Replace Outer Beltway with New Link To Gainesville, I-75, Tampa

[Ocklawaha]

Right now, the travel time would be about and hour and 45 minutes, maybe 2 with stops:

JACKSONVILLE
Baldwin
Starke
Alachua
GAINESVILLE

It's mainline all the way to Starke today, then a well maintained branchline through "dark territory" to Alachua, hence another branch (one time mainline of the ACL RR) that slowly degenerates as it moves south, finally vanishing into a right-of-way, a mile or so short of the Depot, which is across the street from the SWAMP! I really don't think the students would care much about the time and once up and running, there are several options using rebuilt track on current right -of- way, or if highly successful, on a new and direct path.

OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

Ock, no connection to Gainesville from the CSX leg running from Orange Park southbound?  Could we lay some new tracks from US17 across Clay over to Camp Blanding and southwestward?

[Ocklawaha]

No, and your dealing with trail ridge, state forest, national conservation areas and the military. While far cheaper to build then any highway, cost per passenger mile might put it out of reach.
There is a rail trail from Waldo, straight as an arrow into Gainesville, passing within a city block or so of the airport terminal. Camp Blanding has a LARGE railroad system of it's own, but we'd never get access to it. Since the mid-east has started rattling the "world war" cage, the old base has come back to life. It's now a class 2 base, and regular army as well as other services are using the ranges and survival schools, and the POW school (which is NOT a nice place).

I see anything as coming through Baldwin, but we'd have three options down the, uh, track. All use either the current railroad lines, as I outlined, or:
JAX-Baldwin-Maxville-Lake Butler-Alachua-Gainesville (former ACL mainline), abandoned except for Alachua-Gainesville, but the grade is intact. It would use the current CSX west to Baldwin, the original of this line was our Baldwin Rail Trail.
JAX-Baldwin-Starke-Waldo-Gainesville. Abandoned between Waldo-Gainesville, reserved by a rail trail, the balance is CSX mainline.

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

so wait...if I use the logic that some are employing against HSR...why would I even pay a dime to take a train from Jax to Gainesville if the travel time is 30 minutes longer?

[thelakelander]

Good question.  I certainly would not pay $60 round trip.

[Ocklawaha]

so wait...if I use the logic that some are employing against HSR...why would I even pay a dime to take a train from Jax to Gainesville if the travel time is 30 minutes longer?

Oh, you've got me now tusfu1! Considering according to your wildest dreams and FDOT, Jacksonville will NEVER be connected to Gainesville. So we put 100,000 people in the city last weekend... how many do you think had to ride with someone else? Greyhound? Charters? A shuttle train service would make us an extension of the University of Florida. Not to mention it beats the hell out of walking, and I'm thinking in terms of commuter fares too. Next shuttle should be Tallahassee, so don't fret tusfu1.

OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

so wait...if I use the logic that some are employing against HSR...why would I even pay a dime to take a train from Jax to Gainesville if the travel time is 30 minutes longer?

...Not to mention it beats the hell out of walking, and I'm thinking in terms of commuter fares too.... [/b]

The cost of a round trip rail ticket is probably far less than the speeding ticket you are sure to get in Waldo! 

[CS Foltz]

Not only Waldo, but Starke and Lawtey! Sounds like a plan to me fella's and I say go for it! I would like to see the constables for those parts of the world to radar,ladar or infrared a train......bet their till numbers go way down and then some and darn well worth it!

[north miami]

Recall attempts in the 1980's to swing a toll road from Brannon/Chaffee on in to G'Ville- G'Ville area killed it,for good reason.And they would do it again.The most ardent G'Ville enviros really chuckling at the recent profound 'surprise' of Jacksonvillians over the realization of the outer limits beltway.

[Ocklawaha]

Somebody bring the paint, I'll bring the shovels, this road is just waiting for us to reclaim it.

OCKLAWAHA

[stjr]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I will.

Clay and St. Johns, along with Jax and the State of Florida would benefit more from an enhanced connection from Jax to Gainesville, whether by road or rail, running through, or connecting to, their respective counties, than a wandering loop from I-10 to I-95 with nothing of consequence on either end or in the middle.

Stupid is as stupid does.  Where is Forest Gump?! 

[Ocklawaha]

AMEN!

OCKLAWAHA

[tufsu1]

FYI...the state has been making gradual upgrades to US 301 from Ocala up to Jax....

This inludes the overpasses at SR 20 (complete) and SR 26 (under construction) in Alachua County....iwhich by the way, Sen. Dockery and the SunRail opponents claim are being done for the benefit of CSX.

There are also plans for a potential bypass of Starke.

[Ocklawaha]

TUFSU1, I'm thinking RAIL and only RAIL as our solution to both big school cities. With Rail as the anchor, urban development with intercity relationships would soar. FSU or UofF JAX? Totally possible if we'd just get with the program.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Ock.........I concur! There are obvious benefits for all  if rail were to make the big Circle! Something along those lines makes lots of sense since any auto useage would be curtailed with other transportation options! Not to mention Carbon foot print reduction!