:30	12:30	18:30	21:30
Provo	4:35	10:35	13:35	19:35	22:35
Green River	6:37	12:37	15:37	21:37	0:37
Helper	7:59	13:59	16:59	22:59	1:59
Grand Junction	10:23	16:23	19:23	1:23	4:23
Glenwood Springs	12:10	18:10	21:10	3:10	6:10
Granby	15:12	21:12	0:12	6:12	9:12
Fraser-Winter Park	15:50	21:50	0:50	6:50	9:50
Denver Sheridan Blvd or 41st Street		Future stop		Future stop	Future stop
Denver Union Station	18:38	0:38	3:38	9:38	12:38

Tackling the Headlines 18

New Caltrain contract one step closer to resolution

Credit to Mulad for this developing news. On Thursday, Caltrain management recommended that the new contract to run the Bay Area's regional rail system go to Herzog subsidiary Transit America Services (the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board will approve the decision on September 1 while the move becomes official in fiscal year 2013). Amtrak has had the contract in a joint venture with Bombardier since 1992 when former track owner/operator Southern Pacific completely got out of the people carrying business. 

Take: Wow, that's a mouthful! This was the most anticipated regional/commuter rail contract up for grabs. Three other teams--all AIPRO members as is the winning bid--also responded. What does the future hold? I just hope that Caltrain gets its house in order so it never mentions the word bankruptcy ever again. As for TASI, I believe that the company can demonstrate some type of innovation by further extending the Caltrain system further southward to, say Monterey or elsewhere.

September Railfan & Railroad cover story

The issue looks at Northern California's diverse rail systems.

Take: The issue is very informative and is worth reading.

Australia getting into the HSR game

The Australian government has proposed a high speed rail system along the nation's east coast between Brisbane and Melbourne. If implemented, the Brisbane-Sydney portion would travel along new tracks at 220 mph and cut the run by eight hours--eight (from 11 hours to three)!

Take: I'm not sure how to react, but the one mood that I won't exhibit is envy. Australia's rail system, like America's, is nothing to write home about, but it shows that some type of vision is being exercised.

Tackling the Headlines 17

Second Vancouver, BC Cascades roundtrip to continue indefinitely
This is pretty much breaking news.


Take: It is really nice to see the Canadian government actually care about cross-border train service for once. Transit advocates should keep the pressure on them and U.S. Customs to make cross-border travel less of a hassle.


Arizona rail plan under attack
An editorial expresses skepticism about a rail plan the AZ Transportation Board approved in March.


Take: The newspaper is right to be skeptical about most of the routes being built on a separate right of way rather than on existing rails but the state needs to have a working rail system in place. For starters, the state needs to take possession of the dormant SP line that traverses through Phoenix for service to L.A. Then, it needs to provide intercity rail service to the rest of the state.


Can someone give Florida a wake-up call?
The Sunshine State's Transportation Vision plan is...just lacking.


Take: Other than throwing a bone to Tri-Rail, there is nothing that even pertains to rail. It is truly highway-centric. I just hope a more forward-thinking official is in power in Tallahassee four years from now. Maybe by then, FL will have a real vision plan that provides Floridians a rail option.

Addendum: The German solution

In an almost perfect symmetry five months ago, the German model of controlled competition was discussed just ahead of a congressional meeting on the private sector's role in passenger rail. However, I'll keep this post limited to how corridor services could be improved (the quotes are from the first link). Sprucing up regional train service requires focus in two areas: equipment modernization and amenities.

Equipment modernization

Across the board there has been a modernization of equipment. In 2002 more than 1,000 new rail cars were put into service on the regional lines. New investment volume for rolling stock alone amounts to 11 billion dollars.

Given today’s equipment, a lot is to be desired as most Eastern routes continue to use equipment that was groundbreaking in 1969 and Midwestern states can’t wait to get rid of Horizon cars that apparently became obsolete quickly. States could follow NC, which rehabilitated Heritage cars and use former GO Transit engines for Piedmont service or they could follow WA’s lead by ordering equipment from manufacturers. 

As an act of further goodwill, some states that have long-distance routes on corridors could assist in providing a boost if long-distance trains are significantly late. An example of this type of substitution took place in NC last June when the southbound Carolinian was delayed for hours after a CSX worker was fatally struck by a freight train in VA. NCDOT used Piedmont equipment to operate an on-time train between Raleigh and Charlotte. Of course, this would only apply to corridors where the long-distance train does not have a discharge/receive only policy in place.

Amenities

Many innovative services have been introduced: Internet access on regional trains; regional gourmet food services and taxi/rental cars as a part of the basic train ticket.

In the fall of 2005, Amtrak briefly contracted food service out to Subway for Empire Service trains, months after management deep-sixed on board food. However, the deal was short-lived since there were union issues that were not properly handled beforehand (sandwiches, snacks, and beverages are available on a limited number of Empire Service trains).

The failed experiment aside, states should do more experimenting with food and other amenities. Piedmont trains have snack and soda vending machines for passengers but other trains could have regionally-based foods like Kansas City barbecue on Missouri River Runner trains for example.

In other areas, regional goodies could also be provided for passengers traveling on a corridor train as well as a ticket that provides a seamless transfer between operators and/or train stations in the same city. Train-bus connections could also work in the same manner as train-taxi/rental car manner in that the train ticket would be a one-size-fits-all approach. 

Passengers would not have to worry about paying multiple times regarding their connections.