BACKGROUND
Fortress Investment Group is Forcing 21st Century Passenger
Rail onto19th Century Infrastructure
Flagler’s coastal route from Jacksonville to Miami was never intended for trains going 110 mph. The 19th Century route runs through the heart of 42 towns and cities and, unlike modern High Speed Rail, does not tunnel under or bridge over 580 streets at-grade.
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Because of those at-grade crossings, Florida East Coast Rail is one of the deadliest systems in the US with 26 deaths since January, 2018 and over 500 accidents/incidents in the past 10 years. (Not including Virgin Trains accidents and 40 deaths.)
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Flagler’s southern route traverses the St. Lucie, Loxahatchee and New rivers using 100 year old bridges. The aging bridges must close for hours as trains cross, creating dangerous waiting times for boaters.
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Every study, including the Florida HSR Commission’s analysis and a 2010 Study for the US Conference of Mayors by Siemens Corp., concludes new tracks designed for HSR should be built along I-95 or the Florida Turnpike.
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It is clear the only reason these trains are being forced onto a 100 year old route is to double the freight capacity of FECR, now owned by a Mexican company - Grupo Mexico.
This must not stand!
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