Tampa Rail Link Index

The following links are noteworthy from a Tampa Rail perspective. They have either been cited at TR at one time or another, or are nonetheless considered exceptional complimentary resources.

Discussion regarding old and new Florida high speed rail efforts.

• Florida Bullet Train
  An unofficial advocacy website for the development of Florida high speed rail development.
  
  
• Florida High Speed Rail Authority
  The Florida High Speed Rail authority was established in anticipation of a constitutionally mandated high speed rail network. That mandate was repealed, but the authority still exists by law and continues to manage ancillary activities related to bringing forth and managing a high speed rail even if delivered under a different configuration than a constitutional one.
  
  
• Florida High Speed Rail Wikipedia Entry
  There may be no Florida High Speed rail yet, but here's a good Wikipedia entry on the struggle to bring one around.
  
  
• Tampa International Airport Master Plan
  This PDF document highlights a light or high speed rail terminus plan in an upcoming terminal project expected to be complete by 2015. Open the PDF and do a search on the word "rail".
  
  
• End of list for Florida High Speed Rail

Issues related to funding rail transit.

• Miami Citizens Independent Transportation Trust
  A transit tax to provide direct transit funding eventually passed in Miami. This website tracks the spending of those funds and updates the public.
  
  
• End of list for Funding

News, issues, and actions of Hart (formerly Hartline), the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority.

• HART
  Official website of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (previously dubbed Hartline). Operator of all county buses and the Teco Line Streetcar system.
  
  
• End of list for HART

Activities and issues related to the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Commission.

• Hillsborough County MPO Official Website
  Official website for the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Commission. Responsible for assimilating transportation plans into local planning policy. Maintains degrees of long-range plans, irrespective of funding realities.
  
  
• End of list for MPO

Other organizations pertinent to the evolution or the debate of urban rail transit in Tampa and Hillsborough County. Major organizations have their own category designation.

• Center for Urban Transportation Research at USF
  Tampa is home to a transportation research facility at USF which could, as far as TR is concerned, beef up its pro-rail mentality.
  
  
• Chairs Coordinating Committee Website
  Information about transportation programs in Florida's west central region. Coordinating Regional Transportation Planning for Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sarasota Counties.
  
  
• Florida High Speed Rail Authority
  The Florida High Speed Rail authority was established in anticipation of a constitutionally mandated high speed rail network. That mandate was repealed, but the authority still exists by law and continues to manage ancillary activities related to bringing forth and managing a high speed rail even if delivered under a different configuration than a constitutional one.
  
  
• HART
  Official website of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (previously dubbed Hartline). Operator of all county buses and the Teco Line Streetcar system.
  
  
• Hillsborough Advocates for Improved Transit
  Local action group advocating improved mass transportation in Hillsborough County. The purpose of the Hillsborough Advocates For Improved Transit is to educate the public as to the value of efficient public transportation to the City of Tampa and to Hillsborough County.
  
  
• Hillsborough County MPO Official Website
  Official website for the Hillsborough County Metropolitan Planning Commission. Responsible for assimilating transportation plans into local planning policy. Maintains degrees of long-range plans, irrespective of funding realities.
  
  
• Tampa Bay Rideshare
  Official website of the Bay Area Commuter Service, one of the Florida Department of Transportation's nine commuter assistance programs within the state, serving Hillsborough County.
  
  
• Tampa International Airport Master Plan
  This PDF document highlights a light or high speed rail terminus plan in an upcoming terminal project expected to be complete by 2015. Open the PDF and do a search on the word "rail".
  
  
• TBARTA Official Website
  Official website for the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority. The authority was signed into existence July 28, 2007 by Florida Governor Crist. Responsible for unifying and coordinating regional transit development in the Tampa Bay region.
  
  
• End of list for Organizations

Transit and other blogs of interest to Tampa Rail and its objectives.

• Florida Rails
  Florida general rail fanning site. Covers all forms of rail and provides a good platform for informal discussion.
  
  
• Florida Transit Options
  Here's a blog tackling the evolution of urban transit from a State level perspective. Oddly, it too was discovered thanks to a reference in the TR hit stats, and, it too, shoots TR a blurb back (kudos to site author Joe Moraca!).
  
  
• Re-Creating Tampa
  Another Dave is executing a series of blogs that address the transformation of Tampa in terms of its urban design and sustainability. This one came to my attention thanks to a blurb back reference in the stats. Thanks for the mention Dave! You'll note that he has begun an entire front of blogs under various titles like Eating Tampa, Greening Tampa, Reading Tampa, and Screening Tampa.
  
  
• Seattle Transit Blog
  Blog devoted to commentary on Seattle transit.
  
  
• Train Blog
  General blogging about passenger trains like Amtrak, Caltrain, VTA; railroads, rail transit, public transportation, passenger rail advocacy and all related politics.
  
  
• Transit Miami
  A blog covering transit in Miami (including Metrorail).
  
  
• End of list for Other Blogs

Urban rail transit issues related to other cities beyond the TBARTA region.

• Florida Transit Options
  Here's a blog tackling the evolution of urban transit from a State level perspective. Oddly, it too was discovered thanks to a reference in the TR hit stats, and, it too, shoots TR a blurb back (kudos to site author Joe Moraca!).
  
  
• How Shall We Grow Blog
  "How Shall We Grow?" was an 18-month campaign to create a shared growth vision for central Florida.
  
  
• Jacksonville Skyway System
  This is the general website for the Jacksonville transit authority. However, if you drill down, you'll find specific links related to their excellent Skyway system.
  
  
• Miami Citizens Independent Transportation Trust
  A transit tax to provide direct transit funding eventually passed in Miami. This website tracks the spending of those funds and updates the public.
  
  
• Miami Metrorail Website
  This is Miami's general transit portal. However, it provides direct links to information regarding its Metrorail network.
  
  
• Miami Metrorail, Jon Bell Collection
  This is a compilation of digital photographs by Jon Bell, the Apple Johnny-seed collector of digital photos of transit systems from across the country.
  
  
• Transit Miami
  A blog covering transit in Miami (including Metrorail).
  
  
• Tri-Rail Official Website
  Florida runs a conventional intercity rail network on the east coast. The system connections Miami to West Palm Beach using conventional locomotion, and some really nice coach cars.
  
  
• End of list for Other Florida Cities

Rail transit issues and events taking place beyond Hillsborough and the region.

• Train Blog
  General blogging about passenger trains like Amtrak, Caltrain, VTA; railroads, rail transit, public transportation, passenger rail advocacy and all related politics.
  
  
• End of list for Rail Transit Beyond

Transit discussion in terms of academic research.

• Center for Urban Transportation Research at USF
  Tampa is home to a transportation research facility at USF which could, as far as TR is concerned, beef up its pro-rail mentality.
  
  
• RegioSprinter PowerPoint Presentation
  Apparently someone at the Colorado Department of Transportation had to give a presentation on lighter-scale light rail car options. The RegioSprinter, which was demonstrated here in Hillsborough County, was part of that. Click "Click Here to Start" on the page for a full and intriguing PowerPoint presentation on the apparatus we nearly ran with - and might still!
  
  
• End of list for Research and Academia

Posts dealing with the residential community of Channelside

• Re-Creating Tampa
  Another Dave is executing a series of blogs that address the transformation of Tampa in terms of its urban design and sustainability. This one came to my attention thanks to a blurb back reference in the stats. Thanks for the mention Dave! You'll note that he has begun an entire front of blogs under various titles like Eating Tampa, Greening Tampa, Reading Tampa, and Screening Tampa.
  
  
• End of list for Tampa Rail Community

The Tampa Rail Project is Hillsborough County's officially adopted light rail plan. The plan connects the USF area in North Tampa, Ybor City, and Westshore. The plan is fundamentally approved at various levels but awaits a concrete funding plan.

• RegioSprinter PowerPoint Presentation
  Apparently someone at the Colorado Department of Transportation had to give a presentation on lighter-scale light rail car options. The RegioSprinter, which was demonstrated here in Hillsborough County, was part of that. Click "Click Here to Start" on the page for a full and intriguing PowerPoint presentation on the apparatus we nearly ran with - and might still!
  
  
• Tampa International Airport Master Plan
  This PDF document highlights a light or high speed rail terminus plan in an upcoming terminal project expected to be complete by 2015. Open the PDF and do a search on the word "rail".
  
  
• End of list for Tampa Rail Project

News, issues, and actions of the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority.

• TBARTA Official Website
  Official website for the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority. The authority was signed into existence July 28, 2007 by Florida Governor Crist. Responsible for unifying and coordinating regional transit development in the Tampa Bay region.
  
  
• End of list for TBARTA

Issues and news regarding Teco Line Streetcar services

• Teco Line Streetcar Official Website
  The official website of the Teco Line Streetcar system. The system is the premiere return of urban rail to Tampa in the form of a 2.4 mile heritage line initially connecting Ybor City and Channelside, but up for numerous expansions over time.
  
  
• End of list for Teco Line

Technology relative to local transit and beyond

• Free Train Simulator
  I thought this opt for my audience. It's a free train simulator that Wired is declaring better than Microsoft's Train simulator on price, realism, and graphics. I haven't tried it yet, but you know I will!
  
  
• RegioSprinter PowerPoint Presentation
  Apparently someone at the Colorado Department of Transportation had to give a presentation on lighter-scale light rail car options. The RegioSprinter, which was demonstrated here in Hillsborough County, was part of that. Click "Click Here to Start" on the page for a full and intriguing PowerPoint presentation on the apparatus we nearly ran with - and might still!
  
  
• End of list for Transit Tech