I've copied and pasted some of the article - I like the idea of getting on a train to WDW from MCO! (Or Tampa to WDW!)
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If Florida follows through with the high-speed rail voters approved in 2000, the bullet train's first leg would carry passengers from Orlando International Airport directly to Walt Disney World.
The Florida High Speed Rail Authority voted 7-1 Monday for a route that bypasses Orlando's other tourist hotbed along International Drive in favor of a straight-to-Disney route, the only path the corporate giant agreed to support.
In a less controversial decision, the board voted 8-0 to send the train through Hillsborough and Polk counties along the Interstate 4 median. It would end in downtown Tampa near the Marion Street Transit Center.
The partnership has proposed JetTrain, which can reach speeds of 150 mph powered by a jet engine. Some board members favor the electric train technology proposed by the competing bidder. Lecia Stewart, a Bombardier vice president, said the JetTrain is the right technology, but Fluor-Bombardier agreed to remain open to negotiations in the months ahead.
State and federal funding sources must be found before construction can begin, but state officials maintained that Monday's decisions satisfied the voter mandate to begin work on the project by Nov. 1.
The trains aren't expected to start running until at least 2009.
Florida taxpayers would be expected to pay an average of $46 million a year over 30 years to build the Tampa-Orlando line, provided federal dollars are found to pay for two-thirds of the project.
State Sen. Jim Sebesta, the St. Petersburg Republican who leads the Senate transportation committee, acknowledged the long climb ahead.
``Of course we're not ready,'' he said. ``Not one penny has been allocated.''
Plenty of legislators oppose the project, and Gov. Jeb Bush backs efforts to reverse the constitutional amendment that authorized the train.
Still, the rail authority continued its work Monday.
The quickest decision involved the route along I-4. Another proposal would have brought the route from the east to Interstate 75 in Hillsborough County, then south near existing CSX railroad tracks into Tampa.
The losing route was more costly - $402 million compared with $333 million along I-4, according to the authority - and would cause more environmental impact.
Disney Wields Clout
The toughest decisions were at the other end of the line. After more than two years of debate - topped by another two hours Monday - board members shot down a route that would have stopped along International Drive near Universal Orlando and the Orange County Convention Center before continuing to Disney.
John McReynolds, Universal's vice president of government relations, called the direct-to-Disney route an insult to voters. In his words, ``taxpayer dollars were turned into Disney dollars.''
Disney representatives insisted their route made the most sense because it left room for a future commuter rail system that eventually could connect Disney, Universal and downtown Orlando.
Yet Disney would not have donated land for a station if the other route had been chosen. And it would have continued bus service to and from the airport for its visitors rather than encouraging guests to ride the rail.
The rail authority estimated the Disney route would generate 4 million rides in 2010 compared with 2.6 million with a stop on International Drive. Revenue from the Disney route was projected at $55 million, nearly $15 million better than the other.
``We're limiting the financial risk for the state of Florida,'' said Norman Mansour, an authority member from Anna Maria Island.
