Wow, here is a piece of sobering news from our “man on the scene” in Stuart, Florida, Captain Ted Guy. Ted is a maritime attorney and the past president of the Treasure Coast Marine Industries Association, and is unusually knowledgeable about all things nautical when it comes to Eastern Florida and the Okeechobee Waterway. Looks like we may all have more time to wait at railway bridges in Florida, starting in 2015!

Claiborne, my friend,
A local controversy has sprung up in the boating community about FEC adding 16 passenger trains each way each day to about ten or twelve freights each way each day, more than doubling the bridge closure down time per day. It will affect their drawbridges from Cocoa Beach to Miami. The new service starting in 2015 is called “All Aboard Florida”, although I’ve heard they may rename it. Check out www.allaboardflorida.com .
W.E. “Ted” Guy, Jr.

This is going to be a huge problem if it ever comes to completion. Some estimates say the bridge will be closed up to 75% of the time for train crossings.
In addition the bridge is beyond it’s end of life and the RR company (FEC) does not intend to replace it. A breakdown is very likely.
For more information, see the grass roots campaign at:
http://www.floridanotallaboard.com/
Paul Sears
Sailing Vessel `Aurora’ currently in Palm City to the West of the RR bridge!

Vero Beach county officials are raising concerns about the impact of the All-Aboard Florida passenger rail service as outlined the article by Lisa Zahner linked here from VeroNew.com:
http://www.veronews.com/news/indian_river_county/traffic/county-vero-beach-raise-concerns-about-all-aboard-florida/article_3d54f83e-ba10-11e3-87b7-001a4bcf6878.html