By David Fleshler and Michael Turnbell
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted February 25 2007
A railroad built in the 19th century could help solve South Florida’s 21st-century transportation dilemma.
The old Florida East Coast Railway, which cuts through the urban cores of the region’s coastal cities, is under serious study as the location for commuter trains that could whisk passengers from Fort Lauderdale to Miami or Boca Raton to West Palm Beach. A new commuter line would take pressure off Interstate 95 and provide a transportation option to the thousands of people moving into new downtown townhouses and condominium towers. But it would be at least 2015 before the first trains could begin carrying passengers.
LOL, doesn’t tri-rail already run from north of West Palm Beach to Miami, Do they need 2 rail lines, Florida’s east coast isn’t that deep that you have to drive very far to get to tri-rail. You are almost always within 15-20 minutes of a tri-rail station when on the west coast between West Palm and Miami.
Seems like another pork barrel project, or someone has too much time on there hands.
I wondered about that myself. Besides, doesn’t Miami have a fairly recently built (since the late Seventies) heavy-rail rapid-transit line that is famously under-ridden?
Thed FEC and the existing commuter line, CSX and Trimet, are close, and the existing commuter line has far fewer grade crossings. But farther north, CXS runs inland to Aurbondale and Orlando, and possibly Florida wants a total Jacksonville - Miami service, including St. Augustine. But it would make sense to run on the existing commuter line south of West Palm Beach. If the FEC line were used in the Miami North Holywood Fort Lauderdale Palm Beach area, massive grade seperation projects would be essential. Either a trench, with all the waterproofing problems involved, or an elevated that would change the landscape, would be necessary.
This would necessitate the rebilding of the 2nd track where it was torn up. Question for someone who knows; how many freights are there south of Port Everglades?
If I recall correctly, from Ft. Lauderdale on South the 2 lines are close together. North of Ft. Lauderdale, there is more seperation. Back in the mid '60’s when I went to college in Boca Raton, the old Seaboard Line was well west of everything–now its in the middle of the population. (I wonder why the whole Gold Coast South of West Palm hasn’t fallen off into the ocean with all the people living there now.)
Now if they could have a light rail operation on the old FEC and keep the current heavy rail commuter operation on the old Seaboard, I could see that working out well. But it sounds nearly impossible with all that freight.