Additional opportunities Across the St. Johns River, Clay County has long been recognized as having one of the longest commuting times in the state, solidifying the CSX A-Line corridor as another corridor in the region that makes sense for additional passenger rail services. In 2019, the FRA awarded Amtrak $3.85 million to rehabilitate 52 miles of CSX A-Line track between Palatka and Deland. As a part of that project, CSX agreed to transfer ownership of that segment to Amtrak. In 2007, the CSX A-Line between Deland and Osceola County was acquired by FDOT for $432 million, which paved the way for the 2014 implementation of Orlando’s 61-mile SunRail commuter rail system. This means, only 50 of 163 miles of railroad track between Downtown Jacksonville and Central Florida currently remain in the ownership of CSX.
Rail service in action
Passenger rail service to and from Jacksonville could take several forms, depending on the Service Development Plan and public support for passenger rail. Given potential alternatives, a phased approach to passenger rail development is likely in the cards. On the FEC, initial progress in partnership with Brightline could focus on developing service north of Brevard County, constructing passenger stations, train facilities, and track upgrades. Brightline’s planned station in Brevard could serve as a transfer point to enable service to Jacksonville sooner while improvements in South Florida are built to enable through-service. Longer-term capacity improvements could enable higher speeds, expanded service to Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, and eventually transform Jacksonville into a critical midway point for interstate services to points beyond.
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