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My relatives from the Tampa area sent me an article from the Tampa Tribune.
I if you go to tbo.com and enter "passenger rail" in the search box you will find an article on the FEC plans for passenger rail on the Florida east coast.
Now we proceed to poke a few holes in the Tampa Tribune's editorial position:
quote:East Coast has penciled lines extending to Tampa and Jacksonville on its route map. The company owns right of way along the east coast to Miami and is negotiating to use state right of way to reach Orlando
This statement certainly suggests that there there is an existing State owned railroad. Any of us here know that a railroad would have to be built to connect existing FEC lines with Orlando, but that the State owned right of way for the Bee Line Expressway, SR 528, would be a reasonable choice.
quote:The political implications of this private line are enormous. If East Coast can find a way to make a passenger train profitable here, other companies could duplicate the model between other cities.
Other freight railroads would explore the idea.
Under RPSA 70, any signatory party, i.e. those joining Amtrak, and their successors, are barred from re entering the passenger service line of business. FEC was never party, so they are free to enter such. The only Class I coming to mind that could re-enter the passenger business is Kansas City Southern (hey anyone? HSR KC-Shreveport). While the Boston & Maine was not party to the Agreement, since they presently operate Amtrak passenger trains, they are in all likelihood bound by another non-compete covenant.
Geoff Mayo Member # 153
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I didn't even know you had a blog, Mr. Norman.
Gilbert B Norman Member # 1541
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You do now, Mr. Mayo; however let it be noted that I "inherited" it. The site is actually owned by a fellow named Ellis Simon who resides in New York and who I know face to face.
If it were really my blog, there would likely be more topics originated regarding freight transportation (let us not lose sight "that's what it's all about"), but since Mr. Simon themed his blog towards passenger transportation, that is where I direct my topics. His earlier topics are still archived.
palmland Member # 4344
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This one doesn't seem to go away. Fred Frailey, respected Trains reporter and former editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance magazine, had this to say in his recent blog on Trains.com referencing the environmental study for the project:
"As a matter of fact, FEC Industries, the parent company, revealed in the EIS that it may apply for a low-interest RRIF (Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing) loan from the Federal Railroad Administration. But still, FECI is spending at least $1 billion of borrowed money (or that of its owner, Fortress Investment Group), is confident the economics will work, and I respect them for plunging into this when the governor of their own state of Florida is too timid to accept total federal financing of a high-speed rail line linking Tampa and Orlando. But don’t get me started . . . .
The EIS reveals that the startup date will be sometime in 2015 rather than in 2014, as had been originally announced. This shouldn’t surprise you, given the enormity of the work that lies ahead: Just the Miami-West Palm segment will involve double tracking 49.2 miles of railroad (some 16 miles is already two-track), rebuilding three bridges to accommodate a second track, rehabbing four sidings, upgrading 134 of the 183 highway and pedestrian crossings (yes, that’s almost three per mile), building three substantial stations (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach), and converting the present intermodal terminal in Fort Lauderdale into a maintenance base. Seven bridges would continue to be single track, with Number 24 turnouts at each end to connect to the double tracks; such turnouts at other locations have supported speeds of 60 mph or more.
The dozen or more passenger trains running in each direction would be powered by two locomotives and pull seven cars, although station platforms will permit nine-car trains if needed. Both coach and business-class seating will be offered. Speed limits on this segment will be held to 79 mph, probably in light of those scores of roads and the dense urban development of this part of the route. All Aboard Florida, the FECI subsidiary established to run this new service, has said earlier that it plans on 90-mph operation between West Palm Beach and Cocoa, and hopes to operate at up to 120 mph between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport on new track it will construct."
Here is the link to the full article if you subscribe to Trains.
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