Where did the Rail Go?

A long time ago, trains, trolleys, and light rail ruled the transportation world. Between 1860 and 1920 more trains were built in this country then any other country in world. That was until the 1920's and 30's when trains began to disappear from the landscape. Why? Historically there were several reasons.

GM Comes a-knocking...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_streetcar_conspiracy

The first and most voracious was a targeted campaign by GM and other car/tire manufacturers. Car companies created dummy corporations, and bought out local rail companies, along with their tracks. Then a few years later they would close down the rail line, and sell off the equipment, and make a profit off of the former right-of-way. That and other factors resulted in a dramatic increase in sales of vehicles. This corruption made some politicians rich, and robbed everyday people. A court case was even brought against the car companies in the 1940's and 50's. They were found partially guilty, but ended up paying a very small fine for their actions.

Robert Moses...

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Moses

 This gigantic figure of New York City and it's outlying burrows was responsible for the highway system we have today. He championed the idea of building mega highways to accommodate traffic. Instead of sensible planning, Moses pushed the idea of demolishing large portions of cities and urban environments to accommodate those traveling by car. His ideas were big... and if was up to him he would have leveled half of New York in favor of more highways. While he was a giant, he favored vehicles over people, and progress over practicality.

This had a ripple effect. Engineers who worked with Moses went on to other posts in other places, and city planners ran with Moses' model, and began working on other cities, ramrodding massive highways through downtown areas, building ever wider roads. The national highway system gave massive amounts of money to states with new Highways construction, so of course the incentive for public rail systems all but disappeared.

Economic Change. 

The 40's and 50's saw the rise of advertising. The median income rose dramatically. For the first time, people had more money to spend on transportation. Meaning they could afford cars, and not the small 4 bangers like the model t. No, the cars of the 50's and 60's were larger, heavier, and needed a lot of parking space. Add to that mix low gas prices, and the flight from the problems of the inner city.

People began using trains less and less. So Sub-urban sprawl kicked in, placing people further and further from the city center, in massive outlying developments. 100 percent dependent upon cars. This system seemed to work well.. for a while...

 

 

What changed?

Congestion... traffic jams... construction...more congestion. Roads have become over stuffed, over traveled, and under maintained. Most major cities in the US suffer from a growing traffic nightmare. The fact is traffic has become unbearable in certain cities. A city the size of Orlando should not have the traffic of a city like New York. However the lack of travel options only encourages more traffic jams. Building more road's alone creates an unsustainable model. In a state like Florida, growing out means destroying the local environment, deforestation, and a drop in property values. Gas dependence made certain countries rich, and rising gas prices makes it increasingly difficult to make ends meet for everyone.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/02/the-american-commuter-spends-38-hours-a-year-stuck-in-traffic/272905/


But then engineers took a look back. Trains allowed for maximization of transit routes. You can fit thousands of commuters through a train artery for every dozen cars. Allowing consumers a variety of commute options lessens' traffic, increases density and reduces the strain on already strained roads. Ultimately they help to move more people faster and for less, and help to build a tax base. People move to where the stations are, and businesses follow them.

 That's why local commuter rail makes sense... and why its resurrection in Central Florida just might work.

About that Ad...

Okay we've all seen it... the new Sunrail ad airing on local stations.

Watch it here...

It's great, and terrible. It's good press... it's bad press. It's both for different reasons.


Let's break it down shall we?

The Good

1. It let's people know Sunrail is coming: There is a startlingly high rate of misinformation and simple ignorance regarding what Sunrail is and and what it isn't. This ad lets people know where to get the info, and inspires them check out the website.
2. It shows the spacious cabins and tables, the wifi, and the ample chair space.
3. The annoying girl gets peoples attention...

The Bad

1.  Cheese sticks? Really? Not funny in the slightest. Was this ad written in 2011? (insert G6 song reference here.)
2. It gives little practical information, like the cities it goes through, and the exact dates or times of when everything will actually be running. 
3. The annoying girl might make some people worry about noise intrusion into their own private spaces while riding.

Let's hope the advertising firm does better with their second ad. The message should be simple... here is an alternative from the UK, granted its a high speed train but the principals are the same.

Right here...

See that's how you do it, contrast, subtlety, nice music... no cheese sticks. Come on guys get it together.

We Try...We Build...We Ride

An attempt at Suburban - Urban rail is being made in Central Florida. About hundred years after car companies and their dummy corporations removed Light Rail systems from the state. Central Florida has once again looked back to trains to facilitate a growing population. It's intent is noble, if a bit arrogant, and it's possibilities are enormous, yet limited by it's budget.
It was the source of derision by some, a curiosity by others, and a source of hope for hundreds of thousands of commuters tired of having only one option to travel in their traffic addled city.

Sunrail began in the late 1990's, when FDOT sponsored local schools, and entertained ideas on the way the area would change in the coming decade. As a child I visited family in New York, and was amazed out how people there were able to live and work and play, without ever seeing a car. As a Floridian, this puzzled me. Friends told me, "Florida will never have that sort of system," or "Florida doesn't need trains". Yet the question remained, why did it work so well up there, and why wouldn't it work here?

Years later, I heard about Sunrail. Unlike the vast majority of Central Floridian's, I followed the development month after month. I watched silently, wondering, if it would ever come to pass. Back and forth it went, legal battle after jurisdictional struggle. Through two governors, contentious elections, and adversarial lobbying groups, the train kept coming.

Now it's a few months away, and the time has come for the reality, and with it the inspiration of this blog.

This blog will be about one commuters journey with Sunrail, documenting what works, what fails, and hopefully what it all means.

-I'll do this through pictures, light news posts, and personal experiences.


-I'll also delve into the historical, and personal aspects of mass transit.

-This blog is about the future, about where we go from here, and whether or not we really are ready.

-JayT