Jupiter to Miami Tri-Rail Proposal

^Noel, I hear you. But maybe someday you and I can ride it.

A little more news: Sun Sentinel

This meeting may have passed; sorry, I've been playing catch-up.

Wilton Manors wants to be on fast track for passenger rail station

If passenger train service returns to the railroad tracks that cut through the downtowns of South Florida's eastern cities, Wilton Manors wants its station to be among the first built.

But so far, state transportation officials don't have the city's station among the first 20 identified in their most recent proposal.

...

The city will try to woo state officials with an "On the Right Track" presentation open to the public at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in the commission chambers, demonstrating how prepared the city is for a rail station. The invitees include Florida Department of Transportation officials, Broward County commissioners, Metropolitan Planning Organization members and Tri-Rail representatives.

...

Palmetto Park Road in Boca Raton would have a station in the tentative first tier, as would Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach, Atlantic Boulevard in Pompanao Beach, and Broward Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

To some extent, Wilton Manors is in competition with Oakland Park, its northern neighbor, because of their proximity. Oakland Park is currently designated for one of the initial stations. That city is working to turn its downtown area along the tracks on Dixie Highway into a culinary arts district.

Jeff and others, every year since I have lived here (15 years this fall) the politicians have talked light rail, commuter rail or something else rail. It happens every year usually around election time and after the elections we don't hear anything more for a long while, probably until the next election. The Sun-Sentinel has become a real rag in the last few years so I can see them printing almost anything. It is very, very unlikely that either you or I will live to see commuter service on the FEC, of course I hope I am wrong but I don't think I am in this case. I think "All Aboard Florida" has a good chance and Amtrak on the FEC is also possible but commuter service is a horse of a different color.
Noel Weaver

I hear you Noel. Perhaps with so much in the news, this may not get lost. Here's an editorial:

Sun Sentinel Douglas C. Lyons

All Aboard Florida Opens the Door for Expanded Commuter Rail[/]

For years, South Florida has clamored for commuter rail service on the FEC tracks. Visions of sleek passenger trains whisking riders between Miami and Jupiter, with stops in between, have danced in the heads of commuters stuck in traffic, transportation planners stymied by moving a growing population from one part of the region to another and elected officials salivating over the potential development that would come with a new rail line connecting so many downtown coastal communities.

...

FECI officials had already planned to pay for a second track along large portions of their rail corridor to accomodate the intercity passenger trains. Adding Tri-Rail would require a third track and most likely federal funding to pay for it.

Florida East Coast officials also wouldn't allow Tri-Rail to use its tracks without some form of compensation. Liability concerns that come with running commuter trains on the same tracks as freight will also boost costs. There are operating expenses to consider, too. The good news is the Tri-Rail proposal to route some of its existing trains on the FEC tracks won't spike operating costs.

The bad news is the state of Florida, which currently pays to operate commuter rail is getting out of that practice by 2019, turning the tab over to the counties. We often hear county commissioners gush over the idea of operating commuter trains on the FEC tracks, We've yet to see such enthusiasm in taking on the annual eight-figure expense of keeping those trains running.

The chance to hop a train in Fort Lauderdale to get to Disney World is exciting, but the opportunity to catch a commuter train to and from work and avoid I-95 traffic boggles the mind.

I guess it is time for more newspaper stuff about the Florida East Coast, Tri-Rail, the state and others, here is a link.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-b ... 4760.story" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver

There was a special movement on the FEC with Tri-Rail and CSX...I believe for a photo op so the US DOT secretary could talk about the TIGER grant to connect the SFRC and the FEC.

Here is a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95MzQpLvZ00" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Exciting times in South Florida!

An article in today's Miami Herald states that double track will be used and possible even triple track on the FEC. AAF and Tri-Rail have come to an operating agreement between the two, but no details were given.

I didn't see the article in the Herald but there was one in the Sun-Sentinel a couple of days ago:

Tri-Rail moving ahead with coastal railroad expansion

What I found interesting is that, in addition to using previously discussed connections between FEC and CSX north of West Palm and in Miami, a "red" Tri-Rail line "would run from Mangonia Park to downtown Miami with trains traveling on the western tracks Tri-Rail currently uses and switching over at Pompano Beach to the coastal tracks."

I hadn't even known there was any such connection, but apparently an FEC spur juts off southbound just south of NW 15th Street in Pompano, heads due west, and connects with a CSX spur (heading away from the CSX main line) just west of I-95:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.24535 ... s&t=m&z=16

That would require a bunch of backing up as currently configured.

JasW wrote:I didn't see the article in the Herald but there was one in the Sun-Sentinel a couple of days ago:

Tri-Rail moving ahead with coastal railroad expansion

What I found interesting is that, in addition to using previously discussed connections between FEC and CSX north of West Palm and in Miami, a "red" Tri-Rail line "would run from Mangonia Park to downtown Miami with trains traveling on the western tracks Tri-Rail currently uses and switching over at Pompano Beach to the coastal tracks."

I hadn't even known there was any such connection, but apparently an FEC spur juts off southbound just south of NW 15th Street in Pompano, heads due west, and connects with a CSX spur (heading away from the CSX main line) just west of I-95:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=26.24535 ... s&t=m&z=16

That would require a bunch of backing up as currently configured.

If you ride Tri-Rail on the east side of the train in the Pompano area at the Farmers Market the FEC spurs come very close to the Tri-Rail tracks but there is not a physical connection at this location. I have to wonder how good a location this would be to try to connect the two lines with a fair amount of freight business in and out of the Farmers Market.
Noel Weaver

From this morning's Herald, it ooks like they're trying to push this now:

Miami-Orlando train track may host Tri-Rail commuter trains to downtown

Tri-Rail, the commuter service that has been running trains on the CSX track west of Interstate 95 between Palm Beach County and Miami since late last century, is now working on a major new plan: to run trains into downtown Miami beginning in late 2016 or early 2017.

Jack Stephens, executive director of the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority, said the plan calls for running the trains on a stretch of the same track that would be used by a planned Miami-Orlando passenger service.

The plan requires construction of a spur connecting the CSX track that Tri-Rail uses to the Florida East Coast Railway track. Though the spur is slated to be built by the Florida Department of Transportation, Tri-Rail is seeking an additional $69 million — money that would be needed within eight weeks to mesh with the construction schedule set for the Miami-Orlando service, known as All Aboard Florida. The money would be used to build Tri-Rail train platforms plus other enhancements such as ticket-vending machines.

* * *

source: http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/c ... 16959.html

Apparently, the FEC is now being called the "Miami-Orlando train track."

Here's another article that goes back to last October.

http://www.thenextmiami.com/index.php/t ... on-as-2017" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Well, I have to say that from reviewing the Miami Herald article linked by Mr. JasW, that some sense has been planted in the Tri Rail to Downtown saga.

Ideally, thirty years ago, the FEC and the SAL would have simply "swapped' trackage W Palm-Miami; FEC had the "natural" passenger route, but had no passenger trains. Amtrak on the SAL had a few and Tri Rail was going to have a few more. But alas, that is all water over the dam.

The previous dream of having frequent Tri Rail service over both the existing SAL and the FEC would have simply have Tri County way "overserved". While of course the area would have become paradise to mass transit advocates, it would become a bull's-eye on "train hater's" dart boards both in Tallahassee and Wash.

Now this plan to keep Tri Rail on the SAL but build an interchange through the Northeast quadrant of the IRIS 'diamond" to existing FEC trackage is far more sensible, and maybe just might allow service to Downtown, i.e. "First and First", or at least a lot closer than at present. Both Messrs. Google and Microsoft offer maps that show the IRIS to Downtown route that is presently used by the FEC Port Transfer runs.

Now, after sitting over fifty years as little more than a parking lot, the owners of the "First and First" parcels (site of the former FEC station) are moving ahead with its redevelopment into a mixed use structure that is to include a station for the proposed All Aboard Florida private sector intercity passenger service. The Herald reporter simply presumes that Tri Rail will terminate at the AAF Station.

Now the big "Q"; where would Tri Rail terminate should AAF finally be buried (anyone who reads my material knows that is my thought) and no station is built at the new structure? A station at American Airlines Arena would certainly have attraction, beyond of course tying up Biscayne Blvd, and some "biggedy" will miss a Heat tip-off. Move it to the West, and you lose your Downtown attraction.

But of course, once AAF is buried, there could still be impetus to build that station to become Tri Rail's Downtown terminus; that might be enough to carry forth with the rail access infrastructure. But lest we forget the caveat the the owners may want "unconsciable" access costs to get in there.

Amtrak going down there? forget it. I doubt if they are even going to move to Miami Central Station (Airport Intermodal Center, MIC) as has been planned.

The mayor of Miami will apparently veto any appropriations to extend Tri-Rail to downtown, but the city commissioners might have a veto proof majority.

The mayor of Miami and the mayor of Miami-Dade--I know, it's complicated--are at odds over this project. The mayor of Miami-Dade, whom I understand has more power than the mayor of Miami, is in favor of this project. There was an article recently in the Herald about the two of them vis-à-vis the issue.

However, there's no money for the Tri-Rail Miami station yet as part of AAF's Miami Central complex, and AAF has told Tri-Rail that if they don't come with a plan and money to execute that plan in short order, AAF is going to proceed without Tri-Rail.

City commissioners unanimously voted to approve $5.5 million for Tr-Rail platforms at Miami Central.

Now, let's see if Mayor Regalado vetoes it, as he has been promising. The press has been overwhelming in favor of the city contributing the $11 million needed to help fund the $69 million dollar project.