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