by trainmaster611
electricron wrote:Yeah, after I wrote that post I saw the power line ROW on google maps so I'm eating my words. Still, the power line ROW deadends on Semoran Blvd with no easy ROW to any railroad tracks or downtown that they could follow so that wouldn't be a realistic option. The power plant branch line (I think it's called the OUC branch) detours way south of the airport so it's an out of the way ROW to follow if you're ultimately going downtown. The best option IMO would be to stay on the 528 (which is what the Beeline becomes), pass 1 mile north of the airport terminal, and keep going until you get to the Sunrail tracks and then go north to downtown. There should be enough room along the freeway to get to the tracks.trainmaster611 wrote:I have a feeling their betting on using the Beeline Expressway since that's the only ROW of any kind between Cocoa and Orlando. As far as rolling stock is concerned, aren't the horizons going to be displaced by the new bilevels? Even if that doesn't pan out, if they act fast enough they can piggyback an order with Amtrak's current order for bilevels.I don't think they're planning on building any stations at all initially, using those already built, which means using some SunRail and TriRail tracks, which are effectively owned by the State of Florida. There's also a power line corridor they could use a few miles north of the Beeline, assuming the power company owns the route entirely (air and ground). The coal power plant to the east of Orlando already has rail to it from the west, which conveniently runs around the south end of Orlando's airport with a wye at the junction with SunRail's mainline. The Beeline corridor gets very tight as it approaches Orlando, but it also crosses the same rail line to that coal power plant.
I hope to dear god the train will actually go downtown instead of just to the airport like Florida's HSR was supposed to do. The route they chose and the airplane icon on the map worries me.
http://mms.businesswire.com/bwapps/medi ... 6781&vid=5
Yes, they could jump aboard California's and Midwestern states Superliner orders, but they wouldn't get any new railcars until after them, and that's far more than two years out. What can they get within two years was the heart of my earlier question? It's a shame the ex-Santa Fe HiLevels aren't available, they would have made great railcars for this route.
I suppose you're right about the equipment, the new bi-level order would take too long. I guess the most realistic option after that is getting old commuter rail equipment to pinch hit until a piggy-backed bi-level order could be made. You make a good point about it not having to be American-made and Jsotlberg points out the Wisconsin Talgo facility wouldn't be busy so those are all options too. I would think economies of scale would probably make bi-levels the cheapest though.
Amtrakowitz, an entirely privately funded enterprise constructing 40 miles of new track along an ROW that's never had rail for the purposes of passenger rail is unprecedented in recent times (at least I can't think of anything). Doing this old-turkey without any prior studies and expecting it to be done in 2 years makes it seem unrealistic. And then trying to make a profit after all this with just regular-speed trains? I would absolutely love for this to happen but I'm doubtful. I have a feeling the state will have to step in at some point to make this work. But I don't doubt that it'll happen at all.