Here's a brief summary of the meeting held in Daytona Beach on March 30 toward getting Amtrak service started on the FEC from FCRP Treasurer George Diller.
Leading the meeting was the City of Daytona Beach and the Space Coast Transportation Organization, supported by FDOT and Amtrak.
The importance of the Florida legislature now having passed the needed liability legislation was emphasized. Amtrak has not yet talked with the FEC directly. Everything up to this point has been handled through FDOT.
Amtrak felt that passing the liability legislation had to come first before either party could talk seriously about moving forward. Amtrak will now begin a cost/benefit analysis and update its ridership projections as the next step.
Amtrak is only interested in one round-trip train a day on the FEC. They have not proposed or decided which of the trains that will be. A second train, if there is to be one, will be a separate FDOT initiative.
The recently announced FEC Miami-Orlando higher speed passenger rail initiative (All Aboard Florida) is seen as being separate and distinct and will not affect the current Amtrak Jacksonville-Miami planning. The FEC-CSX track connection at West Palm Beach is the largest initial start-up cost, the estimate for which is now up to $50 million. At this time, local stations can expect to receive about a 20% match from FDOT.
There were speakers from the City of Debary and City of Lake Mary who discussed their successful relationship with SunRail. They stressed the importance of having an overall development plan for the local area surrounding the stations.
The local representative from Bunnell was there and during the question and answer period discussed briefly their continuing effort to have a station stop.
The next overall major objective to be pursued is to develop a master plan and have it ready to present.
The date for the next meeting was not set, but the local group representative from Stuart volunteered to host the meeting, so it was decided it will be held there.
George Diller