New train to connect downtown Miami to downtown Ft. L? (Miami Beach: transfer, to buy)

[exmbdude]

Originally Posted by WINTERFRONT

I think there should be stations where there is more density per kilometer square (always comparing withing county borders). My hood should be a main priority, for example.

I think a lot of the track in your neighborhood was pulled up in the late 80s. There is some CSX track around Coral Reef near the Zoo but there is very little track in the south part of the county nowadays.

[tallrick]

Most of the old seaboard airline railway is still intact. Mostly used to transport rock and tanker cars it is frieight only. Hard to believe that no passenger trains run to any southern part of Dade county. As a kid I remember the FEC tracks all along US-1 and seeing everything from produce to military hardware in transport. While eating at the Sweden House smorgasbord I would look at the ruins of an old train station which is now a nature preserve. The tracks south of Dadeland were still in place at the time of hurricane Andrew. The ones north of Dadeland were removed in the 70's to make way for the metrorail. However, you can still see some of the crossings at minor roadways. The SAL track (now CSX) peters out close to Florida city. I do not think it connects to the farmer's market anymore.

[tallrick]

Seaboard Air Line RailRoad 1948 - "New Horizons" - Trains and RailRoads in the USA - YouTube

[checkmatechamp13]

Originally Posted by transitfan

This would be great if implemented, because the current Tri-Rail route (on CSX track a few miles west) doesn't directly serve the downtowns of Fort Lauderdale and Miami (in Miami, the Tri-Rail route is miles to the west, requiring a transfer to Metrorail to reach downtown MIA). It's a little closer in Fort Lauderdale, but still a bus transfer is required to reach the downtown area. But the FEC route runs right through the heart of downtown Ft. Lauderdale, in fact it passes right next to Broward County Transit's Central Terminal, can you say "intermodal center"? Not sure of the route in Miami, but I think it runs close to downtown also. As always, it's a question of $$$$$.

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

I wish they could but Central Station by the airport is going to be our "grand train station." Makes sense. Connects directly to the airport, rental cars, amtrack, Metrorail, buses and trirail. With the proposed Metrorail expansion from Central Station it makes sense.

I don't see how a city can have its major rail station so far from Downtown. I mean the airport is a major employment center, but not as large as Downtown. That would be like us in NYC putting Grand Central out by LaGuardia Airport: No businessman is going to want to drag himself all the way out to the airport to catch his train to the suburbs: He's going to want it convenient to access.

I remember an article about how there was a bus from Fort Lauderdale going down I-95 into Downtown and the high usage it was getting. Hopefully, there's enough demand to build a train line.

Originally Posted by exmbdude

The Metrolink is an APM, not an extension of the Metrorail track to MIA. "The AirportLink will provide residents and visitors with direct Metrorail link to MIA via an Automated People Mover" It will require a transfer between points, its not a continuous line into the city.

The travel time is going to be short, though. They couldn't bring the MetroRail right into the terminals themselves (they could but it would be too expensive), so they had it end about a mile away, and then you spend a minute or two on an APM to the terminals.

Everything is being taken out of the terminals from what I understand: The buses, the car rentals, the taxis, everything.

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by checkmatechamp13

I don't see how a city can have its major rail station so far from Downtown. I mean the airport is a major employment center, but not as large as Downtown. That would be like us in NYC putting Grand Central out by LaGuardia Airport: No businessman is going to want to drag himself all the way out to the airport to catch his train to the suburbs: He's going to want it convenient to access.

I remember an article about how there was a bus from Fort Lauderdale going down I-95 into Downtown and the high usage it was getting. Hopefully, there's enough demand to build a train line.



.

Well I would not call 5-7 miles that far but I do agree. However the commuter line they are talking about from FTL will go to downtown.

[exmbdude]

Originally Posted by FlyMIA

Well I would not call 5-7 miles that far but I do agree. However the commuter line they are talking about from FTL will go to downtown.

It can be done but a lot of work is involved, this post below describes the necessary upgrades involved if the SFRTA plan is the one adopted.

South Florida question

[MiamiRob]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

The future

Construction of the North Corridor Metrorail (NCM) is the beginning of a project to double the size of the network.
The East-West Corridor extension of the Metrorail system is also planned. It includes the construction of 10–13 miles of rail track. It will connect MIC to Florida International University. The extension includes the construction of ten Metrorail stations.

Miami-Dade Metrorail Transit - Railway Technology

The North corridor Metrorail expansion is dead. The county applied for matching Federal funds twice and the Feds rejected the the line going up NW 27 Ave. all the way to the Dolphin's stadium. They said there was "low density" and didn't warrant expansion even though the county owns the right away and all of the environmental studies had been done. ALL it needed was funding.

It really is a shame this line wasn't built because it would have served the North campus of Miami Dade College, another Tri-Rail stop and provided service to the Dolphin's stadium as well as serving the commuters of South Broward.
The east-west corridor is now just a dream because the county doesn't even have any land bought for this extension and therefore they don't have any secured righ-of-way.

As for an extension to Miami Beach? The county was ready to go & many Miami Beach residents voted for the half penny sales tax to get a extension but the Mayor of Miami Beach in the early 2000s killed it. There were rumours that an extension would bring "undesirables" from the mainland to South Beach!

[exmbdude]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

The North corridor Metrorail expansion is dead. The county applied for matching Federal funds twice and the Feds rejected the the line going up NW 27 Ave. all the way to the Dolphin's stadium. They said there was "low density" and didn't warrant expansion even though the county owns the right away and all of the environmental studies had been done. ALL it needed was funding.

It really is a shame this line wasn't built because it would have served the North campus of Miami Dade College, another Tri-Rail stop and provided service to the Dolphin's stadium as well as serving the commuters of South Broward.
The east-west corridor is now just a dream because the county doesn't even have any land bought for this extension and therefore they don't have any secured righ-of-way.

As for an extension to Miami Beach? The county was ready to go & many Miami Beach residents voted for the half penny sales tax to get a extension but the Mayor of Miami Beach in the early 2000s killed it. There were rumours that an extension would bring "undesirables" from the mainland to South Beach!

Rail has a long way to go to get back to where it was in the mid 1960's in South Florida. So much track has been torn out and the CSX double tracking effort has been the only major expansion of passenger rail in the region in decades. I think at one time - long, long ago - there were plans for a Northern spur on Metrorail, you can see some of the structure jutting outward on part of the line when you ride the northbound train around 27th avenue I believe.

[Wild Style]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

The North corridor Metrorail expansion is dead. The county applied for matching Federal funds twice and the Feds rejected the the line going up NW 27 Ave. all the way to the Dolphin's stadium. They said there was "low density" and didn't warrant expansion even though the county owns the right away and all of the environmental studies had been done. ALL it needed was funding.

It really is a shame this line wasn't built because it would have served the North campus of Miami Dade College, another Tri-Rail stop and provided service to the Dolphin's stadium as well as serving the commuters of South Broward.
The east-west corridor is now just a dream because the county doesn't even have any land bought for this extension and therefore they don't have any secured righ-of-way.

As for an extension to Miami Beach? The county was ready to go & many Miami Beach residents voted for the half penny sales tax to get a extension but the Mayor of Miami Beach in the early 2000s killed it. There were rumours that an extension would bring "undesirables" from the mainland to South Beach!

makes sense, because undesirables cant take the bus and they definitely don't have cars (rolls eyes) ugh, i hate the stupidity of people sometimes. I hope they sort out mass transit to the beach, it just makes sense!

[FlyMIA]

Originally Posted by MiamiRob

The North corridor Metrorail expansion is dead. The county applied for matching Federal funds twice and the Feds rejected the the line going up NW 27 Ave. all the way to the Dolphin's stadium. They said there was "low density" and didn't warrant expansion even though the county owns the right away and all of the environmental studies had been done. ALL it needed was funding.

It really is a shame this line wasn't built because it would have served the North campus of Miami Dade College, another Tri-Rail stop and provided service to the Dolphin's stadium as well as serving the commuters of South Broward.
The east-west corridor is now just a dream because the county doesn't even have any land bought for this extension and therefore they don't have any secured righ-of-way.

As for an extension to Miami Beach? The county was ready to go & many Miami Beach residents voted for the half penny sales tax to get a extension but the Mayor of Miami Beach in the early 2000s killed it. There were rumours that an extension would bring "undesirables" from the mainland to South Beach!

Mayors of Miami Beach have been morons. They are all anti growth and development. Miami Beach could really be something. As another poster said they could take the BUS! If the two resort casinos come into Miami (not Miami Beach ) I do not think they will have a choice. Not having a train connection will kill them. FDOT wanted to give I-195 express lane access. The current dumb Mayor of Miami Beach said they did not want to deal with traffic for a year or two so now they will never get express lane access. Makes a lot of sense. Which means I do not get it either living in the Midtown area.

As for Miami-Dade not having land rights to take it to FIU. Spend some money and use eminent domain. Public Transit is an easy public purpose and public access item. The government has full power to buy any property to make the metrorail extension possible and IMO they need to do it ASAP. Rail to FIU and that area is a much better idea. Get the right of way. If casinos do come to South Florida we need to make them help fund public transportation expansion, especially to Miami Beach.