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Mica trying to fast track environmental process for Florida East Coast passenger service
Mica was the fellow how was against the Tampa-Orlando Line, bad mouthing it on TV, untill Gov. “Teapot” Scott axed, then he cryed crocodile tears, and tried to get the project to just go from Orlando International to Disney Land. In the end Scott did give him his Orlando commuter train, despite Teapot opposition.
The man is a clown who dosn’t seem to know much about railways. With federal money paying for all of the Tampa-Orlando line, several “private consortiums” had lined up to build and operate the service. This was Mica’s big chance to get private enterprise into HSR, and he screwed it up.
My hope is that the Florida East Coast dosn’t stop at Orlando, and instead uses that interstate right-of-way to go all the way to Tampa. That should have been the orginal plan.
Now if Mica can help, so much the better, althou his efferts to fast track the enviromental review is ironically similar to Gov. Jerry Brown’s effort to do the same in California.
With the HSR money to upgrade the Metrolink line from LA to Palmdale, and the agrrement between DesertXpress and Metrolink to use those upgraded tracks for LA-Vegas trains, perhaps the West Coast will also have a privately run high-speed passenger railway.
Its foolish to think (like Mica) that the private sector can do passenger rail all by itself, but I think private-public partnerships can be very sucessful.
It’s about time Mica does something useful for passenger trains. Wish him all the best with this project. High speed Miami - Orlando would be a good start for things to come.
Earlier reports indicated speeds might exceed 110 mph on new right-of-way between Cocoa Beach and Orlando. Down to 110 now?
Left out here is this fact: The EPA is hostile toward private ventures that wish to compete with Federal or State operated businesses. The EPA, never mind the Army Corps of Engineers, whose recommendations are over ridden by the EPA, left and even further left, holds the key to this going ahead or being killed by the most anti-private investment regime in Washington since FDR prior to 1941.
Nice play Mica!
Can anybody see the Amtrak financial black hole approaching on this one? The law will be quickly changed in Amtrak’s favor, forcing any private enterprise out of the market. Big government protects its own with all the tools at its disposal, legal or otherwise.
As for Mica, it appears he is sick of all the waste, greed, and corruption in big government, which is why he is trying to level the playing field for private enterprise and bypass Amtrak.
This is absurd. Another instance of environmentalism hindering growth and jobs…i.e. capitalism.
Someone correct me if I am wrong, but it’s Interesting how Rep. Mica (R) wants to fast track the process for a private railroading venture but basically abolish all things pertaining to public railroad improvements. Maybe there ar some very large campaign contributions at stake for the good Republican from Fla…
I’m sure the FEC railroad is asking, “whats in it for me”
This is a much needed service and it should procced without delay but once the ROW gets south of W Palm, it is very close to Dixie Highway with many grade crossings and no fences on the ROW. I’m a bit nervous about a passenger train going 60 MPH through lower Palm Beach and much of Broward counties. The area is much more built up than it was in 1968.
By the time Amtrash gets its act together, FEC will be running passenger trains for 5 years by then.
for once Mica is doing something positive.
why is the army corps of engineers involved at all? I would love to see this finally operating.
Mica is an IDIOT, of coarse this project should be built. This is a no brainer. But so was the fully funded HSR project.
Mica is an IDIOT, of coarse this project should be built. This is a no brainer. But so was the fully funded HSR project.
Wait, I thought John Mica hated new rail passenger projects. Oh, that’s right – that was the one in Nevada (specifically, serving Vegas). Not his district, right?
“Right of way already in place”? Huh? There is no right of way, much less track, from Cocoa to Orlando, and there’s the St.Johns River and wetlands to cross. Sounds more like 10 years to get this going.
If this is going to be in addition to Amtrak, fine. Florida, for the size and magnitude of its statewide population, and its ever-growing tourist industry, needs more trains. We have the highest fuel prices in the south, and the cost of driving is going to get more expensive here since the toll hogs want to widen the roads instead of paying off the humongous debts they have rung up on the state budget. It’s just in time for the Republican convention!We know those rich teabaggers can afford it since they also can afford to corrupt elections with their mega-million dollar campaigns. When they end up sitting in clogged traffic during the convention, they will finally realize that roads alone aren’t going to solve our transportation woes. Also, I believe Mica has had to change his tune since he is up for re-election, and locked in an incumbent vs. incumbent primary, thanks to redrawing of congressional districts.