[SunRail]

Seriously, unfortunately. I think the logo looks like a piece of clip art you'd find in a word processing program. It's ridiculous how basic and unimaginative it is. Our officials should be ashamed...

And why does the train in the logo have its lights on if it's so sunny out?

When was the last time you saw a running train without its lights on?

[SunRail]

Whatever happened to that idea of a train running along the center strip of I-4 that all the bridges had to rise to 16' along I-4 for?

Died with high-speed rail plan.

[Should South Florida become its own state?]

I think California an Texas should work on splitting before Florida ever considers it. These two states seem more like countries than states, with about 37M and 25M people respectively. Plus they are geographically huge, while Florida is just a long, rotated "L" shape. Florida is still under 20M. I think that's when a state stops being a state and starts holding power equivalent to a country within a country (actually states were meant to be more like countries in the beginning of the Union, but that's besides the point). I mean governors of Texas and California have been far more likely to catapult to president than those of other states. Reagan, Nixon, and GW Bush, etc all came from these two states. Plus they have electoral pull that really needs subdividing.

No longer a poll.

http://cbs4.com/local/North.Lauderda....2.716727.html

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/loc...0,622463.story

http://www.miamiherald.com/577/story/523383.html

[SunRail]

this is looking gloomy. i cant beleive after all the hurdles to get funding, local sign-off on stations, etc.. that a project with the necessary funding and local approval will be killed by ignorance. The nerve of those south florida politicians who are complaining about the liability language with CSX, the same language that serves their own commuter rail just fine. unbelievable. how blatantly hypoctricial.

So, any chance of negotiations with CSX going forward without the liability or will they just walk away without it?

Doubtful but not entirely out of the question. However, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for CSX to move on anything in which they don't reap the benefits.

[SunRail]

That's the gist of it right there. You know it, I know, most people here know it. But, the retarded politicians don't know it. I absolutely hate how reactionary FL is when it comes to transportation. Most politicians here lack so much hindsight that it's outright scary. It pisses me off to no end.

The problem is the right pockets weren't stuffed.

There's always more to a story than what you see.

[SunRail]

it seemed thatmost in tampa were against it. was it sour grapes that they couldnt get a commuter line?

what is an alternative here? can the state use eminent domain to take possesion of the track completely and forcing csx to reroute everything through the other line. then possibly there will be no liability issue if no csx trains run during the same hours as the commuter.

ive got no clue, this is not my field...... someone correct me.

No. Otherwise, the government would control all the lines in the US.

[SunRail]

If this does not pass, I'll be shocked.

At this point, it would take more than people realize to stop this process. The worst part about everything is how in the world the state can justify spending $491 million to make this happen when there is a shortfall of $1.3 billion.

Lakeland had better start looking at more overpasses like Ocala to accompany the ones they already have in place.

[SunRail]

I'm not trying to strike a nerve with anyone but just to be aware, the CSX project in Winter Haven will undergo a full DRI review which could delay commuter rail in Orlando. Below is a link to the letter released by the Department of Community Affairs:

Letter from Department of Community Affairs