by Jeff Smith
Here’s a thought (be afraid, be very afraid! ):
Brightline is interested in expansion to Jacksonville, of course (see separate thread). Recent news shows Jacksonville wanting Amtrak to return to the FEC tracks and station: (Amtrak on the Florida East Coast FEC.
That topic primarily concerns Amtrak on the FEC, which is likely a dead letter now with Brightline.
However, bringing Amtrak to an FEC/Brightline terminal opens interesting possibilities... could Brightline assume Amtrak’s Florida operations?
Yes, there would be hurdles. Track rights, for one, that belong to Amtrak. We’ve talked about that elsewhere for expansion. However, could that be overcome by Amtrak contracting operations out?
That brings up the unions. The employees at those crew bases would have to be reassigned. How would that work if Amtrak just discontinued the routes, a la Sunset East, and other routes such as the Desert Express, Floridian (irony intended), etc.?
How would such a schedule work? Of the current LD’s, the Silvers overall in Florida are day trains, not requiring sleepers. Get off at Jax, transfer to a nice Siemens Brightliner (I like that term! TM!)
From Jax, you grab your train to Daytona, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, etc., running down the FEC or on new ROW (and IIRC the Silvers run on a lightly used CSX line controlled by FL?).
Would assuming Amtrak’s operating rights (and I don’t know the legality thereof; why I suggest “contracting”) allow faster and less expensive Virgin expansion? There going to run more than one train a day, of course, so a separate ROW is preferable.
Anyway, with Virgin talking about covering the points Amtrak presently covers, can Silver Service be endangered?
Brightline is interested in expansion to Jacksonville, of course (see separate thread). Recent news shows Jacksonville wanting Amtrak to return to the FEC tracks and station: (Amtrak on the Florida East Coast FEC.
That topic primarily concerns Amtrak on the FEC, which is likely a dead letter now with Brightline.
However, bringing Amtrak to an FEC/Brightline terminal opens interesting possibilities... could Brightline assume Amtrak’s Florida operations?
Yes, there would be hurdles. Track rights, for one, that belong to Amtrak. We’ve talked about that elsewhere for expansion. However, could that be overcome by Amtrak contracting operations out?
That brings up the unions. The employees at those crew bases would have to be reassigned. How would that work if Amtrak just discontinued the routes, a la Sunset East, and other routes such as the Desert Express, Floridian (irony intended), etc.?
How would such a schedule work? Of the current LD’s, the Silvers overall in Florida are day trains, not requiring sleepers. Get off at Jax, transfer to a nice Siemens Brightliner (I like that term! TM!)
From Jax, you grab your train to Daytona, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, etc., running down the FEC or on new ROW (and IIRC the Silvers run on a lightly used CSX line controlled by FL?).
Would assuming Amtrak’s operating rights (and I don’t know the legality thereof; why I suggest “contracting”) allow faster and less expensive Virgin expansion? There going to run more than one train a day, of course, so a separate ROW is preferable.
Anyway, with Virgin talking about covering the points Amtrak presently covers, can Silver Service be endangered?
Next stop, Willoughby
~el Jefe :: RAILROAD.NET Site Administrator/Co-Owner; Carman at Naugatuck Railroad
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~el Jefe :: RAILROAD.NET Site Administrator/Co-Owner; Carman at Naugatuck Railroad
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