SFECC Description of Conceptual Alternatives

Due to the highway capacity constraints throughout the eastern cities encompassing the study area, other mobility options, such as premium transit must be considered. Premium transit services are those such as Tri-Rail, Miami’s Metro-rail, light rail transit, bus rapid transit, express bus routes and other potential options. These types of transit provide higher capacity and higher speed transit service, compared to regular fixed route bus service that can be much more competitive with automobile traffic in terms of travel time. San Diego, Saint Louis, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Denver, Washington, D.C., Houston, Baltimore, and Salt Lake City are among the cities across the nation that have examined the use of existing rail corridors and parallel streets for developing new premium transit service corridors. South Florida, in fact, experienced the acquisition of the former CSX Railroad, now the South Florida Rail Corridor used by Tri-Rail. A unique feature of the FEC Railroad Corridor is that it is the only established transportation corridor east of I-95 capable of moderate to high operating speeds.

When contemplating a transit system, there are various considerations relating to technology and alignment. The decision relating to the location of the service depends on right-of-way availability, adjacent land uses, future freight demand and capacity for passenger service, and others.  The decision on the type of technology may be established based on the varying characteristics of each technology, the desires of the community, and the available alignments. Additional criteria to consider when choosing a technology also depends on: capital cost, operating costs, service distance, station spacing, service frequency, capacity, power source, speeds, right-of-way requirements, vehicle life, accessibility, maneuverability, integration with other transportation modes, flexibility, etc. 

Alignment Alternatives to be Considered

For the SFECC study the following alignments will be considered which would utilize an existing rail corridor and/or parallel streets:

1) Intercity Passenger Rail service is currently provided by Amtrak to 33 cities in Florida.  This service consists of express trains which cover longer distances and operate at higher speeds than other rail services.  Intercity train station stops are typically spaced at major city intervals which can range from 50 miles to 100 miles and greater. Intercity passenger rail cars operate on shared railroad tracks with freight and commuter rail and are powered typically by diesel engines. Average trip lengths vary by area of the country served. Typical characteristics of Intercity passenger rail are consistent with Commuter rail characteristics.

Typical Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $5 – 9 million           

Annual Operating Cost/ Revenue Mile: $11 - $13

Seated Capacity: up to 1,500 per train

Speed: Average 50 mph; Maximum 100 mph

2) Commuter Rail Transit is an electric or diesel propelled railway for urban passenger train service consisting of travel between a central city and adjacent suburbs.  The regional example is Tri-Rail.  This rail service uses standard railroads, with locomotives pushing or pulling passenger cars, or with passenger cars that have internal diesel engines.   Stations are usually 2 to 5 miles apart.  The average trip lengths for commuter rail range from 20 to 23 miles.

Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) is a form of commuter rail transit that is self-propelled with rail passenger cars that have internal diesel engines. Commuter rail cars can also use Diesel-Electric Multiple Units (DEMU) for greater fuel efficiency. This option could utilize existing rail tracks, with a pre-arranged service plan to accommodate freight movements.

Typical Commuter Rail Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $5 – 9 million           

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $11 - $13

Seated Capacity: up to 1,500 per train

Speed: Average 30 mph; Maximum 90 mph

3) Heavy Rail Transit is an electric railway with the capacity for a heavy volume of traffic.  The regional example is Metro-rail in Miami.  It uses electric multiple units with steel wheels running on two steel rails.  Power is commonly supplied by means of a single live third rail.  It is characterized by high speed and rapid acceleration passenger rail cars operating singly or in multi-car trains on fixed rails; separate rights-of-way from which all other vehicular and foot traffic are excluded; station spacing between 0.5 and 2 miles; sophisticated signaling, high frequency, and high platform loading.  The average trip length for the Metrorail system is 6.5 miles.

Typical Heavy Rail Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $20 - 250 million           

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $8 - $10

Seated Capacity: 60 – 80 passengers per car, plus standees

Speed: Average 30 mph; Maximum 70 mph

4) Monorails are powered by electric motors and generally have rubber tires. The more popular is the straddle-beam monorail where the train straddles the rail, covering it on the sides.    The wheels roll along the top and sides of the rail to propel and stabilize the train.  Right-of-way must be grade separated and stations are typically spaced between 0.5 and 1 mile apart.  Although this technology is mostly seen at tourist destinations such as Disneyland and at airports, the monorail pictured is a short segment that runs through downtown Seattle.  In some cases the monorail technology is similar to heavy rail and the average trip length is 5 miles, whereas in places like Seattle, the monorail operates like a people mover and the average trip length is more along the lines of  0.5 miles.

Typical Monorail Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $1-1.5 million

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $12-$16

Seated Capacity: 30-60 passengers per car

Speed: Average 25 mph; Maximum 45 mph

5) Light Rail Transit is a flexible transportation mode which consists of a system of lightweight passenger rail cars operating singly or in short, two-car trains, on fixed rails in right-of-way that is not separated from other traffic for much or all of the way.  LRT can operate in mixed traffic on tracks embedded in the street (like streetcars), on an at-grade right-of-way with street and pedestrian crossings, or on a fully segregated exclusive right-of-way. A distinction of light rail vehicles is that vehicles draw power from an overhead electric line via a trolley, pantograph or catenary wire. Station spacing can be .5 to 1.5 miles depending on the type of service being provided.  Line haul, longer service can be served with traditional light rail, whereas, short distance service can be provided by streetcar light rail.  The average trip length is 4.4 miles. This mode is being studied for the Central Broward East-West Transit Corridor and for the Miami-Miami Beach Bay link Corridor. This option could be built within the rail corridor where the light rail can be properly separated form the freight rail and there is adequate rail R/W.

Light Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (LDEMU) is a technology that allows an in-vehicle/on-board diesel-electric engine to propel a vehicle in a fixed guideway.  An advantage to the in-vehicle option is the ability to power a light rail vehicle without unsightly overhead electric power wiring or poles.  From a technology perspective, LDEMU and Light Diesel Multiple Unit (LDMU) are the same. 

Typical Light Rail Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $3 - 25 million

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $7 - $15

Seated Capacity: 150 – 300 per train/100 per streetcar

Speed: Average 15 to 25 mph; Maximum 65 mph

6) Automated Guideway Transit is a transportation system which is fully automated with driverless vehicles operated on fixed guideways in an exclusive right-of-way. The regional example is Metro-mover in Miami.  Self-propelled vehicles or trains use a two-rail guideway system with rubber tires on concrete or steel guideway or steel wheels on steel rail. The majority of AGT systems usually operate as a local distribution system (people mover) in an environment where there are many trips concentrated over short distances.  Stations are typically spaced 0.25 to 0.5 miles apart and the speed of an AGT is up to 55 mph. The average trip length for the Miami Metro-mover is 0.56 miles.

Typical AGT Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $1.6 -1.8 million

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $12-$16

Seated Capacity: 60-100

Speed: Average 10 mph; Maximum 35 mph

7) Bus Rapid Transit is enhanced transit service using low-floor buses operating within a service corridor with a reduced number of stops (typically 1 to 2 per mile), expedited operating speed due to traffic signal management favoring the buses, on frequent headways (often 5 to 15 minutes apart in peak hours). Vehicles can be modern and train-like in appearance and function.  BRT can operate on exclusive transitways, HOV lanes, expressways, or ordinary streets.  A regional example of BRT is the South Miami Busway. BRT can consist of dedicated lanes for all or part of the route and/or elevated or underground separated rights-of-way.  The average trip lengths for BRT range between 4 to 6 miles. This option could be built within the rail corridor where the busway can be properly separated from the freight rail, and there is adequate rail R/W.

BRT can utilize various vehicle types and technologies.  Some systems use Electric Trolley buses which are similar to either standard or articulated diesel powered buses, except that they are propelled by electric motors and obtain power from two overhead catenary wires along the route. Two wires are required to complete the electrical circuit, whereas, electric rail vehicles require only one overhead wire as they complete the circuit by returning power through rails. Electric trolley buses are available as either standard trolleys approximately 40 feet in length or articulated trolleys approximately 60 feet in length.  They are limited to approximately 40-mph top speed.  The trolley bus is steerable and needs no guideway, although the reach of its trolley poles limits its locus of movement before they become derailed.

Other BRT use a Guided bus which can be steered for part or their entire route by some form of external trackway which parallels existing roads. The trackway is dedicated for bus use only and allows for high speed operation and reliable schedules. Small guide wheels are attached to the regular wheels of the bus.  Other guided buses are steered on the roadway with new Guided Light Transit technology. This technology allows the bus to guide itself along the roadway following pavement marking detected by the bus.

There is a significant cost differential between LRT and BRT. The differences in cost are primarily a function of providing the electrical power for light rail as well as the higher cost of LRT vehicles. Due to the difference in the capacity of the vehicles, BRT is likely to have somewhat higher operating costs (more vehicles would be required to provide the same passenger capacity as LRT). Light rail has demonstrated the capacity to support economic development and transit-oriented development in virtually every LRT system that has been implemented in the country in recent decades. To date, BRT systems do not appear to have as high of a potential to stimulate economic development as LRT. The size of the investment and the permanence of the infrastructure of LRT systems are cited as the reasons that LRT has a larger, positive impact on economic development than BRT.

Typical BRT Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $0.2 - 0.5 million-shared lane

$8 - 25 million-dedicated lane or guideway

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $6 - $8

Seated Capacity: 35 - 100 per bus

Speed: Average 30 mph; Maximum 60 mph

8) Waterborne transit consists of using adjacent navigable waters for transporting passengers to and from destinations and to and from transit.  The regional example of waterborne transit is the water bus and water taxis used in Ft. Lauderdale that serve local short distances.  Some communities, like St. Petersburg are using hovercraft technology designed to operate in shallow waters at higher speeds.  In Seattle, fast ferries are used where hydrofoil technology contributes to higher speeds in deeper waters.  Hovercraft technology is more environmentally compatible with South Florida conditions. The average trip length for this technology varies greatly. The American Public Transportation Association compiles information on ferryboats, a similar technology, and the average trip length for those is 5.9 miles.

Typical Waterborne transit Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: Varies greatly depending on vehicle ($200,000-$500,000)

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: Varies greatly

Seated Capacity: Varies greatly depending on vehicle (50-300)

Speed: Average 30 mph; Maximum 60 mph

9) Express Bus Offers flexibility in the location and level of service provided. Capital cost to expand service is relatively low. A wide variety of service types can be provided with buses, such as express, limited stop, fixed route, route deviation and demand responsive services. In express service, buses have very few or no stops between where passengers board and the end of the route. Park-and-ride lots are often provided for the users of express bus service. Service frequency can be changed to meet peak period, off-peak period and special event demand. Capacity is limited somewhat by vehicle size. Since buses operate in mixed traffic, it is hard to provide a travel-time savings versus travel by car.

Typical Express Bus Characteristics

Capital Cost/Vehicle: $200,000 + (40 ft. urban bus)

Annual Operating Cost/Revenue Mile: $6 - $8

Seated Capacity: 15 - 100 per bus (depending on vehicle size and type)

Speed: Average 35 mph; Maximum 60 mph