posted
Do you remember when last passenger train ran from Miami to Jacksonville on the Florida East Coast R. R.?
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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I never got to ride, but I did observe the consist at N Miami during Jan 1967 (svc was ex Sun).
The consist comprised an E-9 locomotive, Coach, and Parlor Observation car. Conspicuously posted was a foreboding sign to the effect of "This Railroad is Operating Under Strike conditions". While it didn't say "ride at your own risk", it sure implied such.
Further, to "pre-empt" the natural evolution of this topic to "why can't there be Amtrak service over the FEC"? just to update our younger Members here, that has been proposed numerous times over the years.
Obviously, the FEC wants no part whatever of it, and honestly, I think Amtrak should consider developing service over the Seaboard long before that over the FEC. Unless Amtrak wants to start carrying sharks as passengers, there is not too much potential for development to the East along the FEC (OK, our Uncle Buck areound here would ride to the Dodger camp at Vero Beach). The Seaboard however, which is presently served by the coach-only Palmetto during the "somnambulist' hours, offers far greater ridership potential.
Posts: 9975 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
Gilbert - I thought I recalled reading that FEC WAS interested in AMTRAK service a couple years ago, and had actually begun a track-upgrading program....
Posts: 2428 | From: Grayling, MI | Registered: Mar 2002
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posted
A few comments about FEC and passenger trains:
1) Gilbert, they didn't "kick profitable trains" off the railroad in 1962. Once the strike occurred, other RR unions (including on-board employees on ACL trains) would have refused to cross picket lines, so the trains were re-routed. The ICC required FEC to re-institute daily passenger service on a schedule that connected at JAX with ACL and SAL. That, of course, lasted until 1968 or so.
More recently, FEC and the State of Florida did reach agreement on a package of track improvements that would be needed in order for FEC to host a daily Amtrak train, plus presumably they also agreed on reimbursement for use of the track. This was a "done deal" prior to USDOT's insistance on no new routes as part of the 2002 Amtrak deal. Florida DOT had actually designed the upgrade work for the Northridge connecting track and put it out to bid, and various towns on the route were raising money for stations.
Look for one Amtrak train to run on FEC north of West Palm Beach in the relatively near future (next year?). In the longer run, there is considerable interest in running commuter service on FEC from Pompano Beach south, making use of some existing trackage to move from SAL to FEC in Pompano. This would serve the downtowns of Ft. Lauderdale and Hollywood, and would also reach the edge of downtown Miami.
Posts: 614 | From: Merchantville, NJ. USA | Registered: Aug 2000
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posted
If pre-1962 passenger trains were profitable to the FEC, how come the company never paid a dividend? I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that they never paid a dividend to their stockholders in their entire corporate history before sometime in the 1980's.
Remember why the FEC was brought to the fine state of alignment, track, and passenger service that it had. Henry Flagler used the railroad as a tool to help promote his south Florida land and other interests. Some for profit, and some for vision. Amongst other things, he understood that you could not have a high quality passenger service without high quality alignment, track, and operations. Equipment alone will not get you there. Therefore, the FEC had straight alignments, large radius curves, double track, and good quality track. Building a profitable railroad would have been nice, but in Flagler's mind building up south Florida was much nicer, even if it did mean that the railroad would never endear itself to the bean counter's heart.
Posts: 2808 | From: Olive Branch MS | Registered: Nov 2002
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posted
FEC and Amtrak were set to run service along the FEC between Jacksonville and just above West Palm Beach until the plug was pulled on Amtrak expansion. The train would have then shifted to the CSX/TriRail line to Miami. Debate was taking place over which train would run the FEC line when the whole idea collapsed. I rode a special private car train on the FEC between JAX and Riviera Beach (north of WPB) in October 1999 and can attest that the FEC is one fine piece of railroad! I also rode the little FEC 2 car streamliner in the late '60s and the observation end of the rear car was off limits to coach passengers and thus was empty. The warning signs about the strike seemed to mention or imply danger as the tracks had been bombed by strikers.
Posts: 561 | Registered: Jul 2003
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It's sad that the plug was pulled on Amtrak expansion because the FEC route is needed to feed Amtrak service to Daytona Beach, Melbourne, Titusville, Vero Beach, Ft. Pierce, etc. all along the coast (Highway US 1) all very potentially profitable to Amtrak and to those cities. Counties along the way--St. Johns, Volusia, Indian River, etc. have already readied funds to build new stations, parking lots and road access. Very sad! We need the service!
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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posted
How true about the need for FEC service along the east coast. That line always had potential to be a gold mine with stops in St. Augustine, the nation's oldest city; Daytona Beach, a tourist mecca for oceangoers; Titusville, gateway to Kennedy Space Center; Coacoa-Rockledge, gateway to Port Canaveral cruise terminals; Vero beach, another favorite winter spot; and prosperous intermediate communities like Melbourne, Stuart, and Jupiter.
The communities along that line were so excited that several cities within Brevard County (Titusville, Port St. John, Cocoa-Rockledge, Melbourne, and Palm Bay) got into some pretty heavy duty jockeying for stops on the Amtrak runs.
I hope someday this comes to pass but a reat opportunity slid by a couple years ago.
posted
Very sad! Amtrak, the State of Florida and all those communities along the coast in eastern Florida need that service on FEC. My family was excited with the possibility of getting off the train in St. Augustine or Daytona Beach. What a terribly missed opportunity!
Posts: 287 | From: Palatka, FL, USA | Registered: Feb 2004
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