Tri-Rail

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Tri-Rail
Locale South Florida
Transit type Commuter rail
Began operation 1987
System length 72 mi (116 km)
No. of lines 1
No. of stations 18
Track gauge 1435 mm (4 ft 8½ in) (standard gauge)
Operator South Florida Regional Transportation Authority
Northbound Tri-Rail arriving at Delray Beach Station
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Northbound Tri-Rail arriving at Delray Beach Station

Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line linking Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, Florida. It is run by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority. The 72-mile system has 18 stations along the South Florida coast. The rail connects to the Metrorail in Miami at the Tri-Rail/Metrorail Transfer Station.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Formed in 1987 by the Florida Department of Transportation, the system originally was created to provide temporary commuter rail service while construction crews widened Interstate 95 and the parallel Florida's Turnpike, but Tri-Rail outlasted its temporary status, adding more trains and stations in the process. Tri-Rail shares its track with Amtrak's Silver Meteor and Silver Star and CSX's Miami Subdivision.

The Florida Department of Transportation purchased the track from CSX in 1989. Under the terms of the agreement, CSX would continue to provide dispatch services and physical plant maintenance for the track and would have exclusive freight trackage rights until certain conditions were met.

In 1996, the initial 67-mile route was extended north from West Palm Beach Station, and south from Hialeah Market Station to include the new Mangonia Park and Miami Airport stations, which opened in 1998. Due to this expansion, the system now extends roughly 72 miles.

As of 2006, a project to upgrade the full length of the line from Mangonia Park to Miami Airport with double-track is nearly completed, with only a small section of single-track where the line crosses the New River on an existing single bascule bridge. This will be replaced with a high-level fixed bridge which parallels I-95.

Once the dual-tracking project and several other modernization projects are completed, the SFRTA will assume full responsibility for dispatching and maintenance from CSX.

Tri-Rail utilizes Bombardier BiLevel Coaches, but as of late 2006, has begun adding bi-level rolling stock from Colorado Railcar.

In the 2025 and 2030 long range transportation plans, Tri-Rail has envisioned moving to or adding service on the Florida East Coast (FEC) rail corridor, which runs next to U.S. Route 1 (Biscayne Boulevard/Brickell avenue in Miami-Dade County, and Federal Highway in Broward & Palm Beach Counties). This corridor will provide more opportunities for pedestrian travel from stations to end destinations than does the current South Florida Rail Corridor, which must rely almost exclusively on shuttle buses for passenger distribution.

[edit] Stations

Tri-Rail System Map
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Tri-Rail System Map

Currently, the Tri-Rail has five (5) Stations in Miami-Dade County, seven (7) in Broward County (Greater Fort Lauderdale), and six (6) in Palm Beach County.

[edit] Miami-Dade County

[edit] Broward County

[edit] Palm Beach County

[edit] See also

[edit] Fleet

Colorado Railcar DMU in Tri-Rail livery
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Colorado Railcar DMU in Tri-Rail livery

In 2003, after receiving a grant from the Florida Department of Transportation, Tri-Rail contracted to purchase two pieces of rolling stock from Colorado Railcar: a Diesel Multiple Unit coach and standard bi-level coach entered regular service with Tri-Rail in October 2006. Acquisition of additonal rolling stock from Colorado Railcar is expected to take place in late 2006 and early 2007.

The new purpose-built commuter coaches are larger than the Bombardier BiLevel Coaches they are designed to eventually replace in practically every respect, holding up to 188 passengers, with room for bicycles and luggage.

[edit] External links

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