Florida East Coast Industries, Inc. Announces Plans for Private Passenger Rail Service in Florida

[tampasteve]

Originally Posted by skyscraperhighrise

I'm glad the free market is making this decision instead of the government.

Too bad a private company is going to benefit (profit) from this instead of the state, IE, the people....the people that own/ed the ROW, the people that live in a donor state for federal transit funds....

Steve

[jzquince69]

yeah, I'm still ticked off about the donor state thing and the killing of the HSR...

[skyscraperhighrise]

Originally Posted by jzquince69

yeah, I'm still ticked off about the donor state thing and the killing of the HSR...

and better off, because it's more wasteful government spending, as piece of s*** as scott, he better off killing HSR in florida, because the government has already done no good to america.

[skyscraperhighrise]

Originally Posted by TampaMike

Amtrak was pretty much private and then the federal government took over. I'll watch and see how long this stays private.

I wonder if the state gave them the ROW right now, they would just add the ORL-TPA line to the overall project?

The Federal government has no business being involved in private enterprise, FEC Passenger train should stay private and private ONLY.

[Hia-leah JDM]

[HARTride 2012]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

I REAAALLLY hope that this goes through, goes well, and works. Hopefully once it get going they will add the ORL-TPA route. That would be a pretty fast build out if the state provides the ROW for the line. Which, since HSR is dead, should be a no brainer.

Steve

Just my 2 cents, good luck with the state handing over ROW (I-4, if this is what you're referencing).

[Lakelander]

^It probably has a better chance of being extended to Jacksonville if this initial project is successful since the track is already in place. I can see Rick Scott and FDOT scrambling to slam lexus lanes down the median of I-4, if given the opportunity.

[HARTride 2012]

My point exactly. Ricky wants managed lanes down I-4 and nothing else. I'm sure he'll make sure that happens at all costs.

[yapp1850]

Florida East Coast Industries said its "All Aboard Florida" project is financially viable without any need for federal and state grants or subsidies.

"After completing our due diligence we have decided to go through with it," said Husein Cumber, vice president of corporate development at Florida East Coast Railway, which operates the company's existing freight line.

Construction would begin in early 2013, Cumber said, and when completed the new service would be the only privately run, non-subsidized passenger rail link between two major cities in the United States. A similar private scheme has been proposed in Texas to link Houston and Dallas.

Amtrak, the government-owned national rail corporation, currently offers a twice daily service between Miami and Orlando, taking five to seven hours.

The announcement comes after Florida Governor Rick Scott rejected federal funding in 2011 for a high-speed rail service linking Tampa, Orlando and Miami, saying the state could not afford it.

The new service is designed for tourists and business travelers and would link two of Florida's major urban centers, Cumber told members of the Beacon Council, a public-private partnership to promote business development in Miami-Dade County.

The $1 billion cost includes a set of 10 diesel-powered trains with a 400-seat capacity offering an hourly service with First-class and Business-class seating, gourmet dining and Wi-Fi, as well as new tracks and stations in downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and the Orlando airport.

The trains would make the journey in 3 hours 3 minutes traveling at speeds of up to 110 mph at a "cost competitive" price compared to the cheapest round-trip airfare of $140-160 or the roughly $120 cost of car travel, Cumber said.

COULD EXPAND TO TAMPA, JACKSONVILLE

All Aboard Florida would be financed through a combination of debt and equity and would create 6,000 rail construction jobs and 1,000 permanent positions once in operation, he said.

FECI is owned by the Fortress Investment Group and currently operates a 351-mile (565-km) single-track freight rail system along Florida's east coast with a fleet of 85 diesel electronic locomotives and 4,800 freight cars. It generated operating revenues of about $208 million last year.

FECI plans to double-track its existing line along a 100-foot (30-meter) wide corridor that runs most of the 230-mile route between Miami and Orlando, adding an extension for a section from the coast inland to Orlando.

The company also owns 9 acres in the heart of downtown Miami, the site of the former Henry Flagler railroad station, named after the rail pioneer who built Florida's first east-coast railroad system 100 years ago linking Jacksonville to Key West.

"We are now hoping to bring passengers back in a second wave of economic development," said Cumber.

The company is also examining the possibility of expansion to Tampa on Florida's west coast and Jacksonville in the northeast of the state.

Cumber said studies show about 50 million people travel between Miami and Orlando every year, 95 percent making the journey by car in around four to five hours.

Orlando is the most visited city in the nation with 52 million visitors a year, said Cumber. Besides being home to Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, as well as the University of Central Florida, the nation's second largest university, the city is a major convention destination.

Miami-Dade County has 2.5 million residents, making it the seventh most populous county in the nation, as well as a popular tourist destination and the cruise ship capital of the world.

"It sounds very promising. You have an incredible amount of population density on the east coast, and that's important to any kind of high speed rail project," said Petra Todorovich, a transportation specialist with Regional Plan Association, a New York-based think tank.

Cumber said the new service is being designed to meet the expectations of the traveling public and would also reduce traffic congestion and accidents. Rail travel, he said, would be "faster and safer."

[HARTride 2012]

Link please.

[jzquince69]

I was at a political function yesterday and I inquired on this project. The responses I got were that it is viable and being pursued, etc.

As for Maglev, the consensus was that the technology for that particular system is unproven for a 15 or so mile track, which makes it risky. Money-wise, that's not even an issue to leaders (for once, right?). Apparently, the other systems in operation in Asia are different from one another. So, the company is looking to build a system in PR first... after that... who knows...if it works, then Orlando is next.

[Lakelander]

From their September presentation of All Aboard Florida.

Mentions that the Downtown Miami station will be elevated as in Berlin, and connect with two metrorail stations.

Ft Lauderdale will conect with Wave streetcar, and in WPB they are in talks with Tri-rail and Amtrak.

Rolling stock is the biggest holdup, it will take 20-30 months to build. There will be ten train sets

South Florida stations will be open to use by the commuter rail project.

The two potential rolling stock companies are foreign with US plants

Some portions might have a third track

[HeartofFlorida]

It looks like Florida's equivalent to the Surfliner, but I like it all the same. I especially like that 7th Glass top option. It appears to be similar to Pacific Parlour Cars now owned by Amtrak and/or Amtrak's current Superliner Lounge.

Do you know what company has been chosen to design and manufacture the rolling stock?

[Dale]

Last I heard the whole line is being held up on the Orlando end. They'd not yet struck an agreement with the airport and there was a problem procuring some necessary land rights.

[jzquince69]

there are competing routes that they are deciding on; the 528 corridor to OIA, and one that goes from OIA then southeasterly to Melbourne.

[tampasteve]

Originally Posted by HeartofFlorida

It looks like Florida's equivalent to the Surfliner, but I like it all the same. I especially like that 7th Glass top option. It appears to be similar to Pacific Parlour Cars now owned by Amtrak and/or Amtrak's current Superliner Lounge.

Do you know what company has been chosen to design and manufacture the rolling stock?

Exactly what I thought. More likely they are modeled after the new Amtrak bi-level cars being built/designed in Illinois right now. Those will mainly be used on the services in the mid-west. If they can piggyback on that deal it will help drop costs. Those are being made by Nippon-Sharyo/Sumitomo.

Steve

[HeartofFlorida]

Originally Posted by tampasteve

Exactly what I thought. More likely they are modeled after the new Amtrak bi-level cars being built/designed in Illinois right now. Those will mainly be used on the services in the mid-west. If they can piggyback on that deal it will help drop costs. Those are being made by Nippon-Sharyo/Sumitomo.

Steve

Thanks!

[tampasteve]

It shoud be noted that according to the website below the images shown above are conceptual and one of two competing proposals. That said, it is HIGHLY likely they will be very similar to these and if Nippon Sharyo is one of the two competing builders they will be very competitive since they are building the new Amtrak bi-level cars. As we all know, if you can piggyback purchases for higher volume everyone wins.http://exmiami.org/threads/florida-e...ed.146/page-13

[tampasteve]

Interesting, below is the link to the company that is proposing those cars, Corridor Capital Trains. Their website reads that they are reconditioning (completely) and updating ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level coaches....now that would be REALLY interesting if we got those. Anyone interested in trains knows that those are historically significant for the USA as they were luxury, bi-level, and the model for Amtrak's Superliner cars. Corridor Capital trains controls 50 of the ex-Santa Fe Hi-Level cars.

In fact, their website does not even mention that they design or build new cars, it only talks about the ex-Santa Fe cars. If this is the case then we may not be getting clones of the new Amtrak Bi-Level cars....but we may be getting something way more interesting.

http://ccrail.com/

[Lakelander]

AAF has made their initial filings with the STB (Surface Transportation Board) on their immediate plans for the FEC ROW.

Per Trains Newswire:

ORLANDO – All Aboard Florida, the organization behind the restoration of high speed passenger service between Miami and Orlando, revealed a number of details of its plans in a filing with the Surface Transportation Board earlier in the month. The filing includes two parties under the All Aboard Florida banner, one for operations and one for stations.

The passenger train operator will rebuild a second track along the Florida East Coast Railway between Miami and Cocoa, Fla., and build entirely new track on right-of-way leased from the Florida Department of Transportation and Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority. This would place about 40 miles of new rail line alongside or in the median of state Route 528, which runs between Cocoa and the Orlando airport and is operated by the OOCEA.

All Aboard Florida will not seek public operating subsidies for the project, but is exploring the possibility of obtaining construction financing through the Federal Railroad Administration's Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing Program. Through the program the railroad can apply for direct loans and loan guarantees through the FRA.

The filing stipulates the new passenger service will not be a part of the interstate passenger rail network and should be exempt from federal oversight. All Aboard Florida will not participate in any through ticketing program with Amtrak. It also says no freight service will be operated by All Aboard Florida, or over the new right-of-way to Orlando. It does say that, for flexibility in operations, FEC dispatchers will have the option of using either track on the shared right-of-way for freight and passenger traffic.

Construction of the project is expected to generate 6,000 new jobs in the state, 1,000 permanent jobs, and even more job opportunities from transit-oriented development around the stations.

All Aboard Florida expects to have trains running by Jan. 1, 2015, and plans to operate 16-19 daily trains, allowing for hourly service during peak times. The filing specifies the trains will be 900 feet long and be equipped with Wi-Fi and meal services. Trains will operate up to 79 mph on the share portion of the route and 110 mph on the newly built portion. Details on the type of equipment to be used are still unknown.


The two filings with the STB are located here:

Petition of Exemption:

http://www.stb.dot.gov/filings/all.n...7?OpenDocument

Motion to Dismiss or Discontinue:

http://www.stb.dot.gov/filings/all.n...F?OpenDocument