In my several day layover between the California Zephyr and Lake Shore Limited, I went down to Naperville (IL) to do some railfanning (BTW, Naperville is an awesome place to sit and watch!). I saw several BNSF stack trains with well cars done up for Florida East Coast. I thought FEC died a long time ago! These were not fallen flag cars. They looked brand new and freshly painted. What gives?
FEC is a very well preserved shortline now. Big on aggregates (plenty of ortner cars) and intermodal cars (tofc and well cars). I don’t know much more then that.
Put FEC un the search box above. You will find lots of Trains news articles about this line. It’s a lively freight line.
I was going to say i see FEC everyday go through here in Fairfield Il everyday recently. Like today i saw about 15 cars 10 intermodel 5 boxcars almost new.
The FEC is alive and well.
Dave H.
I believe FEC is a regional. By the way, “perserved” probably makes people think of a museum which might make them think you are saying FEC is no longer around.
Rumors of FEC’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
It is one of the few Railroads in the United States that had the same name in 1900. UP, KCS , EJ&E, Union Railroad and (for now) the Bessemer and Lake Erie are some others.
This is on FECI’s webpage for FEC, “Major customers include Tropicana, Ford, Crowley Liner Services, Titan America, ExxonMobil, Kraft, Rinker Materials, Birdsall Tropical Shipping, The Home Depot, Pepsi, Proctor & Gamble, Wal-Mart and UPS”.
Might it be that FEC is not exactly “railfan friendly” which is why you haven’t heard of/from them?
I live in FEC country about 7 miles from there tracks. They run several daily trains between as far south as Miami & as far north as Jacksonville. There traffic is interchanged in most cases to the NS @ Jax. They serve Port Everglades as well as the Fort Lauderdale airport. Biggest tonnage probably is the aggregates. In SE Florida it runs right alongside Dixie Highway so it is real easy to trainfan them since you are on public land not there ROW. [:o)][:p][:)]
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Originally posted by BNSF4ever
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Those of us who remember what happened with FEC in the 1960’s and early 1970’s will understand why they may not be “railfan friendly”. It’s also a relatively small road and its power rarely goes north of Jacksonville (off-line).
I lived in NJ in the 60s & 70s so what happen to the FEC that supposely makes then so unfriendly? When my car is being serviced I cross over Dixie Highway & watch the tracks & have never/ever been bothered. [:o)][:p][:)]
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Originally posted by CSSHEGEWISCH
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Originally posted by cpbloom
There is even some thought of restoring passenger service. It is a natural, paralleling a congested highway with populated towns all along the route. It would require plant expansion however.
With the present condition of A/Trak & with Tri-rail now completing the double track of the former CSX from WPB to Miami & with a Bush as our governor chances of what you posted is the same as saying we will be landing a man on the moon in the next day or so. [:o)][:p][:)]
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Originally posted by daveklepper
FEC is a well maintained road. Train crews are generally friendly, but the railroad is strict about the “No Trespassing” policy. Just stay out of their yards and off the tracks. Take photos from the public, you’ll likely have no problems. FEC runs through a “hot” metropolitan area: Broward and Dade counties…better known as Ft. Lauderdale and Miami. Sadly these cities are hotbeds of crime and illegal immigration. Top it off, we now have terrorists nut jobs to worry about, so, if I were an FEC manager, I’d be paranoid too
( Yes, I visit Miami often as I have family there ) .
Stay safe!
Indian River, St Lucie, Martin & Palm Beach counties are just to name a few counties that the FEC goes thru that you omitted from your post[:o)][:p][:)]
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Originally posted by AntonioFP45
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You’re right SPBed.
But I only mentioned those two counties as one of the reasons why FEC seems so “tough” regarding property limits.
FEC’s unions went on strike in the 1960’s and the railroad continued to operate using management. Some railroad bridges were blown up, which likely contributed to the railroad’s feelings towards people trackside, plus what was mentioned before about FEC’s tracks running through rough neighbourhoods. The strikes also put a temporary end to FEC’s passenger service, (much to Atlantic Coast Line’s chagrin) until the state of Florida forced the railroad to provide some sort of service for a few more years.
FEC was also the first Class One railroad to go cabooseless.
No have to disagree as the FEC runs right along Dixie Highway at least in PB & Broward counties & you can just stay on city property & NOBODY will ever bother you taking pix after pix. While I have not seen the FEC in Dade county I will presume it crosses also EVERY east/west cross street just like it does in PB/Broward/St. Lucie/Indian River/Martin + whatever counties are further northward from the ones I mentioned. Actually the FEC is by far with CSX/Tri-rail & A/trak some of the most accessable RRs that I have come across as they run right thru about every major city in at least PB,Broward & Dade counties. Every east/west cross street is a place to view them & there are lots of cross east./west streets. [:p][:I]
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Originally posted by AntonioFP45
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FEC is railfan freindly in FEC’s Bowden yard they say you can take as many pictures as you want AS LONG AS YOU STAY OFF THE TRACKS works good for me.FEC is basicly CSX and NS some of their trains mostly piggy and double stack get droped off in Bowden then FEC takes over the train and takes it south.
kevin