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Would CSX Tracks Be Useful for Commuter Rail in Tampa Bay Area?

25 Oct 2015 9:35 AM | Jackson McQuigg (Administrator)

 From the Tampa Tribune:

http://www.tbo.com/news/business/csx-tracks-may-be-route-to-commuter-rails-future-20151025/

--Jackson McQuigg

Comments

  • 16 Nov 2015 2:48 AM | Anonymous
    I see a good potential use for passenger rail on the CSX line that runs through Pinellas county to Tampa, which last saw Amtrak service back in 1984.
    The line between downtown Clearwater and St. Petersburg would be ideal for light rail. The route is practically straight as an arrow between the two cities, and would be much quicker than any bus route between the two cities. On the south end, near Tropicana Field, perhaps a new loop could be built into downtown St. Petersburg and make a potential intermodal terminal out of The Pier, should there be ferry boat service to Tampa. On the north end, from downtown Clearwater, an extension could be built to Oldsmar as a Phase II for the light rail or a connecting commuter rail service to northern Tampa. Public transit companies could use the line to run passenger service during the daytime, and CSX could use the line at night to serve their freight customers, much like what is done out in San Diego, CA.
    Previously, I heard one problem was finding a suitable location for a maintenance facility for the light rail. Now that Great Bay Distributing has relocated their distribution center at Ulmerton Rd. & Starkey Rd, that might be an ideal location to place the maintenance facility and make use of the tracks and sidings already in place there. Is close to PSTA's park-n-ride a couple blocks away where PSTA has a connecting express bus route to Tampa.
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