What's Next in the CSX ILC Commuter Rail Future? Part 1
So the CSX project is dead? The Ledger talks about the end of the CSX bill, while the News Chief talks about how the Integrated Logistics Center (ILC) is still on track (sorry for the bad pun):
Neither the intermodel center nor the ILC were dependent upon the commuter rail plan getting through the Legislature, said Sease, the CSX spokesman. If anything, it was the other way around, he said, adding that the commuter rail system will not work without the Winter Haven terminal.
That's the quote in the News Chief from CSX's Gary Sease. Is this true? Perhaps. If it is, things are about to get much more interesting, after all, we're just finishing season one.
Lakeland was upset with increased train traffic brought on by the ILC, or was it the commuter rail plan? Either way, they lobbied hard and won, at least they think they did. After all the CSX deal is dead. Well at least the commuter rail portion of it. But CSX says they're not related.
If the ILC goes through, then Lakeland will have their cake and eat it too, except the opposite...what's that? Losing your cake and paying for it too?
If the ILC is built, expect more freight traffic. What's stopping CSX from running more freight traffic through Lakeland/Polk County? After all, they own the tracks, can they do what they want? Actually that's a good question, Billy/Tom? Can they just do what they want, does it require any government approval to increase the number of trains, or can they just do it?
If so, then let's look at the recap: Lakeland helps defeat the commuter rail bill and manages to upset most of the Orlando area in the process. Then, at the end of the day it still might see more train traffic.
What's the next step?
What's that....the Van Fleet trail? Sure, that's easy for Lakeland....make it Polk City's problem, after all they're a bit below the lower-middle-class status and won't mind more trains.
What's the solution for commuter rail? Will we ever see a commuter line from Tampa to Orlando? And can that be done without involving CSX? Ask Dennis Ross (from The Ledger):
"They still hold all of the cards," Ross said, referring to the railroad corporation's ownership of the tracks.
In Part 2 I'll look at some recent commuter rail experiences I've had and in Part 3...well, we'll see.
Comments
They can build their ILC and move all their traffic through Lakeland. But at least they will have to spend their own money doing it, not my tax money.
As far as upsetting Orlando, who cares? They're more than willing to upset the rest of us with their useless commuter rail project. I'm glad this upsets them.
If nothing else this is a moral victory and a shout of "Don't Tread on Me!", even if we do lose in the end.
Posted by: Mad Mike | May 7, 2008 12:33 PM
Read the Ledger and find out
Posted by: tom palmer | May 8, 2008 10:50 PM