Quote:
Originally Posted by eternallyme
More "local" stations would be good, I agree. That kind of service should have an "Express" level service (only the big cities) and a "Local" level service (mid-sized cities also served)
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Aren't TriRail and SunRail formed for the purpose to provide that "Local" service? Leave FEC to run the more lucrative and profitable "Express" service. It's going to be hard to achieve 3 hours between Miami and Orlando if the "Express" trains have to stop at every station cities might build along the line.
Here's a refresher course for elementary school math:
240 miles / 3 hours = 90 miles/hour average.
240 miles / 4 hours = 60 miles/hour average.
240 miles / 5 hours = 48 miles/hour average.
Note: Amtrak - per their pdf train schedules - takes 5 hours and 3 minutes to traverse 265 rail miles between Orlando and Miami, averaging 53 miles/hour. Some of that is probably schedule padding. Never-the-less, the FEC route is 15 miles shorter, and possibly two hours faster. Much of the time savings will come by having fewer stops along the way, along with going faster.
Amtrak's trains at least stop at *Orlando*, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, Sebring, *West Palm Beach*, Delray Beach, Deerfield Beach, *Fort Lauderdale*, Hollywood, and *Miami*. Four stops vs ten, which do you think will be faster? With ten stops Amtrak averages 26 miles between stations, while with 4 stops FEC would average 60 miles between stations. How far are people willing to drive to catch a train, 30 miles on average or 13 miles?
I suggest having many more stops will just slow the train down. FEC is probably correct limiting station stops to as few as possible to increase average speeds of the trains. Personally, I would like to see another station added near Melbourne for capturing cruise line passengers at Port Canaveral, but that's about it for the "Express" service.
Combining "Express" and "Local" services on the same tracks would require far more passing sidings, more signals, and therefore far more money. I don't think FEC desires to get into the "Local" train business. Having two types of services automatically requires having two train sets. A single train set capable of transversing the route in 3 hours, could make two, possibly three round trips in a day, and still have 6 hours layup time for daily maintenance.