A Florida company cleared a major hurdle on Tuesday to move ahead with a project to build a new USD$1.5 billion passenger train service linking Orlando and Miami that is being billed as the first privately run rail link between two major US cities.
The project, dubbed "All Aboard Florida" and scheduled to begin service in late 2014 or early 2015, would operate passenger trains on approximately 200 miles of existing track along Florida's east coast owned by Florida East Coast Railways (FECI), a Miami real estate and transportation company.
It also would include train service on an additional 40-mile inland segment to be built from Cocoa Beach to Orlando.
FECI proposed the train service in March but the company could not negotiate to operate on the inland segment without the state of Florida first soliciting other proposals to lease the property.
No other bids were received so the state gave the company the go-ahead.
The new service is designed for tourists and business travellers and would link two of Florida's major urban centres. Air services between the two cities include those run by American Airlines and Delta Air Lines.
The trains running between Orlando and Miami would make the journey in 3 hours, 3 minutes, travelling at speeds of up to 110 mph, according to company officials.