Restarting passenger train service down Florida’s East Coast

[tufsu1]

yes...so much for the conspiracy theory

[Ocklawaha]

Correct Jeffery, it was bought out in 2007, with a DOT AMTRAK deal dating to 2002, worth $80 Million dollars. Then the deal was remade this year for another chunk of change.

I never used or said the words conspiracy heir TUSFU1, just that the lessons learned, the friendships made and the hand me downs from Daddy, have no doubt shaped and solidified Johnny's actions, or lack thereof. So I'm not saying, or even suggesting some back room payola, or hankie pankey, going on. It would be however, the opinion maker, for any family invested as heavily in the industry as the Peyton's. Don't forget TUFSU1, that it was only days after the inaugural of "The Empire State Express," on the old New York Central System, that Monsieur Cornelius Vanderbilt, reviewed the investment, service, and the profit and loss statements for the new flagship train . It was then recorded that his voice rolled out of the office like the voice of Thor himself, as he thundered the now infamous phrase, "THE PUBLIC BE DAMNED!" Perhaps without even realizing what had just occurred, the die had been cast for the future of America's rail passenger service.

If there were a conspiracy, or if we sought to discover a conspiracy, it wouldn't be in Herb or Johnny's office, rather it would go straight to the White House. The seeds of the final distruction of the passenger rail industry, fit so neatly into a government package called Amtrak, as to be undeniable. But the fact that Herb, and his hand-me-down golden boy, little Johnny Midas Peyton, had shaped their opinions under such leadership as Richard Nixon, Ford, Carter, Bush, Clinton and Bush again makes their decisions rather transparent.

Consider the source, consider the lessons learned, the execution of the American Passenger Trains took nearly 65 years. As the drumheads rolled, AMTRAK was left starving and holding the basket. You can be certain of one thing, without a major management change, we'll get milk from a mynah bird before we see a rail revolution in the City of Jacksonville. The infinite space between the ears is a trackless wasteland, and "We the People," have our work cut out for us.

OCKLAWAHA

[CS Foltz]

Very poetic post Ock............too bad it's only too true! I agree that we have our work cut for us, Jax might be a lost cause until Johnny is gone and we get some professionals in the spots that matter. All of the overpaid AIMO's are no help and most are incompetent so we are just going to have bide our time!

[thelakelander]

Just got an email:

Amtrak train with 2 engine, and 20 cars from jax to cape. 2morrow leaving approx 0615am.

My response: To Cape Canaveral?  What for?

A special aaprco 32nd annual convention train 2009. this train will stop at st. aug. @ approx 0750a to pick some special passenger. i don't know where.

[Ocklawaha]

HELLS BELLS, ANYBODY THAT CAN DO PHOTOS, GET TO THE TRACKS, THIS IS THE ASSOCIATION OF PRIVATE RAIL CARS OWNERS, SPECIAL TRAIN. They'll be a string of varnish on the end worthy of a freakin KING! We gotta find out if it's coming back up the FEC or CSX? COOL.

OCKLAWAHA

[Lunican]

Monday, November 2nd

Special train departs Washington early morning and travels the former Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac and the CSX "A" line (former Atlantic Coast Line) arriving Jacksonville FL late evening. Parked at Jacksonville FL overnight.

Tuesday, November 3rd

This morning we will depart Jacksonville and travel south on the Florida East Coast Railway, crossing the Saint Johns River bridge and traveling along the scenic east coast of north Florida to City Point where the train will park until Wednesday morning. A special lunch and extensive tour of the Kennedy Space Center will take place over the next 4 hours.

Wednesday, November 4th

This morning we will proceed north on the Florida East Coast Railway to St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest city in the United States. Our passengers will disembark and have 5 hours for a tour and lunch in St. Augustine. Following the St. Augustine tour, we will depart mid-afternoon and travel north on the Florida East Coast Railway to Jacksonville. Then we continue north on CSX, arriving Savannah at 8:30 pm. Cars are parked at Amtrak's Savannah station.

The convention will be held in beautiful historic Savannah, Georgia with the Desoto Hilton, 15 East Liberty St., Savannah, GA 31401 as our convention headquarters.

http://www.aaprco.com/convention/2009/09index.html

[mtraininjax]

So 11/4:

Following the St. Augustine tour, we will depart mid-afternoon and travel north on the Florida East Coast Railway to Jacksonville.

So they leave St. Aug around 2 or 3, head north. Maybe best place to check this out is along US1?

[CS Foltz]

It's really too bad a "special" train such as this can not be opened to the public for viewing on how the other half live and travel. As Ock has pointed out before, private train cars where the Lear Jets of the train set and right fully so................much more room than a Lear and a real bathroom or at least a holding tank! Not near as quick as a Lear, usually tripped planned at Flite Level 31 @ 360 kts.........good for about 1800 nm at that altitude and speed! Train would be lots slower but alot more plush for sure!

[mtraininjax]

I have some pictures of the CSX business cars, insides as well, let me see if I can pull them out soon.