Passenger Trains > More developments on the FEC / AAF project

The Palm Beach Post has an article in the May 17 print edition about discussions over passenger rail service in south Florida.

According to reporter Emily Roach, the Palm Beach (County) Metropolitan Planning Organization is studying a proposal to begin commuter train service on the Florida East Coast, at least as far north as Toney Penna, at the Palm Beach / Martin County line. As of last week about half the south Florida regional transportation agencies had signed off on a plan to "aggressively pursue" service on the FEC line. It is expected the other four agencies will sign, and the Martin County + St Lucie County + Indian River County planning agency will sign. That would bring the range as far north as Vero Beach.

The issue is significant since the transportation agencies are authorized to speak for the counties involved. The absence of current Tri-Rail service from downtown centers has been cited as a problem by several agencies as well.

All Aboard Florida, the unit of Florida East Coast, is one party with which the agencies will have to negotiate. AAF has already purchased or optioned land for stations, and FEC has directed the agencies to consolidate their requests through one group, and that's now being done.

Quiet Zone applications are a major part of the process. The FEC has many grade crossings, and elimination of horns is a major priority for the towns. Cooperation with the towns would help speed that process, the article says.

The timeline is to get every agency signed by early June, and begin discussions with AAF immediately thereafter. AAF plans to begin some engineering etc this Summer, the article says.


(subscription site)

I find the Treasure Coast proposal interesting. I can see the use for service up to Jupiter, maybe Stuart, but I'm not sure service to Vero Beach is justified. It's 80 miles just from Vero to West Palm.

I remember when Amtrak on the FEC was gaining traction, one of the proposals was to run a train from Miami to Cocoa and back using Tri-Rail equipment. I can't really seeing anyone want to sit in commuter equipment for that long. My bottom starts to hurt after two hours in the Bombardier cars, and there is absolutely no leg room in the Hyundai-Rotem cars (which is the most uncomfortable passenger coach I ever rode in). The DMU equipment they have would be suffice. Large comfortable seats, that even recline!