The Rant

On Sunday I decided to go visit the gravesite of my natural father. He died in 1966 as the result of a homicide in Brooklyn just 2 months after my birth. In all the time leading up to Sunday, I had never been to his grave. So, it seemed like an opt use of a good-weathered Sunday, and, a nice excuse for a train ride. All rail transit up here runs on a dense schedule any day of the week. I can spend an afternoon in nearly any Northeast city I choose on a dime's notice.

Acela approaching Linden Station in New Jersey.

When I got off the New Jersey Transit commuter line that took me into Linden, the train pulled away unexpectedly. My camera was already up and poised to take a picture when a surprise Acela whooshed right passed me. It was my first encounter ever with such a vehicle and it was had in superb dramatic order.  I wish I had been shooting video.

Florida may not be getting its high speed rail after all, so I don't mean for this to stoke anger. But if anger you feel, so be it.  Understand, Acela, while frequently billed as "high speed" actually isn't quite that due to a number of mechanical limitations.  The system that would have operated between Tampa and Orlando would have been true high speed rail in every sense and would have been the very first in the nation.

Florida Watch Discussion on Rick Scott's Rail "Decision"

Florida Watch 2/20/11 from The Bradenton Times on Vimeo.

Tampa Rail Express Links

News

• Washington Politics & Florida's rail project - The Ledger (blog)
• Mayoral candidates take questions from the Tampa Latin Chamber - Tampabay.com
• MPO speaks for Pinellas Scott still refuses high-speed rail money - Tampa Bay Newspapers

Tweets by HART

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