Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 50, 2009

The Florida East Coast Railway (reporting mark FEC) is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida; in the past, it has been a Class I railroad. It is currently owned by RailAmerica. The FEC is renowned for building the first railroad bridges to Key West, that have since been rebuilt into road bridges for vehicle traffic and are now known as the Overseas Highway. The railway was originally known as the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River Railway, then became the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Indian River Railway and then, for just a few months prior to becoming the Florida East Coast Railway in September 1895 was known as the Florida Coast & Gulf Railway. The Florida East Coast Railway operates from its relocated headquarters in Jacksonville after selling the original General Office Building in St. Augustine to Flagler College in late 2006. Its trains run over nearly the same route developed by Henry Flagler. Today, the company only provides freight service — passenger service was discontinued in 1968 after labor unrest that resulted in violence. However, there has been some speculation that the southern end of the FEC line may be used for a commuter rail service to complement the existing Tri-Rail line and that Amtrak may be allowed to use FEC lines for a more direct route between Jacksonville and Miami.

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