TAMPA, Fla. — A long-discussed proposal to launch commuter rail service in the Tampa Bay area is unlikely to advance after CSX Transportation told local officials it is not interested in selling two rail lines in the area.
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the railroad — which indicated seven years ago that it would consider selling the two routes — said in a statement that it would “review any substantive plan” for commuter rail service, but that its “operations in Tampa are essential to the national supply chain network. Our priority is to protect CSX’s critical assets, preserving our ability to grow and provide reliable, efficient freight rail service to our customers.”
To date, little exists in the way of concrete plans for commuter service, leading David Gwynn, Florida transportation secretary for the region, to tell the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority the railroad is not interested in “spending a lot of time talking about things that are really just pie in the sky.”
Some members of the authority want to proceed with a $500,000 feasibility study on possible commuter service, but others see little reason to proceed unless the railroad is willing to be involved. Authority planner Brian Pressaro told the board that without CSX cooperation, a consultant wouldn’t have access to the CSX right-of-way to assess the condition of the track and what upgrades would be needed.
Another study of commuter rail remains on the long-term plans of the Transportation Planning Organization in Hillsborough County, which includes the Tampa area.
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