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TCurtin wrote:MY wife and I just visited the keys for the first time ever, so I saw some of the visible remnants of the FEC Key West extension that once operated there. We spent our time between Largo and Marathon --- did not to all the way to Key West (in order to avoid college spring breakers and "bikers") It appeared most (maybe all?) of the original bridges between Lower Matecumbe Key and Bahia Honda are intact as "fishing bridges." Can I assume they really are the original bridges?
Also, I have always understood that what's now called the "Old Highway" was constructed right on the FEC ROW. That road is in use as a local street throught most of Islamorada, and very visible in most places (with some scattered spots in use) between there and Marathon. Is that really all on the old FEC ROW? Just wondering . . .
workextra wrote:If the railroad were restored along US1 back to Key West would there be any ridership today? With Higher gas prices and greener means of travel would the Line have a place for Tri Rail service in Today's commuter market?
joshg1 wrote:Preface- I just saw a photo of one of the former Flagler Folly bridges (viaducts?) and thought the whole enterprise to be so expensive as to be pointless. A little research shows the ~150 mile route as costing $13 billion in today's money, very busy and very quiet at the same time, and that unions are bad- from an Ayn Rand fan.
I imagine someone has done a case study for some business course about this route. Expensive to build, not sure about maintenance, only lasted 20 years, not helped by FEC entering bankruptcy in '31(?) Does anyone have any figures, even not adjusted for inflation? I'm inspired by other threads about dud and never-lived-up-to-expectation lines in NE/NY.
And an aside- where did the steam engines get their water? I have no idea how long a tender filled on the mainland would last.
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