Session 14 -- Passenger Rail Transportation: Success today and tomorrow

Moderator, Mr. Nazih K. Haddad, Manager Passenger Rail Development, Florida Department of Transportation -- Presentation
Mr. Eugene K. Skoropowski, Managing Director, Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority -- Presentation
Mr. Bradley Barkman, Director of Operations, South Florida Regional Transportation Authority -- Presentation
Ms. Tawny Olore, Project Manager, Central Florida Commuter Rail Project -- Presentation

Passenger rail transportation is reemerging as an important mode for urban, regional, and intercity travel. Nazih Haddah with the Florida Department of Transportation introduced the panelists that will be presenting on existing and potential passenger rail projects in Florida and successful strategies for implementing and operating passenger rail systems.

Eugene Skoropowski presented on California’s Capitol Corridor Intercity passenger rail line which began operations in 1991. Mr. Skoropowski noted that political and funding support, good working relationships with private railroads, and success in generating riders - through ongoing communication with customers, reliability of operations, accessibility to other transit facilities, airports, and parking, frequency of service, market-based pricing, and competitive travel time - contributed to the success of passenger rail transportation in California. Capital funding sources included voters initiated and approved bonds, sales taxes returns on fuel, and the efforts led by the States for Passenger Rail Coalition to push for Federal funding for passenger rail.

Bradley Barkman presented on the South Florida Tri-Rail commuter rail system. Tri-Rail operates 50 trains per day on weekdays with 20 to 30 minute headways during rush hours, is connected to Broward County Transit, Miami Dade Transit, and Plan Tran, and is the fastest growing commuter rail line in 2006 according to the American Public Transportation Association. According to Mr. Barkman, the key elements to operating successful passenger rail systems include continuous coordination between transportation agencies, the public, and elected officials, dedicated local funding, and transit supportive land use policies. The Authority has several expansion plans, both in progress and being considered, for Tri-Rail. These include a recently completed $500 million double tracking project and the Jupiter Corridor and Kendall Connection extension.

Tawny Olore provided an update on the Central Florida Commuter Rail Project. Central Florida Commuter Rail will operate on 61.5 miles of CSXT tracks purchased by the State to serve Volusia, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola counties. The service is proposed to be offered at 30-minute peak rush hour headways. Exclusive commuter passenger rail operations were granted from 5:00 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. and from 3:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. CSX will get exclusive use of the tracks for freight from midnight to 5:00 A.M. During the remaining seven hours, both passenger and freight cars will use the tracks. CSX will divert most of its through trains from the “A” line that runs through Orlando to the “S” line running from Jacksonville to Wildwood and through Ocala. The initial operating rail segment from DeBarry to Sand Lake is scheduled to open in 2010; the second segment from Sand Lake Road to Poinciana Boulevard is scheduled to open in 2013. The Federal government is expected to support 50 percent of the project’s capital needs; the remaining funding requirements will be met through state and local agencies resources. The State is also anticipated to pay for operation and maintenance costs for the first seven years of operations.

Nazih Haddad briefly discussed the Florida High Speed Rail project and the Passenger Rail Vision Plan. The Florida High Speed Rail Authority created a vision for a high-speed rail network linking major population centers in Florida. The network has yet to be implemented due to growing concerns over costs of implementation. In addition, the Florida Department of Transportation developed a draft ‘Vision Plan’ for a statewide passenger rail system to serve the major travel markets in the State. The plan calls for an incremental and phased approach to the implementation of a statewide intercity passenger rail system in Florida. Two independent routes were evaluated for potential service:

• A Coastal Route, primarily relying on FEC’s right-of-way to south Florida, the South Florida Rail Corridor, the Beachline Expressway between Cocoa Beach and Orlando, and the I-4 right-of-way between Orlando and Tampa.
• An Inland Route, primarily relying on CSX tracks and rights-of-way, the South Florida Rail Corridor, and the I-4 right-of-way between Orlando and Tampa.

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