CSX abandons lower Homestead extension

So it's official, CSX filed for abandonment of the lower portion of the Homestead extension, basically from the Gold Coast Museum south to Homestead and Florida City. This wasn't a surprise to many who know about this branch and the fact that it has been dormant for many years. With little along the way to provide car loads of freight, even a short line wouldn't sustain itself for long. The only hope it ever had was if TriRail were to extend southward past MIA. For the most part, an extended Tri-Rail would benefit all the way from the 836 down to as far as the zoo and train museum by traveling through some populated areas that lack mass transit. South of there, the line would be sketchy at best. Line cuts thru some rural parts of sw dade as well as the rural areas of Homestead. In reality, the only TriRail station that would be needed would be at the end of the line in Florida city and maybe a park and ride lot built off of Krome Ave where the rail line crosses over. Not much else down there to justify an extension that way. The real ideal choice still remains to run Metro Rail south on the former FEC ROW all the way down to Florida City as it remains close to the more populated areas and businesses. The CSX line is too far to the west away from the more populated areas closer to US1. So as we say in the rail business, an abandoned rail line doesn't necessarily mean the end. The future can always turn things around and make these rails relevant either as a commuter line for TriRail, or Metrorail line, or a light rail line.

Tri-Rail had proposed running commuter trains on this line about 5 years ago. But I guess it fizzled. It would've been a great benefit to Kendall and points south.

TriRail will probably make it south past MIA at some point in the future, I think that's bound to happen. But the furthest I see it going is as far as where the museum is, and even make some sense to head a little west on the branch by Tamiami airport. South of the area around the zoo becomes a bit too rural. My Father in Law has these tracks behind his yard in Homestead, an honestly, there isn't much around there to even justify an extension let alone a station. I'm not too warm and fuzzy about ridership from Florida City or Homestead, Not for TriRail at least. But a light rail line with some DMUs, maybe. But hands down, the best idea is to have Metrorail reclaim the former FEC ROW from that busway and head all the way to FC.

Is the state (or other government entity) willing to buy it from CSX and hold it in advance of future need?

Why not donate it to the museum and let them run a few trains/weekend over the line? That keeps it from becoming abandoned. Once the line is abandoned, it's a lot harder to get back for regular service.

What was the original purpose of the line? Was there a freight customer or dock south of the museum?

I do not know if there were customers on the south end of the line. I followed it once about 5 years ago and did not see any, but I may have missed one. Here's a little factoid: CSX bills this subdivision as the southernmost rail line in the USA.

mark777 wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2019 3:33 am TriRail will probably make it south past MIA at some point in the future, I think that's bound to happen. But the furthest I see it going is as far as where the museum is, and even make some sense to head a little west on the branch by Tamiami airport. South of the area around the zoo becomes a bit too rural. My Father in Law has these tracks behind his yard in Homestead, an honestly, there isn't much around there to even justify an extension let alone a station. I'm not too warm and fuzzy about ridership from Florida City or Homestead, Not for TriRail at least. But a light rail line with some DMUs, maybe. But hands down, the best idea is to have Metrorail reclaim the former FEC ROW from that busway and head all the way to FC.

It's only 30 rail miles from MIC to Homestead. That kind of run is trivial for commuter rail, especially a DMU. The Zoo/Museum area is about 13 miles from Homestead. With one or two intermediate stations, running the rest of the way is easily worth it, especially if they retake some encroached RoW between Homestead and tie in to the busway at 4th st. I can't tell exactly what the buildings around there are and if eminent domain would be possible. Though a more radical idea is to turn left and follow the busway up to downtown Homstead and make a transportation hub out of the empty land on the east side of the busway between Mowry and Civic Ct.

Miami, and the surrounding areas, have exploded in growth since the COVID era. My college roommate, who lives down there, says South Florida is on track to be the new LA - a sprawling, insanely populated, megapolis in a warm coastal region.

This line, south of the rail museum to Homestead/Florida City, does not run through populated areas now, but if all that land is mostly rural/sparsely populated, the development will soon move south towards it. Building a TriRail extension to Homestead/Florida City, will be preemptively preparing for that. I also assume it will be a bit of "build it and they will come" too

I'm going to disagree that it "doesn't run through populated areas." There might not be houses back up to the tracks south of 184th st, but it's only 10 miles from there to Homestead. With sparse stations, that's perfect commuter rail territory for trains to run 60-80. It's also flat and arrow-straight.

You'll see houses start to be built up along the tracks if/when they run commuter rail there. It will fast-track (no pun intended) Miami's growth to move southward. I any sense, I commend South Florida for being one of the few places outside of the northeast that has made an effort for commuter rail (and mass transit in general) as it explodes in growth