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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 12, 2007

CSX Doing Just Fine

Regarding "Relegating Public To Caboose Derails Confidence In CSX" (Our Opinion, Nov. 4):

I retired from the CSX after 40 years. The pay and the benefits were excellent.

The Tribune and the city council imply that CSX is not a very civic-minded company and does very little for the city. The YMCA park, ball fields, pool, soccer and tennis courts on South Himes Avenue are on land donated by the CSX. Picnic Island was donated by the CSX. I do not believe you can find any company that has donated such valuable property to the city.

If the Orlando area wants the existing rail for commuter lines, then the railroad needs a new terminal in another area. Surely you do not want the railroad to pay for this.

HENRY PIERCE

Tampa

A Project To Consider

Regarding "Freight Trains To Come Closer" (front page, Oct. 27) and "Relegating Public To Caboose Derails Confidence in CSX" (Our Opinion, Nov. 4).

To expect CSX to consider adding new public rail service "for the public good' is unrealistic at this time. Public railroad transportation is far too expensive to start up and maintain; the track systems and stations are too antiquated. Only freight can literally "pay the freight" for them to survive financially these days.

What is needed to reinvigorate public transportation is a whole new, fresh, but retro-futuristic approach: Why not build an elevated monorail system to connect Tampa directly to Kissimmee, Disney, Sea World, Universal, downtown Orlando and other points east, such as Cape Canaveral?

It could be built with a minimal footprint along the right of way or center median of Interstate 4. Construction would only minimally affect traffic if done properly. Most of the right of way is already there.

I'm sure many corporations would be interested in sponsoring this, and the taxpayers would be willing to vote for a bond issue to help get this project started up.

DAVE PIKE

Odessa

Try The Old Route

Regarding your editorial, especially the reference to trains changing Plant City, Dade City, et al:

If the railroad would use the route they took up in the early 1990s between Coleman and Auburndale, the route would bypass all those towns and run through mostly swampland. Thus the extra cost of bridges, signals and double track on the Wildwood-Dade City line would be avoided, saving millions of our taxpayers' money.

I have written the Florida DOT about this and will write the governor and CSX president.

JOSEPH OATES

Seffner

Rage Over Road

Regarding "Bypass Dispute Is Still Boiling" (Metro, Nov. 6):

Thank you for your article regarding the county's plans for a South County bypass. Is the Brandon bypass part of this plan or the first name for this plan?

As a founding member of an East Dover/West Plant City community association, I decided to attend a Valrico Community Association meeting a few years ago and discovered it was a meeting of an umbrella organization encompassing 20 or more homeowner associations. I was shocked when county planners, standing before a presentation map, pointed to a large red line cutting through Dover and other nearby areas and calmly explained the plan for a Brandon bypass. The bypass seemed to benefit Valrico and audience members calmly listened and had few questions about the bypass.

However, I was quite alarmed! Please continue to report any developments about this issue.

CATHY STARNES

Plant City

Planning Is A Must

As I viewed the Hillsborough County government channel, I saw many residents of the Lithia area crying not-in-my-back-yard to repeat proposals for a beltway. The beltway is only just getting its early studies for where it may be needed.

In comparison, The Veteran's Expressway was in comparable early stages in the 1960s/1970s. It did not open for use until 1994. However, during those 25 or so years, similar objections continued to be ranted to the County Commission and Metropolitan Planning Organization. It was an established "fact" that because no one drove the proposed expressway then, nobody would use it in the future. Explain that logic to those who today sit in traffic jams daily.

It is 25 to 30 years from the time of conceptual study to actual utilization. For those of you already objecting to the beltway, what will you be doing come 2035? Consider what has happened in Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota and Manatee counties. Maybe today's residents will not be utilizing the beltway, but the population of 2035 will.

CRISPIN L. FOWLER

Tampa

Feel Free To Leave

Regarding the Blogjam comic "A Few Words About Florida" text by Jay Kamhi. (BayLife, Nov. 6):

I was very sorry to see that you have been having such a terrible experience living in Florida. May I suggest that you do yourself - and us Florida crackers - a favor and stop drinking our chlorinated water, eating our substandard Chinese food and pizza, worrying about our palmetto bugs and just pack up and go back to your wonderful New York City. While you're at it, please take all the other complaining New Yorkers with you.

RALPH E. LAMBERT

Tampa

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