U.S. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and his staff have reviewed the budget proposed by President Donald Trump. It apparently eliminates all Amtrak Services in Florida, which was used by over 950,000 riders during the last fiscal year.
“This just doesn’t make sense,†said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). “Eliminating Amtrak service in Florida not only affects the nearly one million Floridians who ride the train each year, it would have a real impact on our tourism-driven economy by making it harder for folks to come visit our state.â€
The proposal cuts funding for Amtrak’s long-distance routes, which includes all three routes in Florida. It would also stymie ongoing efforts to restore service in Florida’s Panhandle and along the Gulf Coast.
The president’s budget would eliminate all three routes in Florida, including:
· The Auto train, which runs daily from Lorton, VA to Sanford, FL;
· The Silver Meteor, which runs daily from Miami to Orlando to New York; and
· The Silver Star, which runs daily from Miami to Tampa to Orlando to New York.
Last year, Mayor Ashton Hayward and the Pensacola Chamber of Commerce held a rally for Amtrak in hopes of resurrecting Amtrak’s passenger train service in Pensacola that had been dormant since 2004. Read more.
Oh well, nice try.