More on “All Aboard Florida” in the News Again
The default position for the Florida East Coast Railway bridge across the New River in Ft. Lauderdale is in the up position. Many in the marine industry worry what new passenger rail service could mean for boat traffic on the river. TOM HUDSON
The Boat Business And A Fort Lauderdale Railroad Bridge
By TOM HUDSON November 1, 2015
Talking with people who make their living based on boats and many quickly mention what they think is the biggest threat to their livelihood — a bridge.
That single bridge crosses the New River near downtown Fort Lauderdale. Florida East Coast Railway operates the bridge, which handles freight traffic now.
However, with All Aboard Florida’s plans to run passenger rail service from Miami to Orlando over the same tracks, South Florida’s marine industry worries what that rail traffic could mean for the flow of its business on the water.
For the better part of two years All Aboard Florida and representatives of South Florida’s marine industry have been talking about how to deal with this pinch point where the boating business and the effort to build passenger rail service come together.
The current bridge was built in 1978, although a railroad bridge has crossed the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale since 1912. It’s a single leaf bascule drawbridge that runs 60 feet shore-to-shore.
When not in use, the bridge defaults to its up position, allowing marine traffic to float upriver to the many marinas lining the shore of the South Fork of the New River or down river to the Intracoastal.
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November 6, 2015
The marine industry and the proposed All Aboard Florida passenger train are making peace over the New River bridge in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
A test by the Coast Guard has proved successful in trimming the time the railroad bridge needs to be closed, allowing both boats and trains to share the river ‘” at least for now, leaders said.
Later, the marine industry would like to see an elevated bridge built over the river for the passenger trains to use instead, said Phil Purcell, executive director of the Marine Industries Association of South Florida.
“Guess what? I think we’ve worked it out,” Purcell told a surprised audience at a boat show event attended by All Aboard Florida’s president Michael Reininger.
“The test has gone incredibly well,” Reininger added in an interview. “The test worked.”
At issue is a 1970s bridge over the New River that is kept open for boats and closes when freight trains pass ‘” up to 14 times per day. All Aboard Florida plans to use the tracks when it starts high-speed passenger service next year, requiring the bridge be closed 16 extra times per day.
Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To A “Navigation Alert” Position at Angelfish Creek
Comments from Cruisers (3)
The problem with Captain Wes Abell’s argument is that we all have experience on the water. That experience includes encounters with large sport fish vessels. In the overwhelming number of cases, that experience is negative. I am always surprised when I encounter a polite sport fish captain. Appreciative, definitely, but surprised. Wes, it’s your colleagues that give you a well-earned lousy reputation. I agree with the other poster that said, if you can’t manage that passage safely, find another route. Inconvenient, but what if you hurt or kill that dummy center console operator that “doesn’t get it?” If I were on that jury….
I admittedly am not familiar with the Anglefish Creek transit.
I am familiar with rules of the road and have a modicum of common sense.
If a sport boat, NEEDS, to stay on plane to transit a body of water common sense would dictate that an alternate route should be pursued.
It would seem, from looking at the map provided, that Broad Creek is an available alternative.
One thing not mentioned but should be made abundantly clear is that the captain of a boat is RESPONSIBLE for his wake. This is proven law.
Should a sports boat, pursuing a shallow channel need to stay on plane to transit that channel he is responsible for ANY damage caused by his boats wake. The reason is no release of that responsibility. A recent 2015 BoatUS Seaworthy magazine article, I believe, related a story of a sport boat who’s wake overturned a Jon boat and the sports boat was held responsible, even though there was NO, No Wake zone, for the damage caused to the Jon boat and it’s occupants.
You ‘need’ to run through a narrow channel, make sure you understand it could become a costly run.
I don’t doubt that the sportsfisher captains honestly believe that running on plane is essential, but I wonder if any actual measurement has been done to see if this belief is correct? What is the actual draft of their vessel at plane versus at hull speed; what is the actual depth at the entrances? Sure, I’d avoid ruining a $40,000 prop, but I wouldn’t place others at risk of injury or death to do so.