View source for Florida East Coast Railway

{{short description|Class II railroad operating in Florida}}
{{For|the passenger service between Cocoa and Miami|Brightline}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox rail
| name              = Florida East Coast Railway
| logo              = Fec_logo_2020.jpg
| logo_size         = 250
| logo_alt          = 
| system_map        = fecmap.png
| map_size          = 250
| map_alt           = 
| map_caption       = Route map
| image             = File:Classic Power.jpg
| image_size        = 250
| alt               = 
| caption           = Three GP40-2s lead a southbound train through [[Lake Worth, Florida]]
| parent_company    = [[Grupo México]]
| headquarters      = [[Jacksonville, Florida]], U.S.
| marks             = FEC
| locale            = [[Florida]]
| start_year        = {{Start date|1885}}
| end_year          = present
| gauge             = {{track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| length            = {{convert|351|mi|abbr=on}}
| tracklength       = 
| notrack           = 
| speed             = 
| website           = {{URL|http://www.fecrwy.com}}
| embedded          = 
| map               = {{FEC Mainline}}
| map_state         = hide
| map_name          = 
}}
The '''Florida East Coast Railway''' {{reporting mark|FEC}} is a [[Class II railroad]] operating in the [[United States|U.S.]] state of [[Florida]], currently owned by [[Grupo México]].

Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a project of [[Standard Oil]] principal [[Henry Flagler]]. He originally visited Florida with his first wife, Mary; they sought assistance with the health issues she faced. A key strategist who worked closely with [[John D. Rockefeller]] building the Standard Oil Trust, Flagler noted both great potential and a lack of services during his stay at [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]]. He subsequently began what amounted to his second career, developing resorts, industries, and communities all along Florida's shores abutting the [[Atlantic Ocean]].

The FEC is possibly best known for [[Overseas Railroad|building the railroad to Key West]], completed in 1912. When the FEC's line from the mainland to Key West was heavily damaged by the [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935]], the State of Florida purchased the remaining right-of-way and bridges south of [[Miami-Dade County, Florida|Dade County]], and they were rebuilt into road bridges for vehicle traffic and became known as the [[Overseas Highway]]. However, a greater and lasting Flagler legacy was the developments along Florida's eastern coast.

During the Great Depression, control was purchased by heirs of the [[du Pont family]]. After 30 years of fragile financial condition, the FEC, under leadership of a new president, [[Edward Ball (businessman)|Ed Ball]], took on the [[labor union]]s. Ball claimed the company could not afford the same costs as larger Class 1 railroads and needed to invest saved funds in its infrastructure, the condition of which was fast becoming a safety issue. The company—using replacement workers—and some of its employees engaged from 1963 until 1977 in one of the longest and more violent labor conflicts of the 20th century. Ultimately, federal authorities had to intervene to stop the violence, which included bombings, shootings and vandalism.<ref name=nyt1964>{{cite news|title=Florida Railroad Strike Is Symbolic of National Test; Company Challenges Established Labor Relations Pattern|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 16, 1964|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/16/archives/florida-railroad-strike-is-symbolic-of-national-test-company.html|access-date=June 27, 2019}}</ref> However, the courts ruled in the FEC's favor with regard to the right to employ [[strikebreaker]]s. During this time Ball invested heavily in numerous steps to improve the railroad's physical plant, and installed various forms of automation. The FEC was the first US railroad to operate two-man train crews, eliminate [[caboose]]s, and end all of its passenger services (which were unprofitable) by 1968.

Today, the company's primary rail revenues come from its [[intermodal shipping container|intermodal]] and rock trains. [[Brightline]], an [[inter-city rail]] route, uses FEC tracks between [[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]] and [[MiamiCentral|Miami]].

The FEC was historically a [[Class I railroad]] owned by [[Florida East Coast Industries]] (FECI) from 2000 to 2016, FOXX Holdings between 1983 and 2000, and the [[St. Joe Company]] prior to 1983.

==History==
===Henry Flagler: developing Florida's east coast===
[[File:Portrait of Henry Morrison Flagler.jpg|thumb|left|Henry M. Flagler]]
The Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) was developed by [[Henry Flagler|Henry Morrison Flagler]], an American [[tycoon]], real estate promoter, railroad developer and [[John D. Rockefeller]]'s partner in [[Standard Oil]].<ref name="Bramson2003pp47-48">{{Harvp|Bramson|2003|pp=47-48}}.</ref> Formed at [[Cleveland, Ohio]], as [[Rockefeller, Andrews & Flagler]] in 1867, Standard Oil moved its headquarters in 1877 to [[New York City]]. Flagler and his family relocated there as well. He was joined by [[Henry H. Rogers]], another leader of Standard Oil who also became involved in the development of America's railroads, including those on nearby [[Staten Island]], the [[Union Pacific Railroad|Union Pacific]], and later in [[West Virginia]], where he eventually built the remarkable [[Virginian Railway]] to transport [[coal]] to [[Hampton Roads]], [[Virginia]].

Flagler's non-Standard Oil interests went in a different direction, however, when in 1878, on the advice of his physician, he traveled to [[Jacksonville, Florida]], for the winter with his first wife, Mary, who was quite ill. Two years after she died in 1881, he married Mary's former caregiver, Ida Alice Shourds. After their wedding, the couple traveled to [[St. Augustine, Florida]], in 1883. Flagler found the city charming, but the hotel facilities and transportation systems inadequate. He recognized Florida's potential to attract out-of-state visitors. Though Flagler remained on the Board of Directors of Standard Oil, he gave up his day-to-day involvement in the firm in order to pursue his Florida interests.

When Flagler returned to Florida, in 1885 he began building a grand St. Augustine hotel, the [[Ponce de Leon Hotel]]. Flagler realized that the key to developing Florida was a solid transportation system.  At the time, St. Augustine was served by the '''Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railway''' (JStA&HR), a {{track gauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] railway that began service in 1883 between South Jacksonville and St. Augustine.  While the JStA&HR was used to transport building materials for the hotel's construction, Flagler found it was poorly constructed and its passenger services would be inadequate for patrons to reach his hotel.  Flagler joined the board of the JStA&HR on December 10, 1885, before fully purchasing the line three weeks later.  Flagler then rehabilitated the line to his standards, purchased new rolling stock, and converting the track to standard gauge.<ref name="Turner 2">{{cite book|last1=Turner|first1=Gregg|title=A Short History of Florida Railroads|date=2003|publisher=Arcadia Publishing}}</ref>{{rp|65–66}}  He built a modern depot facility as well as schools, hospitals and churches, systematically revitalizing the largely abandoned historic city.<ref>{{cite web |title=Florida East Coast Railway |url=https://flaglermuseum.us/history/florida-east-coast-railway |website=Henry Morrison Flagler Museum |access-date=7 December 2022}}</ref>

The Ponce de Leon Hotel opened on January 10, 1888.<ref name="Bramson2003p49">{{Harvp|Bramson|2003|p=49}}.</ref> By April of that year, Flagler acquired a second hotel in St. Augustine, the [[Casa Monica Hotel]], which he renamed Cordova.  He then built a third hotel, the [[Lightner Museum|Hotel Alcazar]], which opened in 1898.<ref name="Bramson2003p49"/> With the success of his three St. Augustine hotels, Flagler incorporated the '''Jacksonville Bridge Company''' to build a bridge across the [[St. Johns River]] and connect the JStA&HR to the rest of Jacksonville's railroads.  Passengers needed to be ferried across the [[St. Johns River]] in Jacksonville to access the line at the time, which was a time-consuming process.  Construction began in 1889 and the bridge opened on January 5, 1890, allowing a direct connection for private railcars and Pullman coaches to reach St. Augustine.<ref>{{cite book|author=Mallery, Paul|title=Bridge and Trestle Handbook|edition=4th|publisher=[[Carstens Publications]]|location=Newton, New Jersey, U.S.|year=2000|isbn=978-0-9118-6899-9}}</ref>

By 1888, Flagler was interested in expanding his network beyond St. Augustine.  He acquired three additional railroads that year to expand further south.  He acquired the '''St. Johns Railway''', which ran from St. Augustine west to the [[St. Johns River]] at Tocoi Landing.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Railway of Firsts |url=https://myfloridahistory.org/webextras/webextras/16 |website=The Florida Historical Society |access-date=7 December 2022}}</ref>  The St. Johns Railway first opened in 1858 and Flagler purchased the line from New York millionaire William Astor.  Flagler also acquired another railroad from Astor, the '''St. Augustine and Palatka Railway''' which ran from Tocoi Junction (about halfway between St. Augustine and Tocoi Landing) on the St. Johns Railway and ran southwest to East Palatka.  Finally, Flagler acquired the '''St. Johns and Halifax River Railroad''' which opened in the early 1880s from East Palatka southeast to [[Ormond Beach, Florida|Ormond Beach]] and [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona]].  It was extended west into Palatka after the completion of a bridge over the St. Johns River in 1888.  In addition to expanding the network, the acquired railroads gave Flagler two additional accesses to the St. Johns River at Tocoi Landing and East Palatka, as well as additional connections to other railroads in Palatka.  Continuing to develop hotel facilities to entice northern tourists to visit Florida, Flagler bought and expanded the [[Ormond Hotel]] in [[Ormond Beach, Florida|Ormond Beach]].<ref name="Turner 2"/>{{rp|66}}

Flagler created the '''Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway Company''' in 1892 as a holding company for his railroad network.<ref name="Bramson">{{cite book |author=Bramson, Seth H. |title=Speedway to Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway|year=2002|publisher=Boston Mills Press|location=Boston|isbn=1-55046-358-6}}</ref>{{rp|27}}

===Expanding further south===
[[Image:FEC Depot Sebastion FL.jpg|thumb|300px|left|The Florida East Coast Railway depot in [[Sebastian, Florida|Sebastian]]. The structure was built in 1893.]]
Beginning in 1892, when landowners south of Daytona petitioned him to extend the railroad {{convert|80|mi}} south, Flagler began laying new railroad tracks; no longer did he follow his traditional practice of purchasing existing railroads and merging them into his growing rail system. Under Florida's generous land-grant laws passed in 1893, {{convert|8000|acre|0}} could be claimed from the state for every mile (1.6&nbsp;km) built. Flagler would eventually claim in excess of {{convert|2000000|acre|ha km²|0|spell=in}} for building his railroad, and land development and trading would become one of his most profitable endeavors.  Flagler obtained a charter from the state of Florida authorizing him to build a railroad along the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]] to [[Miami]], and as the railroad progressed southward, cities such as [[New Smyrna, Florida|New Smyrna]] and [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]] began to develop along the tracks.

The railroad reached [[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]] January 29, 1894.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|68}}  By March 22 of the same year, the railroad system reached what is today known as [[West Palm Beach]]. Flagler constructed the [[Royal Poinciana Hotel]] in Palm Beach overlooking the [[Lake Worth Lagoon]]. He also built the [[Breakers Hotel]] on the ocean side of Palm Beach, and ''[[Flagler Museum|Whitehall]]'', his private 55-room, 60,000 square foot (5,600&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup>) winter home. The development of these three structures, coupled with railroad access to them, established Palm Beach as a winter resort for the wealthy members of America's [[Gilded Age]].

[[Image:1913 Florida East Coast Railway advert.jpg|thumb|250px|right|A 1913 print advertisement extols the many advantages of traveling on the Florida East Coast Railway, the "''New Route to the [[Panama Canal]]''".]]
Palm Beach was to be the terminus of the Flagler railroad, but during 1894 and 1895, [[Great Freeze|severe freezes]] hit all of [[Central Florida]], whereas the Miami area remained unaffected, causing Flagler to rethink his original decision not to move the railroad south of Palm Beach. The fable that [[Julia Tuttle]], one of two main landowners in the Miami area along with the Brickell family, sent [[orange (fruit)|orange blossom]]s to Flagler to prove to him that Miami, unlike the rest of the state, was unaffected by the [[frost]], is untrue. The truth is that she wired him to advise him that "the region around the shores of Biscayne Bay is untouched by the freezes." He sent his two lieutenants, James E. Ingraham and [[Joseph R. Parrott]]—now famous in Florida history—to investigate; they brought boxes of truck (produce) and citrus back to Flagler, who then wired Tuttle, asking, "Madam, what is it that you propose?" To convince Flagler to continue the railroad to Miami, both Tuttle and [[William Brickell]] offered half of their holdings north and south of the Miami River to him. Tuttle added {{convert|50|acre|m2}} for shops and yards if Flagler would extend his railroad to the shores of Biscayne Bay and build one of his great hotels. An agreement was made and contracts were signed. On September 7, 1895, the name of Flagler's system was officially changed from the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway Company to the '''Florida East Coast Railway Company''' and incorporated.<ref>{{cite news |first= Amy |last= Keller |date= September 1, 2008 |url= http://www.floridatrend.com/print_article.asp?aID=49568 |title= Fla. companies with promise |work=Florida Trend}}</ref> The Florida East Coast Railway reached [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]] on March 3, 1896.  On April 15, 1896, track reached [[Biscayne Bay]], the site of present-day downtown Miami. At the time, it was a small settlement of less than 50 inhabitants. When the town incorporated, on July 28, 1896, its citizens wanted to honor the man responsible for the city's development by naming it Flagler. He declined the honor, persuading them to retain its old Indian name, "Miami." The area was actually previously known as [[Fort Dallas]] after the fort built there in 1836 during the [[Second Seminole War]]. To further develop the area surrounding the Miami railroad station, Flagler dredged a channel, built streets and [[Royal Palm Hotel (Miami)|The Royal Palm Hotel]], instituted the first water and power systems, and financed the town's first newspaper, the ''Metropolis''.

In 1903, Flagler extended the main line an additional 12 miles from Downtown Miami southwest to access much of the unsettled lowlands near [[Cutler Bay, Florida|Cutler Ridge]] which he felt could generate agricultural traffic.  This proved successful and the following year, the line was extended to [[Homestead, Florida|Homestead]].<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|57}}<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|69–70}}

===Labor issues===
Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, the fledgling rail empire extensively employed convict labor from largely African-American convicts.  While most Southern states employed a form of [[convict lease]] at the time, renting prisoners' labor to various businesses, Florida's version of convict lease was considered "especially violent" compared to the others.<ref name="wapolabor">{{cite news |last1=Bowman |first1=Bryan |last2 = Forde |first2=Kathy Roberts |date=May 17, 2018 |title=How slave labor built the state of Florida – decades after the Civil War |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/made-by-history/wp/2018/05/17/how-slave-labor-built-the-state-of-florida-decades-after-the-civil-war/?noredirect=on& |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=December 13, 2018 }}</ref>

According to historian Joe Knetsch, reformers and muckrakers exaggerated charges of peonage regarding construction of the Florida East Coast Railway in 1893 to 1909.  Flager and his lawyers defeated all legal challenges and neither the company or its employees were ever convicted in court. However, there were many reports of harsh working conditions and forced indebtedness to the company, and malfeasance by labor agents who hired men for the railway. Knetsch concludes that "Flagler in fact provided health care for his employees and was a far better employer than the press alleged."<ref>Joe  Knetsch, "The Peonage Controversy and the Florida East Coast Railway," ''Tequesta'' (1999), Vol. 59, pp 5-28.</ref>

===Key West extension===
{{Main|Overseas Railroad}}{{See also|History of Key West#20th Century}}[[File:Florida east coast causeway to Key West (CJ Allen, Steel Highway, 1928).jpg|thumb|left|''en route'' to Key West]]
Once the railroad reached Homestead in 1904, Flagler then sought perhaps his greatest challenge: the extension of the Florida East Coast Railway to Key West, a city of almost 20,000 inhabitants located {{convert|128|mi|km}} beyond the end of the Florida [[peninsula]]. He became particularly interested in linking Key West to the mainland after the construction of the [[Panama Canal]] was announced by the United States in 1905. As the closest deep-water port in the United States to the canal, Key West was positioned to take advantage of significant new trade with the west that would be enabled by the opening of the canal{{snd}}this, in addition to the city's existing involvement with [[Cuba]]n and [[Latin America]]n trade.  Key West was a major coaling station for ship traffic between South America and New York. Flagler thought it would be profitable for coal to be brought by railroad to Key West for coaling those ships. Though, by the time the extension was finished, the range of ships had been extended to such a degree that they no longer stopped in Key West for coal.

[[File:First Train to Key West.jpg|thumb|right|First Florida East Coast Railway train arriving in Key West]]
The construction of the Overseas Railroad required many engineering innovations as well as vast amounts of labor and monetary resources. Many considered the Key West extension a folly as it was one of the most daring infrastructure ever built exclusively with private funds.  At one time during construction, four thousand men were employed.  During the seven years of construction, three [[hurricane]]s threatened to halt the project.  This included the [[1906 Florida Keys hurricane]], which killed 135 of Flagler's workers.<ref name="ams">{{cite web|url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1906.pdf|title=Monthly Weather Review|year=1906|work=[[American Meteorological Society]]|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|pages=479–480|access-date=October 11, 2011}}</ref>

The Key West extension cost $50 million and the lives of hundreds of workmen.  Workers toiled under conditions sufficiently cruel and harsh that the US Justice Department prosecuted the FECR under a federal slave-kidnapping law.<ref name="wapolabor" />  Journalists also chronicled conditions of [[debt peonage]] wherein immigrant labor was threatened with prohibitive transportation fees to leave Key West after seeing the unsafe and disease-ridden conditions, essentially forcing them to stay.<ref>{{cite news |last=Barry |first=Richard |date=March 1907 |title=Slavery in the South Today |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Uo558Ql8vSEC&q=richard+barry+cosmopolitan+slavery+in+the+south&pg=PA481 |work=[[Cosmopolitan (magazine)|The Cosmopolitan]] |access-date=December 13, 2018 }}</ref>

Despite the hardships, the final link of the Florida East Coast Railway to [[Trumbo Point]] in Key West was completed in 1912. The first train, a construction engineers' train, arrived in Key West on January 21, 1912.  The next day, which is considered the first day of service on the new route, a proud Henry Flagler rode the first passenger train into Key West, marking the completion of the railroad's oversea connection to Key West and the linkage by railway of the entire east coast of Florida.  The completed extension was widely known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".<ref>{{cite book|last=Standiford|first=Les|title=Last Train to Paradise|page=77|date=2002|publisher=Broadway Paperbacks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XB5SAAAAMAAJ|isbn=978-1-4000-4947-9}}</ref>  Upon his arrival in Key West, Flagler stated "Now I can die in peace" with pride in his achievement.  Flagler died 16 months later in May 1913.<ref>{{cite web |title=Henry Flagler: The Railroad Visionary Who Changed the Keys Forever |url=https://fla-keys.com/news/article/8286/ |website=Florida Keys News |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>

==FEC through the years==
===Effect of the Florida land boom and Great Depression===
The Florida East Coast Railway benefitted greatly from the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s]], which led to increased traffic. By 1923, the FEC was running five daily passenger trains roundtrip between Jacksonville and Miami.  Two of these trains, the ''Havana Special'' and the ''Key West Express'' continued to Key West.  The following year, the number of passenger trains between Jacksonville and Miami increased to eight with two continuing to Key West.  In response to the land boom, the FEC made investments to their network to increase capacity.  Within the decade, FEC built Bowden Yard in Jacksonville and the Miller Shops in St. Augustine.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|144}}  In 1923, the FEC built the Miami Belt Line, a freight route that ran from Little River through Hialeah that reconnected with the main line in Larkin (near [[Kendall, Florida|Kendall]]), bypassing downtown Miami. A yard was also built in Hialeah.<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|100}}  In 1925, the Moultrie Cutoff was built to shorten the distance between St. Augustine and [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]] (just north of [[Ormond Beach, Florida|Ormond Beach]]) on the main line by bypassing its turn towards Palatka.<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|101}} The [[Main line (railway)|main line]] was also expanded to [[Double-track railway|double track]] from Jacksonville to Miami in 1926, along with the installation of [[automatic block signaling]].<ref name="Turner 1">{{cite book |last=Turner |first=Gregg M. |title=Florida Railroads in the 1920s |year=2005 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing}}</ref><ref name="Timeline">{{cite web |title=FEC Historical Timeline |url=http://www.fecrs.com/timeline.html |website=Florida East Coast Railway Society |access-date=30 June 2021}}</ref>  Many of the bridges were rebuilt when the main line was expanded to double track, including the original bridge over the [[St. Johns River]] in Jacksonville which was replaced by the current [[FEC Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge|Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge]].  By the end of 1926, the number of passenger trains from Jacksonville to Miami increased to 12, with some continuing to Key West.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|143–144}}

Due to the prosperity of [[South Florida]] during the land boom, the [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] brought competition to the region by building a line from [[Central Florida]] to West Palm Beach in 1925.  This line was [[Miami Subdivision|extended to Miami]] and Homestead on a route nearly parallel to the FEC two years later.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|118}}

The [[Stock Market Crash of 1929]] and [[Great Depression]] were harsh on the FEC. The railroad declared bankruptcy and was in receivership by September 1931, 18 years after Flagler's death. Bus service began to be substituted for trains on the branches in 1932. Streamliners plied the rails between 1939 and 1963, including ''[[Champion (train)|The East Coast Champion]]'' (from New York), ''[[Florida Special (train)|The Florida Special]]'' (from New York), ''[[City of Miami (train)|City of Miami]]'' (from Chicago), ''[[Dixie Flagler]]'' (from Chicago) and ''[[South Wind (train)|South Wind]]'' (from Chicago), all of which were jointly operated with the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]].

===Labor Day Hurricane of 1935===
The Key West extension was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935]].  An FEC rescue train, with the exception of steam locomotive 447, was overturned by the [[storm surge]] at [[Islamorada, Florida|Islamorada]].  {{Convert|42|mi|km|abbr=}} of track were washed away by the hurricane, two miles of which ended up washing ashore on the mainland at [[Cape Sable]].  The FEC's [[Long Key Fishing Camp]] was also destroyed in the storm.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hopkins|first1=Alice|title=The Development of the Overseas Highway|url=http://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1986/86_1_04.pdf|website=FIU Digital Collections|publisher=Florida International University|access-date=30 June 2015|archive-date=September 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924105612/http://digitalcollections.fiu.edu/tequesta/files/1986/86_1_04.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Traffic was immediately embargoed south of [[Florida City, Florida|Florida City]] after the storm while the Florida East Coast Railway decided whether or not to restore the line.<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|119–121}}

The Florida East Coast Railway quickly determined that it was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections.  The roadbed and remaining bridges south of Florida City were then sold to the state of Florida, which built the [[Overseas Highway]] to Key West, using much of the remaining railway infrastructure.  A rebuilt Overseas Highway ([[U.S. Route 1 (Florida)|U.S. Route 1]]), taking an alignment that closely follows the Overseas Railroad's original routing, continues to provide the only highway link to Key West, ending near the southernmost point in the continental United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://overseasrailroad.railfan.net/today.htm |title=today }}</ref>  The remaining [[Long Key Bridge|Long Key Viaduct]], [[Seven Mile Bridge]], and [[Bahia Honda Rail Bridge]] that once carried the Key West extension still stand and are on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wilkinson|first1=Jerry|title=HISTORY of the OVERSEAS HIGHWAY|url=http://www.keyshistory.org/osh.html|website=KEYS HISTOREUM|publisher=Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys|access-date=June 1, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Overseas Highway and Railway Bridges |url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/79000684 |website=National Park Service |access-date=13 December 2022}}</ref>

===Change in ownership===
In the early 1960s, [[Edward Ball (businessman)|Edward Ball]], who controlled the [[Alfred I. duPont Testamentary Trust]], bought a majority ownership of FEC, buying its bonds on the open market, allowing the FEC to emerge from bankruptcy following protracted litigation with a group of the company's other bondholders, led by [[S.A. Lynch]] and associated with the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|Atlantic Coast Line]] which had proposed an alternate plan of reorganization. That same year, a labor contract negotiation turned sour. Ball was determined to save the railroad from the bankruptcy that had continued for more than a decade. Ball was certain that if the company didn't become profitable, the equipment and track would deteriorate to the point where some lines would become unsafe or unusable and require partial abandonment. Later, in 1962, the expanded  [[United States embargo against Cuba#Kennedy era|Cuban embargo]]{{Broken anchor|date=2025-07-09|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=United States embargo against Cuba#Kennedy era|reason= The anchor (Kennedy era) [[Special:Diff/997497469|has been deleted]].|diff_id=997497469}} added to the woes.

[[Image:FEC Florida Special train.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Trains such as the ''[[Florida Special (train)|Florida Special]]'' helped make the state the tourist destination it is today.]]

===Labor conflict===
Having gained total control of the FEC by 1960, Ball sought to make the railroad profitable again by holding down wages. Despite the recommendation of a [[National Mediation Board]] convened by [[John F. Kennedy|President Kennedy]] in 1962, Ball refused to grant FEC workers a 10-cents-an-hour raise, accepted by 192 other railroads, claiming that the FEC could not afford to raise wages.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Altman |first1=Burton |title="In the Public Interest?" Ed Ball and the FEC Railway War |journal=Florida Historical Quarterly |date=1985 |volume=64 |issue=1 |page=35 |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3743&context=fhq |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref> This led to a prolonged [[work stoppage]] by non-operating unions, beginning January 23, 1963, and whose [[Picketing (protest)|picket lines]] were honored by the operating unions (the train crews).

Because the strike was by the non-operating unions, a federal judge ordered the railroad to continue observing their work rules, while the railroad was free to change the work rules for the operating unions, who were technically not on strike and thus had no standing in the federal court regarding the strike.

Ball's use of replacement workers to keep the railroad running during the strike led to violence by strikers that included shootings and bombings; a number of freight trains were derailed or blown up.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Altman |first1=Burton |title="In the Public Interest?" Ed Ball and the FEC Railway War |journal=Florida Historical Quarterly |date=1985 |volume=64 |issue=1 |page=32 |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3743&context=fhq |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref><ref name=nyt1964 /> Eventually, federal intervention helped quell the violence, and the railroad's right to operate during the strike with replacement workers was affirmed by the [[United States Supreme Court]]. The FEC continued operation with heavily reduced non-union crews (often former strikers), at the cost of a high turnover rate, low morale, and deteriorating infrastructure.<ref name=altman1985>{{cite journal |last1=Altman |first1=Burton |title="In the Public Interest?" Ed Ball and the FEC Railway War |journal=Florida Historical Quarterly |date=1985 |volume=64 |issue=1 |page=46 |url=https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3743&context=fhq |access-date=12 December 2022}}</ref>

Most of the unions struck an agreement with the FEC in 1971; the [[United Transportation Union]] and the [[Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers]] remained on strike until March 1, 1974, until the courts forced a settlement.  According to historian Burton Altman:<ref name=altman1985/>
<blockquote>After the settlement, workers were earning at least one dollar an hour less than their counterparts on other railroads. Wages were well below the industry's scale and the work force had been cut in half. When the strike began, 1,600 walked out. In time, 900 went back to work on the company's terms; others found employment elsewhere. Only about 100 stayed out until the end, and many of them could not return to work because they could no longer pass the required physical examinations or were too old to work. The end of the strike also ended their meager benefits that had enabled members to survive.</blockquote>
After Ball's death in 1981, Raymond Wyckoff took the helm of the company on May 30, 1984.

===Strike's impacts on passenger service===
From the beginning of the strike, the long-distance named passenger trains rerouted over an [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] route through the central interior of the peninsula south from Jacksonville to [[Auburndale, Florida|Auburndale]], and the [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] route south from Auburndale completed the trip to West Palm Beach and Miami.<ref>Atlantic Coast Line Railroad timetable, December 14, 1962, Table 15</ref><ref>Atlantic Coast Line Railroad timetable, December 13, 1963, Table 14</ref> The strike and the resulting interior rerouting marked the end of long-distance coastal service between Jacksonville and West Palm Beach. Any resumed service later, in 1965, was strictly intrastate trains operated by the FEC.

Passenger service became a political issue in Florida during the early years of the labor strike, which essentially lasted 14 years, from 1963 to 1977. At the insistence of the City of Miami—which had long fought to get rid of the tracks in the downtown section just north of the county courthouse—Miami's wooden-constructed downtown passenger terminal was demolished by November 1963.<ref —name="nyt">{{cite news |first=Ward Allan |last=Howe |title=The Florida Run: Railroads Anticipating a Busy Winter – New Schedule Effective Dec. 13 |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1963/11/03/121494563.pdf |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 3, 1963 |page=XX13 |access-date=March 29, 2011}}</ref> Although a new station was planned at NE 36th Street and NE 2nd Avenue,<ref name="mianews">{{cite news |first=Paul |last=Einstein |title=It's Coming Down This Week! |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SKwyAAAAIBAJ&dq=fec%20station&pg=1629%2C2569593 |work=[[The Miami News]] |date=September 23, 1963 |page=2A |access-date=March 29, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> it was never built.

Further, while [[freight train]]s were operated with non-union and supervisory crews, passenger runs were not reinstated until August 2, 1965, after the City of Miami sued and the Florida courts ruled that the FEC corporate charter required both coach and first class passenger services to be offered. In response, FEC sold "parlor car seating" for first class accommodations in the rear lounge section of a [[Lounge car#Tavern-lounge cars|tavern-lounge-observation]] car. Train service operated daily, except Sunday.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Florida East Coast Railway|journal=Official Guide of the Railways |publisher=National Railway Publication Company |volume=99 |issue=7 |date=December 1966}}</ref> This new state-mandated passenger service consisted of a single [[diesel locomotive]] and two streamlined passenger cars, which, in addition to the operating crew, were staffed by a passenger service agent and a coach attendant, who were "non-operating". The mini-streamliner operated all of the way across three previously observed crew districts (Jacksonville to New Smyrna Beach to Fort Pierce to Miami). Following the letter of the law, the passenger service was bare bones. The trains carried no [[baggage]], remains, mail or express and honored no inter-line tickets or passes.<ref name="Bramson"/>{{rp|151}} The only food service was a box lunch (at Cocoa-Rockledge in 1966). On-board beverage service was limited to soft drinks and coffee. Without a station in Miami, the 1950s-era station in North Miami became the southern terminus. This stripped-down service operated six days a week until it was finally discontinued on July 31, 1968.

==FEC in the 21st century==
[[File:St Aug FL FEC Buildings pano02.jpg|thumb|right|Old office buildings in St. Augustine]]
[[File:FEC 1594 EMD E8A.jpg|thumb|right|Florida East Coast Railway #1594 at [[Gold Coast Railroad Museum]]]]

===Routing===
The Florida East Coast Railway has operated from its relocated headquarters in Jacksonville since it sold the original General Office Building in St. Augustine to [[Flagler College]] in late 2006. Its trains run over nearly the same route developed by Henry Flagler, with the addition of the Moultrie Cutoff (St. Augustine to [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]]), which was built in 1925 to shorten the main line south of St. Augustine.

===Leadership===
In March 2005, Robert Anestis stepped down as CEO of [[Florida East Coast Industries]] after a four-year stint, allowing Adolfo Henriquez to assume that position, with John D. McPherson, a long-time railroad man, continuing as president of the railway itself. By this time, the railroad had long since made peace with its workers.

In late 2007, in a move surprising to many employees and railroad industry observers alike, the FEC was purchased for over US$3 billion (including non-rail assets) by [[Fortress Investment Group]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Private equity firm to buy Florida East Coast |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-private-equit/133357012/ |access-date=13 October 2023 |work=South Florida Sun Sentinel |date=10 May 2007 |pages=43, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-florida-sun-sentinel-p44/133357156/ 44] | via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> the principal investors who also control [[short line railroad]] operator [[RailAmerica]]. John Giles was named chairman, and David Rohal was named president. Both men were also principals with major responsibilities at RailAmerica as well, although the ownership of FEC and RailAmerica were not linked corporately, and the spinoff of RailAmerica as a publicly traded company did not include FEC.

In May 2010, James Hertwig was named as president and chief executive officer of the company effective July 1, 2010. Hertwig had recently retired from [[CSX]], most recently having served as president of CSX Intermodal, one of CSX's major operating units.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/hertwig-named-florida-east-coast-railway-ceo-3379 |title=Hertwig named Florida East Coast Railway CEO |publisher=Historiccity.com |date=May 28, 2010 |access-date=May 15, 2012 |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301075651/http://www.historiccity.com/2010/staugustine/news/florida/hertwig-named-florida-east-coast-railway-ceo-3379 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

James Hertwig retired as president and chief executive officer of the company effective December 31, 2017, and was replaced by Nathan Asplund as the railway was purchased by [[Grupo México]] and now manages it along with its other transport interests.

===Operations===
The FEC operations today are dominated by "intermodal" trains and unit rock (limestone) trains. Passenger service was discontinued in 1968 after labor unrest but later resumed (under a different operator) with the introduction of [[Brightline]] in 2018.

The company's major income-earning sources are its rock trains, transporting primarily limestone, and intermodal trains. FEC freight trains operate on precise schedules. Trains are not held for missed connections or late loadings.  Most of the trains are paired so that they leave simultaneously from their starting points and meet halfway through the run and swap crews, so they are back home at the end of their runs. The FEC pioneered operation with 2 man crews with no crew districts, which they were able to start doing after the 1963 strike. The entire railroad adopted [[automatic train control]] (ATC) after a fatal 1987 collision caused by a crew not obeying signaling. {{Citation needed|date=April 2019}}.

FEC has what is called by some a "prime" railroad right-of-way. The heavy weight of the rock trains required very good trackage and bridges. The railroad has mostly 136 pound-per-yard (66&nbsp;kg/m) continuous-welded rail attached to concrete ties, which sits on a high quality granite roadbed.  The entire railroad is controlled by centralized traffic control with constant radio communication.  Because the railroad has only minor grades, it takes very little horsepower to pull very long trains at speed. {{convert|60|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} trains are a normal FEC operating standard.

====Passenger service====
{{Main article|Brightline}}
The FEC was already in the freight-only business when [[Amtrak]] was created and assumed passenger operations of nearly all U.S. railroads' passenger services in 1971. Periodically, there has been speculation that the southern end of the FEC line might be used for a [[commuter rail]] service to complement the existing [[Tri-Rail]] line (which follows former CSX tracks to the west). There has also been some discussion about Amtrak or the State of Florida using FEC lines for a more direct route between Jacksonville and Miami.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Orlando Sun-Sentinel |date=February 22, 2013 |first=Angel |last=Streeter |title=Amtrak still hopeful for service on FEC tracks |url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-02-22/news/fl-amtrak-florida-east-coast-railroad-20130215_1_amtrak-service-fec-passenger-service |access-date=January 28, 2018 |archive-date=January 29, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180129140701/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-02-22/news/fl-amtrak-florida-east-coast-railroad-20130215_1_amtrak-service-fec-passenger-service |url-status=dead }}</ref> The company has more recently indicated that it is open to allowing commuter rail services along its lines, with potential service areas in Miami-Dade County,<ref name=Scheckner2021>{{cite news |last1=Scheckner |first1=Jesse |title=After $345 million buildout, Brightline to run new intercity rail |url=https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2021/03/23/after-345-million-buildout-brightline-to-run-new-intercity-rail/ |access-date=6 April 2021 |agency=Miami Today |date=23 March 2021}}</ref> Broward County,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lester |first1=David C. |title=Florida's Broward County considering commuter rail line in FEC corridor |url=https://www.rtands.com/passenger/floridas-broward-county-considering-commuter-rail-line-in-fec-corridor/ |access-date=12 September 2021 |agency=Railway Track and Structure |date=24 August 2021}}</ref> and Jacksonville's [[First Coast Commuter Rail]].

In March 2012 FEC Industries (not FEC Railway) proposed a privately owned and operated service between Miami and Orlando along its route, to be named ''All Aboard Florida.'' New high speed trackage would be built between [[Brevard County]] (the oceanside county east of Orlando) and [[Orlando International Airport]].  In addition to the new track, the main line is once again being expanded to [[Double-track railway|double track]] from Brevard County to Miami (some of the bridges still have adequate width from the previous double track). In 2014 the very first beginnings of All Aboard Florida commenced with studies and actual construction of the first phase, and construction began in November 2014. In 2015, AAF announced they would operate the service under the name ''Brightline.'' Since 2018, [[Brightline]] has had service on an initial stretch between [[West Palm Beach station (Brightline)|West Palm Beach]] and [[MiamiCentral|Miami]], with a station in [[Fort Lauderdale station (Brightline)|Fort Lauderdale]] in between. In 2022, two additional stations in [[Boca Raton station (Brightline)|Boca Raton]] and [[Aventura station|Aventura]] were added. A new railway extension to [[Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal|Orlando International Airport]] started service in 2023, and a future rail expansion to [[Tampa, Florida|Tampa]] is currently in the planning stages.

====Rock trains====
A lifeblood of the FEC is its transportation of high-grade [[limestone]], which is used in the formulation for concrete and other construction purposes. The limestone is quarried near Miami in the "Lake Belt" area of Dade County and [[Broward County, Florida|Broward County]] just west of [[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]]. The rock trains come out of the FEC yard at [[Medley, Florida|Medley]] in [[Miami-Dade County]] and the southern end of the FEC service area. Shipments currently are principally for materials dealers Titan and [[Rinker Group|Rinker]].

Rinker has since been sold and is now part of the multi-national [[Cemex]]. Rock train traffic dropped dramatically in 2008 with the elimination of all but one dedicated rock train. Other rock loads are now added onto other regular trains. Up until mid 2017, only one rock train remained, which is called the "unit train" and operates between Miami and City Point. Since then, rock traffic has rebounded, and the railroad has since added a second unit rock train which handles Ft. Pierce bound rock.

====Intermodal services====
The [[Intermodal freight transport|intermodal traffic]] includes interchanged shipments with CSX and Norfolk Southern, participation in EMP container service operated by UP and Norfolk Southern, [[United Parcel Service]] (UPS) piggyback trailers, trailers going to the [[Wal-Mart]] distribution center at [[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]], and [[intermodal shipping container]] traffic through the ports of [[Port of Miami|Miami]], [[Port Everglades, Florida|Port Everglades]] (adjacent to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and the principal source of imports), Port of Palm Beach/Lake Worth Inlet, and [[Port Canaveral, Florida|Port Canaveral]].

Additionally FEC offers "Hurricane Service" offering trucking companies the opportunity of having their trailers piggybacked out of Jacksonville to save the expensive cost of back-hauling empty trailers.

Starting in 2012 the FEC began an aggressive project to reopen direct rail service to the ports of [[Port of Miami|Miami]], and [[Port Everglades, Florida|Port Everglades]]. This is in anticipation of the expansion of the [[Panama Canal]] and the expected increase of intermodal traffic. In 2013 the drawbridge at the [[Port of Miami]] was repaired and reactivated and trains began to roll. In 2014 a new container shuttle was put into operation between Hialeah Yard and the [[Port of Miami]]. Also in 2014, the new rail lines into [[Port Everglades, Florida|Port Everglades]] were opened,  allowing direct access for FEC trains into the port. Further, a new transfer facility in Hialeah Yard will add additional intermodal transfer between trains, trucks, and planes. This facility opened in 2015. Additional capacity improvements are planned at other ports as well as the FEC's mainline.

====Other freight====
[[File:Produce being loaded into refrigerated cars FEC.jpg|left|thumb|Produce being loaded into FEC refrigerated cars in the 1950s]]
The FEC also hauls normal "manifest" freight to and from points along its right of way. These cars are hauled on whatever train is going that way, so intermodal and rock trains routinely have some manifest cars in their consists.

Additionally, the FEC currently transports [[Tropicana Products]] "[[Juice Train]]" cars to and from one of the company's processing facilities located on the "K" Line. The Juice Train concept was developed by Tropicana founder [[Anthony T. Rossi]] in conjunction with [[Seaboard Coast Line Railroad]] (a CSX predecessor) beginning in 1970.

====Motive power====
The FEC completed its "second generation" dieselization with the purchase{{when|date=December 2022}} of 49 GP40s and GP40-2s and 11 GP38-2s, ranging in the 400's.  Most of these locomotives were extensively rebuilt, with others being retired.  In 2002, the FEC acquired 20 ex-UP SD40-2s, which were numbered in the 700s. These ex-UP locomotives remained in their original colors with FEC markings;  however, as of 2014 seven of them had been repainted into the "retro" Champion scheme. As of 2015 most of these were leased to [[CSX Transportation|CSXT]].

In 2006 the FEC leased four SD70M-2's numbered in the 100 series (100-103), in a blue and yellow livery known by fans as the "Classic" or the "Alaskan" schemes.  In 2009 when RailAmerica came into the picture, they added four more SD70M-2's (104-107) in the red, pearl, and blue scheme, which was the standard RailAmerica scheme. That brought the total SD70M-2 count to eight.

Seeking further power improvements, in 2009, the FEC leased three CITX SD70M-2's, making the count now of 11 of the big EMD's. These locomotives were numbered 140, 141 and 142; all were blue and white striped units. All of the SD70M-2's served on the railway until the end of 2014, when they were replaced with new power. The fleet GP38-2s were used principally for yard and road switching as well as the occasional local.  The others were used as available in road service. Some test runs were made to observe the effect on fuel consumption of dynamic braking and combinations of new and old power.

In 2014 the railway purchased 24 [[GE ES44C4]]s, its first General Electric and AC powered locomotives. All of the GE's were delivered by the end of 2014, with the first arriving on November 21, 2014. In 2015 the railway began to experiment with LNG fuel that will help with costs and efficiency. With the arrival of the GE's the majority of the FEC's SD40-2's and a number of the SD70M-2's were temporarily leased to CSXT. As of year end 2017, all SD70M-2's had been returned to their respective leasing companies. Most of the SD40-2's remained on the FEC with the exception of leases to other companies.

=====LNG fuel=====
FEC is the only US railroad actively using [[liquefied natural gas]], a much cleaner fuel than diesel, to power its 24 dual fuel [[GE ES44C4]] locomotives.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/oliverwyman/2017/09/26/railroads-versus-trucks-the-one-willing-to-invest-in-innovation-is-likely-to-win/|title=As Trucks Get More Efficient, Railroads' Competitive Edge Is Eroding|last=Wyman|first=Oliver|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=December 26, 2018}}</ref> The locomotives are used in pairs with an LNG fuel tender between them.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://files.chartindustries.com/FEC-LNG-FloridaEastCoastRailwayCaseStudy.pdf |title=FEC goes LNG |first=William C. |last=Vantuono |date=November 10, 2017 |website=www.railwayage.com |via=files.chartindustries.com}}</ref>

===Statistics===
In 1925 FEC carried 979 million ton-miles of revenue freight and 261 million passenger miles on (at year-end) 849 miles of road and 1411 miles of track; corresponding numbers for 1970 were 1345, 0, 554 and 1058.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}

In 2005 FEC owned and operated:<ref name=BWEEK>{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=272911|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212081857/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=272911|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 12, 2010|title=Florida East Coast Industries, LLC: Private Company Information - Businessweek|work=Businessweek.com}}</ref>
* {{convert|351|mi}} of mainline track between Jacksonville and Miami, Florida
* {{convert|277|mi}} of branch, switching, and other secondary track
* {{convert|158|mi}} of yard track

Flagler Development owned and operated:
* 64 buildings
* 7.4 million rentable square feet

==Motive fleet==
[[File:FEC202-02.JPG|thumb|right|FEC202-02 with 101 & Champion 714.]]
[[File:FEC920-06.JPG|thumb|right|FEC920-06 (local) with 415 on lead.]]
[[File:FEC No. 446.jpg|thumb|FEC #446, an EMD GP40-3]]
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Road numbers
! Model
! Notes
|-
| 100–107, 140–142
| [[EMD SD70M-2]]
| Numbers 104–107 are painted in RailAmerica's red, pearl and blue colors; Numbers 100–103 were sold off to the Vermont Railway and Providence and Worcester.  Numbers 140–142 are painted in CITX blue with white stripes. 100–107 were leased from EMD and returned by the end of 2014. 140–142 are leased from CITX and scheduled to be returned by the end of 2014. CSXT leased FEC 104–107 in 2015, but they are now in storage at the FEC New Smyrna Beach Yard. CSXT also leased CITX 140, 141, and 142 but have been returned to the leaser. 
|-
| 401–410
| [[EMD GP40]]
| 402 wrecked, parts traded in for #424. Reportedly, #406 was painted yellow, red & black and numbered 2000. 406 / 2000 along with the 403 left the property in 2013. FEC 2000 and 403 were the last pure GP40's left on the railway. All other GP40's have been scrapped or sent off to various RailAmerica roads. 
|-
| 411–414, 16–18, 20–22, 24–27, 29–38, 40 and 443
| [[EMD GP40-2]]
| 423 reblt to #437; 426 on the cover of country musician Randy Dukes’ album Riding the Rails. 416 repainted into the 1960s "retro blue" in 2013 and a number of others have followed. FEC 434 was the very last GP40-2 ever built by EMD and is still in service on the railway. 412 and 414 have been repainted into a new livery applied by new owner [[Grupo México]].
|-
| 415, 419, 428, 439, 441
| EMD GP40-3
|
|-
| 444–449
| EMD GP40-3
| Rebuilt GP40s; dynamic brake equipped. Off the property.
|-
| 501–511
| [[EMD GP38-2]]
|502 acquired by Chesapeake & Albemarle Railroad. 503 and 504 acquired by North Carolina & Virginia Railroad. 501 and 507 have been repainted into "retro blue".  505 and 506 to the South Carolina Central RR. 509 acquired by Missouri and Northern Arkansas Railroad.
|-
| 701–720
| [[EMD SD40-2]]
| Ex-Union Pacific; Nos 703, 711, 713, 714, 715, 716 & 720 were overhauled & repainted into a yellow, red and black scheme. These units are painted in what is referred to as the "Champion" scheme that was used on the FEC E-units.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2840226 |title=FEC 143 |publisher=Rrpicturearchives.net |access-date=May 15, 2012}}</ref>   Unit 701 was completely destroyed after a derailment on May 9, 2009. All SD40-2 units except for 711 and 715 were being used by CSX as leasers in 2015–2016 and have returned to FEC. 
|-
| 2000
| EMD GP40
| Originally numbered 406 and was a commemorative unit painted in "champion-esque" yellow, red and black. This unit left the property in 2013.
|-
| Progress Rail 3576 & 3578
| EMD SD40-2
|
|-
| Progress Rail 9917
| EMD SD40-2
|
|-
| 800–823
| [[GE ES44C4]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railwayage.com/index.php/mechanical/locomotives/fec-taps-ge-transportation-for-24-locomotives.html?channel=35|title= FEC taps GE Transportation for 24 locomotives |date= January 30, 2014 |publisher=Railway Age |access-date=January 31, 2014}}</ref> 
| Delivered in November–December 2014; painted in the "champion" scheme.
|}

==Awards and recognition==
On May 16, 2006, FEC was the recipient of the Gold [[E. H. Harriman Award]] for safety in Group C (line-haul railroad companies with fewer than 4&nbsp;million employee hours per year).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application;JSESSIONID_nscorp=E0D2wDZLZ8t844Gn6WZDlSVqmCEM2UEJtEicpNZ1tBcpy4wFlISk!-1862265230?origin=content.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=NS+News&contentId=english/nscorp/news/whats_new/whats_new/news051606.html |title=Railroads Set Another Employee Safety Record in 2005 |author=Association of American Railroads (reprinted by Norfolk Southern Railway) |date=May 16, 2006 |access-date=May 24, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070213232521/http://www.nscorp.com/nscorp/application%3BJSESSIONID_nscorp%3DE0D2wDZLZ8t844Gn6WZDlSVqmCEM2UEJtEicpNZ1tBcpy4wFlISk%21-1862265230?origin=content.jsp&event=bea.portal.framework.internal.refresh&pageid=NS%2BNews&contentId=english%2Fnscorp%2Fnews%2Fwhats_new%2Fwhats_new%2Fnews051606.html |archive-date=February 13, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Corporate history==
[[File:Florida East Coast Railway GE Locomotives.jpg|thumb|An FEC train led by a pair of ES44C4 locomotives in 2015]]
The '''Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway Company''' was incorporated under the general incorporation laws of [[Florida]] to own and operate a railroad from Jacksonville in [[Duval County, Florida|Duval county]], through the counties of [[Duval County, Florida|Duval]], [[St. Johns County, Florida|St. Johns]], [[Putnam County, Florida|Putnam]], [[Volusia County, Florida|Volusia]], [[Brevard County, Florida|Brevard]], [[Orange County, Florida|Orange]], [[Osceola County, Florida|Osceola]], Dade, [[Polk County, Florida|Polk]] and [[Hillsborough County, Florida|Hillsborough]].

[[Florida]] state law chapter 4260, approved May 31, 1893, [[land grants|granted land]] to the railroad.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} At that time, it was already in operation from Jacksonville to [[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]], the part south of Daytona having been constructed by them. The company had just filed a certificate changing and extending its lines on and across the [[Florida Keys]] to Key West in [[Monroe County, Florida|Monroe County]].

The name was changed to the '''Florida East Coast Railway Company''' on September 7, 1895.

'''Florida East Coast Industries''' (FECI) incorporated in 1983<ref name=BWEEK /> and was made the holding company for the Railway and the Commercial Realty/Flagler Development Company in 1984. The other subsidiaries are Orlando-based carrier, "EPIK Communication" and the logistics firm, "International Transit".<ref>{{cite news |last= Barton |first= Susanna |url=http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2000/12/04/daily6.html |work= Jacksonville Business Journal |date= December 5, 2000 |title=Peyton joins FECI board}}</ref>

FECI began operating independently of the [[St. Joe Company]] on October 9, 2000<ref name=BWEEK /> when St. Joe shareholders were given FECI stock.

On May 8, 2007, Florida East Coast Railway Company's parent, FECI, announced that FECI would be purchased with private equity funds managed by [[Fortress Investment Group]] in a transaction valued at $3.5 billion.<ref>{{cite press release| url=http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=64379&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=997164&highlight=| publisher=Florida East Coast Industries| date=May 8, 2007| title=Florida East Coast Industries to Be Acquired By Funds Managed By Fortress Investment Group LLC in an All-Cash Transaction Valued at $3.5 Billion| access-date=May 11, 2007|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730041026/http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=64379&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=997164&highlight=|archive-date=July 30, 2012}}</ref><ref name=FEC /> Fortress Investment acquired Florida East Coast Railway from Florida East Coast Industries in March 2008.<ref name=FEC>{{cite news |last= Basch |first= Mark |url= http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/072108/bus_307043612.shtml |work= Florida Times-Union |date= July 21, 2008 |title= FEC rolling along after buyout}}</ref>{{Clarify|date=March 2010}}

On July 7, 2017, '''[[Ferromex|Grupo México Transportes]]''', subsidiary of [[Grupo México]], completed the acquisition of Florida East Coast Railway.<ref>{{cite news |last= Lopez |first= Edwin |url= https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/Grupo-Mexico-FEC-Railway-close-carloads/447369/ |work= Supply Chain Dive |date= June 20, 2017 |title= Grupo Mexico successfully acquires Florida East Coast Railway}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release| url= https://fecrwy.com/uncategorized/blog-grupo-mexico/| publisher=Florida East Coast Railway | date= July 7, 2017 | title= Grupo México Transportes acquires Florida East Coast Railway | access-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url= https://archive.today/20200611214218/https://fecrwy.com/uncategorized/blog-grupo-mexico/ |archive-date=June 11, 2020}}</ref> FECI retained their passenger [[trackage rights]], which are now used for [[Brightline]].

==Lines==
{{Maplink|frame=yes|text=Interactive map of Florida East Coast Railway's historic network, with current lines (red) and former lines (dark red).|frame-width=250|frame-height=380|from=Florida East Coast Railway.map}}

===Main line===
[[Image:Highland & St. Clair Street Historical Marker.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Historical marker]]
[[Image:Florida East Coast Railroad Historical Marker 1.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Historical marker]]
At its greatest extent, Florida East Coast Railway's Main Line ran from Jacksonville via Miami to Key West, a distance of over 500 miles.<ref name="commission">[https://books.google.com/books?id=kVsPAQAAIAAJ&dq=pebbledale+spur&pg=PA173 Florida Railroad Commission Annual Report (1913)]</ref>  Today, the Main Line continues to run from [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] to [[Miami]].

Prior to 1925, the main line deviated from its current route between [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] and [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]].  From St. Augustine, it ran southwest to [[East Palatka, Florida|East Palatka]] on the [[St. Johns River]] before turning back southeast to Bunnell.  In 1925, the '''Moultrie Cutoff''' was built to reroute the main line on to a more direct route from St. Augustine to Bunnell, bypassing the inland swing to East Palatka.<ref name="Turner 1"/>  The original main line remained in service after the Moultrie Cutoff was complete, but it was downgraded to branch status (Palatka Branch) and is now mostly abandoned.  The milepost numbers on the main line still reflect the original route, causing the mileposts to abruptly jump from 67 to 86.4 in Bunnell today.<ref>{{cite web|title=Geographic Information System|url=https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/b6c12fd0a4774f38a303e3d034775854/|website=Federal Railroad Administration|publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation|access-date=April 10, 2019}}</ref>

In 1926, the main line was double-tracked between Jacksonville and Miami in response to the [[Florida land boom of the 1920s]].  Bridges were rebuilt and [[Automatic block signaling|Automatic Block Signals]] were also installed at the same time.<ref name="Turner 1"/>

The Key West Extension was destroyed by the [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935]] and was not rebuilt with Florida City subsequently becoming the new southern terminus.  The [[Overseas Highway]] (US 1) largely runs along the former Key West Extension right of way today.<ref name="history">{{cite web|last1=Wilkinson|first1=Jerry|title=The Bridge That Never Was|url=http://www.keyshistory.org/Bridge-that-never-was.html|website=Keys Historeum|access-date=January 9, 2015}}</ref>

In 1972, four years after the discontinuation of FEC's passenger services, work began to restore the main line to single track with passing sidings every 10 miles and [[Centralized traffic control]].  Also in 1972, FEC abandoned the main line from Miami south to Kendall, which included the demolition of the swing bridge over the Miami River in downtown Miami.<ref name="Timeline"/>  The FEC sold the right of way of this abandoned segment to Miami-Dade Transit in 1979, who then built the southern half of Miami's [[Metrorail (Miami-Dade County)|Metrorail]] on the former right of way.  Main line track from Kendall to Florida City remained in service at this time since it could still be accessed through the Little River Branch.  By 1989, the remaining main line track from Kendall to Florida City (which had been the southern terminus since the abandonment of the Key West Extension in 1935) was abandoned.  Today, the South Miami Dade Busway and [[South Dade Rail Trail]] run on the former right of way from Kendall to Florida City.<ref name="MDT">{{cite web|title=Miami-Dade Transit History|url=http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/history.asp|website=miamidade.gov|access-date=July 6, 2016|archive-date=October 12, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181012053956/http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/history.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

With the reintroduction of passenger service on the FEC via [[Brightline]] in the 2010s, most of the main line has once again been expanded to double track. Double track from Miami to West Palm Beach was completed in late 2017. Double track from West Palm Beach to Titusville has been completed as part of Brightline's second phase.<ref>{{cite web |title=Brightline Construction: Cocoa, Rockledge, and Suntree Progress - May and June 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyOwws7EqtA&t=69s  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/zyOwws7EqtA |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|website=YouTube | date=June 19, 2021 |access-date=3 July 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>  Many bridges have been rebuilt along this segment as part of the project, despite the fact that many of the older bridges still have adequate width from the previous double track.<ref name="Turner 1"/>

===Kissimmee Valley Line===
The Kissimmee Valley Line, also known as the '''Okeechobee Branch''', ran from just south of New Smyrna Beach through the Kissimmee Valley roughly paralleling the main line.  Branching off the Main Line at [[Edgewater, Volusia County, Florida|Edgewater]], it headed southwest to [[Maytown, Florida|Maytown]], where it crossed the Enterprise Branch.  From Maytown, it turned south and headed through largely rural agricultural land to [[Okeechobee, Florida|Okeechobee]], a small town on the north side of [[Lake Okeechobee]].  South of Holopaw, the line roughly parallels [[U.S. Route 441 (Florida)|US 441]].<ref name="KV Line map">{{Cite web |url=http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/FECrrMap.JPG |title=FEC Kissimmee Valley Extension Map Kissimmee Valley Line Map |access-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051010022258/http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/FECrrMap.JPG |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Construction began at Maytown on February 25, 1911, and was completed to Okeechobee in 1915.<ref name="USSC">{{cite web |title=More about FEC's "K Branch" Line |url=http://rickinbham.tripod.com/TownOfSIRD/K-Line/Sale_of_USSC_1.htm#FEC_K_Branch |website=TRAVELERS DEN |access-date=June 1, 2020}}</ref>  The line was extended north from Maytown to Edgewater (just south of New Smyrna Beach) in 1916 to have its own connection to the Main Line.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Maytown Branch |url=http://www.geocities.ws/myfecrailway/maytown.html |website=GeoCities |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Turner 2"/>{{rp|75}}

By 1923, the branch was extended from Okeechobee southeast and around the eastern side of [[Lake Okeechobee]] to [[Belle Glade, Florida|Belle Glade]].  The [[Interstate Commerce Commission]] had authorized the FEC to extend the line as far as [[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]] to connect with the South Florida network, but it was never built south of Belle Glade.<ref name="USSC" /><ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|100}}  The line was instead extended from Belle Glade west to [[South Bay, Florida|South Bay]] and [[Lake Harbor, Florida|Lake Harbor]] on the south side of the lake at the Miami Canal in 1929.  Here, it connected with the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]]'s [[Haines City Branch]].<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|119}}

In 1947, the Kissimmee Valley Line was abandoned from Maytown to Marcy since it ended up not generating the agricultural traffic it had hoped to.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|130}}  At the same time, the remaining line south of Marcy to Lake Harbor was connected to the Main Line at Fort Pierce and is now part of the Lake Harbor Branch.<ref name="USSC" />

===Lake Harbor Branch===
{{see also|South Central Florida Express, Inc.}}
The Lake Harbor Branch (K Branch) runs from [[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]] in St. Lucie County to [[Lake Harbor, Florida|Lake Harbor]] in Palm Beach County.  It basically serves the sugar farms in Palm Beach and Hendry Counties.  It branches off the main line in Fort Pierce and heads southwest to Marcy, where it turns south along Lake Okeechobee.  At Lake Harbor, it connects to the [[South Central Florida Express, Inc.|South Central Florida Express]]'s main line (a former CSX branch).  South Central Florida Express began leasing the line from FEC in 1998 and now fully operates the line from milepost K 15 south.  FEC serves local customers on the line from milepost K 15 north, with South Central Florida Express having trackage rights from there into Fort Pierce Yard on the main line.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bote's Florida Sugar Cane Train Chaser's Guide |url=http://www.botecomm.com/bote/rail/railfan_sugar.html |website=Bote's Railfan Pages |access-date=March 19, 2019}}</ref> They also have a car haulage arrangement with FEC to Jacksonville to interchange with CSX and Norfolk Southern.

The Lake Harbor Branch was originally built in the 1920s and was the southernmost segment of the Kissimmee Valley Line until 1947, when the '''Glades Cutoff''' from Marcy to Fort Pierce was built and the rest of the Kissimmee Valley Line to the north was abandoned.

===Little River Branch (Miami Belt Line)===
The Little River Branch connects to the main line near Little River and heads south west toward Hialeah, where it turns south towards Hialeah Yard and [[Miami International Airport]].  The line sees significant freight traffic since Hialeah Yard has been FEC's main yard for the Miami area since the closure of Buena Vista Yard on the main line.  The branch currently ends just south of the airport at Oleander Junction, where it connects with CSX's [[Homestead Subdivision]] and the [[Tri-Rail|South Florida Rail Corridor]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Rail Convertibility Study|url=http://miamidadempo.org/library/studies/rail-convertibility-study-final-2004-11.pdf|website=Miami-Dade MPO|access-date=July 6, 2016|archive-date=August 17, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160817122221/http://miamidadempo.org/library/studies/rail-convertibility-study-final-2004-11.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>  An industrial spur also runs northwest from the line near [[Medley, Florida|Medley]].  The line was realigned in the 1980s to accommodate the extension of Runway 9/27 at [[Miami International Airport]].

Built in 1923, the Little River Branch (also known as the Miami Belt Line) was historically a freight bypass around downtown Miami when the FEC main line continued south to Homestead and Florida City.  The branch continued south past its current terminus at the airport and reconnected with the main line at Larkin, just north of Kendall.  The line was double-tracked north of Hialeah Yard in 1925.  When construction of the line was authorized by the [[Interstate Commerce Commission]] in 1923, the line from Little River to Hialeah was intended to be part of the extension of the Kissimmee Valley Line with track south to Larkin authorized as a branch line.  The southern extension of the Kissimmee Valley Line was never built.<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|100–102}}

The branch was abandoned south of Oleander Junction in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Discover Ludlam Trail |url=https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Ludlam%20Presentation_0.pdf |website=Florida Department of Environmental Protection |access-date=16 August 2021}}</ref>  This abandoned segment is currently planned to become the [[Ludlam Trail]] [[linear park]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ludlam Trail|url=http://ludlamtrail.org/|website=ludlamtrail.org |access-date=July 6, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808183155/http://ludlamtrail.org/ |archive-date=Aug 8, 2016 }}</ref>

===Palm Beach Branch===
The Palm Beach branch was built to serve Flagler's hotels on [[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]] island.  When first built in 1895, the Palm Beach Branch ran from the main line east through West Palm Beach between Banyan Boulevard and Second Street (known then as Althea Street).<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kleinburg |first1=Eliot |title=POST TIME: The flowers behind West Palm's downtown streets |url=https://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/20200317/post-time-flowers-behind-west-palms-downtown-streets |access-date=15 July 2021 |agency=Palm Beach Daily News |date=17 March 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210715033152/https://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/20200317/post-time-flowers-behind-west-palms-downtown-streets |archive-date=15 July 2021 }}</ref>  It crossed the [[Lake Worth Lagoon]] and on to Palm Beach Island just south of Flagler's [[Royal Poinciana Hotel]].  The branch had passenger stations at both the Royal Poinciana and [[The Breakers (hotel)|The Breakers]], Flagler's other hotel on Palm Beach Island.  The original branch was essentially the end of the FEC before the main line was extended south to Miami in 1896.

In 1902, Flagler's built his estate [[Whitehall]] for his wife Mary.  Whitehall was across the branch's tracks from the Royal Poinciana Hotel.  The estate's proximity to the branch prompted Mary to complain about the noise and smoke coming from trains at Whitehall.  In response, Flagler promptly had the branch removed and relocated with a new trestle over Lake Worth Lagoon four blocks north.  The branch then connected to the hotels on their north side and the bridge also included a pedestrian walkway for hotel patrons.<ref name="Bramson"/>{{rp|54–55}}  The branch would remain service until 1935 when it was abandoned, a year after the closure of the Royal Poinciana Hotel.<ref name="Timeline" />

After its removal, the former trestle became a toll bridge, which was replaced by the Flagler Memorial Bridge in 1938 (which carried [[Florida State Road A1A|State Road A1A]] until 2017 when a new bridge replaced the 1938 span).<ref>{{cite news|title=The Flagler Memorial Bridge: If this bridge could talk…|url=http://historicpalmbeach.blog.palmbeachpost.com/1995/10/28/the-flagler-memorial-bridge-if-this-bridge-could-talk/ |website=Historic Palm Beach |first1=Candy |last1=Hatcher |access-date=September 30, 2015|agency=Palm Beach Post|date=October 28, 1995 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515191117/http://historicpalmbeach.blog.palmbeachpost.com/1995/10/28/the-flagler-memorial-bridge-if-this-bridge-could-talk/ |archive-date= May 15, 2015 }}</ref> Much of the former right of way of this branch is still owned by the Town of Palm Beach.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbcgov.com/papa/Asps/PropertyDetail/PropertyDetail.aspx?parcel=74434322130000040&srchtype=map |title=320 6th St, West Palm Beach |website=Property Appraiser Public Access |publisher=Palm Beach County |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20230715144346/https://www.pbcgov.org/papa/Asps/PropertyDetail/PropertyDetail.aspx?parcel=74434322130000040&srchtype=map |archive-date= Jul 15, 2023 }}</ref>

===Palatka Branch===
The Palatka Branch (P Branch) ran from Moultrie Junction (just outside of St. Augustine) southwest to East Palatka before turning back southeast and reconnecting with the main line at [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]].  There was also a spur with a bridge across the [[St. Johns River]] into [[Palatka, Florida|Palatka]], where there was a junction with the [[Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway]] and the [[Florida Southern Railway]] (which would both become part of the [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]]'s network).<ref>{{cite web|title=FEC - St. Johns River Bridge (Palatka)|url=http://bridgehunter.com/fl/putnam/bh62245/|website=BridgeHunter|access-date=December 7, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220114219/http://bridgehunter.com/fl/putnam/bh62245/ |archive-date= Dec 20, 2016 }}</ref>

The Palatka Branch was built by predecessors St. Johns Railway, the St. Augustine and Palatka Railway, and the St. Johns and Halifax River Railroad which all became the Florida East Coast Railway in 1895. The line was the Florida East Coast Railway's main line until the construction of the Moultrie Cutoff in 1925.  After the completion of the Moultrie Cutoff between St. Augustine and Bunnell, the original main line though East Palatka remained in service and became the Palatka Branch.

The connection to Palatka and the bridge over the St. Johns River was removed in 1950, and track from East Palatka to Bunnell was abandoned in 1972.  In 1983, track was abandoned from East Palatka to [[Hastings, Florida|Hastings]].  The rest of the branch from Hastings was later abandoned in 1988 and all rail was removed to a point just west of [[Interstate 95 in Florida|I-95]] near [[Vermont Heights, Florida|Vermont Heights]].<ref name="Timeline" />  In 2001, rail service resumed up to this point and track was rehabilitated when new industries were located there. A daily local serves the eastern end of the line today known as the '''Wilber Wright Industrial Lead'''.  Some of the right-of-way is now the Palatka-to-St. Augustine State Trail.<ref>{{cite web |title=Palatka-to-St. Augustine State Trail |url=https://www.traillink.com/trail/palatka-to-st-augustine-state-trail/ |website=Trail Link |access-date=November 14, 2018}}</ref>

===Enterprise Branch===
The former Enterprise Branch (E Branch) was built in 1885 by the Atlantic Coast, St. Johns and Indian River Railroad and leased to the [[Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad]] (JT&KW), one of the [[Plant System]] railroads. Initially, the westernmost five miles (8&nbsp;km) served as a connection from the JT&KW main line at [[Benson Junction, Florida|Benson Junction]] (known then as Enterprise Junction) to [[Enterprise, Florida|Enterprise]], a port for [[steamboat]] traffic down the [[St. Johns River]]. Later, the line was extended southeast from Enterprise through [[Osteen, Florida|Osteen]], [[Kalamazoo, Florida|Kalamazoo]], and [[Mims, Florida|Mims]] to [[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]].  In Titusville, it connected to the St. Johns and Halifax River Railway, which would become the Florida East Coast Railway main line.  The Enterprise Branch would also cross the Kissimmee Valley Line at Maytown, which was built in 1911.

[[Image:FEC Railway crossing at Maytown, Florida.jpg|thumb|FEC Railway crossing at [[Maytown, Florida]].]]

A [[steam locomotive]] pulled the first train over the line onto the [[wharf]] on the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]] at Titusville on the afternoon of December 30, 1885, and greatly accelerated the transportation of passengers, produce, seafood, and supplies to and from [[central Florida]]. While Titusville thrived thanks to this new transportation connection, Enterprise lost stature as a steamboat port, since [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|Henry Plant's railroad]] paralleled the St. Johns River and greatly reduced travel times to Jacksonville.

During the winter of 1894&ndash;95, a widespread freeze hit twice, decimating the citrus crop and ruining that part of Florida's economy. This allowed [[Henry Flagler]] to acquire the line at a discount to piece together what became the Florida East Coast Railway.

The track of the E Branch was removed from Benson Junction to [[Aurantia, Florida|Aurantia]] in 1972, ending directly under the [[Interstate 95 in Florida|Interstate 95]] overpass.<ref name="Timeline" /> The crossing gates and signals between Titusville and Aurantia were removed before the [[summer 2004 hurricanes]] and track was later removed by a steel salvage company.  By 2008, all remaining track of the E Branch had been removed.

The [[Florida Department of Environmental Protection]] took ownership of the rail bed on December 31, 2007. [[East Central Regional Rail Trail]] and the Florida Coast to Coast Trail now run along the former right of way.<ref>[http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2008/01/0103_03.htm Florida Department of Environmental Protection: January 3, 2008-State Takes Ownership of Longest Rail-Trail in Florida] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080608043434/http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/news/2008/01/0103_03.htm |date=June 8, 2008 }}</ref>

===Cape Canaveral Branch===
{{see also|NASA Railroad}}
In 1963, FEC built a branch from the main line from just north of Titusville east to [[Cape Canaveral, Florida|Cape Canaveral]].  The branch included a causeway and drawbridge over the [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]] and ran to a point known as Wilson's Corner.  The branch was built to serve the [[Cape Canaveral Space Force Station]] and what would become [[Kennedy Space Center]].

FEC built two yards along the branch: Jay Jay Yard at the junction with the FEC main line, and Wilson Yard at Wilson's Corner.  The [[US Army Corps of Engineers]] then built the [[NASA Railroad]] beyond Wilson's Corner with a line to the [[Vehicle Assembly Building]] and another line to the [[Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39|launch pads]].  The FEC would use the branch to deliver equipment to [[NASA]] for the [[Apollo program]].

In 1984, FEC sold its portion of the branch to the [[NASA Railroad]].  The NASA Railroad has since been used to deliver segments of the [[Solid rocket booster]]s for the [[Space Shuttle]] and the [[Artemis program]].<ref name="NASA">{{cite web |title=Critical to the Countdown: The NASA Railroad |url=https://www.train-museum.org/2019/07/20/critical-to-the-countdown-the-nasa-railroad/ |website=Southeastern Railway Museum |date=July 20, 2019 |access-date=7 September 2022}}</ref>

===Ormond Beach Branch===
The Ormond Beach Branch was a short branch that ran from the main line in Ormond Beach.  It ran east from the main line over the Halifax River to the [[Ormond Hotel]], which opened in 1888.  Flagler acquired the Ormond Hotel in 1888 and expanded it to 600 rooms.  The Ormond Beach Branch was built by the Ormond Bridge Company as a branch of the St. Johns and Halifax River Railroad (the original builder of the main line from East Palatka to Daytona) in 1887.<ref name="Mulligan">{{cite book |last1=Mulligan |first1=Michael |title=Railroad Depots of Central Florida |date=2008 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738553900 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lY3-qoFEUgIC&q=RAILROAD+STATIONS+CENTRAL+FLORIDA |accessdate=20 June 2020}}</ref>  The branch would also run past [[The Casements]], which would be the winter home of [[John D. Rockefeller]], the founder of [[Standard Oil]] and Flagler's former business partner.  The Ormond Beach Branch was abandoned in 1932.<ref name="Timeline" />

===Fellsmere Branch===
The former Fellsmere Branch ran from the main line at [[Sebastian, Florida|Sebastian]] west to [[Fellsmere, Florida|Fellsmere]].  It was originally built by the Sebastian & Cincinnatus Railroad in 1896.  In 1909, it was run by the Fellsmere Farms Company.  In 1924, the line was taken over by the Trans-Florida Central Railroad.  It was abandoned in 1952.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hensley |first1=Donald R. |title=The Trans-Florida Central RR |url=http://www.taplines.net/tfc/tfc01.html |website=Taplines |access-date=May 29, 2020}}</ref>

===Orange City Branch===
The former Orange City Branch (also known as the '''Atlantic and Western Branch''') ran from [[New Smyrna Beach, Florida|New Smyrna Beach]] west to [[Orange City, Florida|Orange City]] and Blue Spring on the [[St. Johns River]].  The branch was built by the Blue Spring, Orange City and Atlantic Railroad. In 1888, it became the Atlantic and Western Railroad.  It later became part of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway, which changed its name to the Florida East Coast Railway in 1895.  The line was in use until 1930.<ref>{{cite web |title=Branch Line Train |url=https://fecrwy.com/portfolio-item/branch-line-train/ |website=Florida East Coast Railway |access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Florida East Coast Railway |url=https://www.labellemodels.com/manuals/Florida%20East%20Coast.pdf |website=LaBelle Models |access-date=24 June 2021}}</ref>

===Tocoi Branch===
The railroad from [[Tocoi, Florida|Tocoi]] to Tocoi Junction (just west of St. Augustine), was built by the St. Johns Railway, an FEC predecessor (the original main line from Tocoi Junction to St. Augustine was also part of this line). The St. Johns Railway was built in 1858, making it the first FEC predecessor to be constructed.  The Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railway took it over by 1894, and changed its name to the Florida East Coast Railway in 1895. The Tocoi Branch was abandoned in April 1896, a year after the network was named the Florida East Coast Railway.  This made the Tocoi Branch the first track to be abandoned by FEC.  The right of way was later used for [[State Road 95 (Florida pre-1945)|SR 95]], which became State Road 214 at some time after the [[1945 Florida State Road renumbering]], and is now [[County Road 214 (St. Johns County, Florida)|County Road 214]].<ref name="Bramson" />{{rp|17}}

===Flagler Beach Branch===
The railroad from [[Flagler Beach, Florida|Flagler Beach]] to Dorena, north of [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]], was built by the Lehigh Portland Cement Company in 1953. The line connected to the Lehigh Portland Cement Company Plant located near Flagler Beach. The line was abandoned in 1963, after a deadly strike erupted in that year that closed the massive plant. The site of the old plant was where some of the [[monorail]] beams were assembled for [[Walt Disney World Monorail System]] in the early 1970s. The route is now part of the rails to trails system. The plant has been demolished outside of one smokestack that will become a "lighthouse" for a new development. Some remains of the yard can be found in the woods near the eastern end of the Lehigh Greenway Rail Trail, which runs along the former right of way.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lehigh Portland Cement plant included railroad spur |url=https://www.gainesville.com/news/20160907/lehigh-portland-cement-plant-included-railroad-spur |access-date=23 June 2021 |agency=Gainesville Sun |date=7 September 2016}}</ref>

===San Mateo Branch===
The former San Mateo Branch ran from the main line just southeast of East Palatka south to [[San Mateo, Florida|San Mateo]].  It was built as a branch of the St. Johns and Halifax River Railroad (who built the original main line from East Palatka to Daytona) in 1892.<ref name="Turner 2" />{{rp|66}} The San Mateo Branch was abandoned in 1942.<ref name="Timeline" />

===Mayport Branch===
[[File:Jacksonville railroads.png|250px|thumb|right|The former Mayport Branch on the lower right corner of this map of Jacksonville area railroads.]]
This was originally built by the [[Jacksonville and Atlantic Railroad]], a {{track gauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railway|narrow gauge]] line from [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] to '''Pablo Beach''' (now [[Jacksonville Beach, Florida|Jacksonville Beach]]). In late 1899 it was bought by [[Henry Flagler]], who had the line converted to {{track gauge|4ft8.5in|allk=on}} and extended it north along the coast to [[Mayport, Florida|Mayport]]. The new branch opened in March 1900 and was abandoned in October 1932.

==Family tree==
{{inc-transport|date=August 2008}}
* '''Florida East Coast Railway''' – formed September 13, 1895, as a renaming of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railroad; still exists
* '''Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railroad''' – formed October 6, 1892, as a renaming of the FC&G; renamed the Florida East Coast Railway September 13, 1895
** '''Florida Coast and Gulf Railway''' – formed May 28, 1892; renamed the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railroad October 6, 1892
** [[Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railway]] – formed February 28, 1881, as a renaming of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railroad; merged with the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railroad October 31, 1892
*** '''Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railroad''' – formed March 1879; renamed the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Halifax River Railway February 28, 1881
** '''St. Augustine and Palatka Railway''' – formed September 1, 1885; merged with the Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Indian River Railroad 1893

==Historic stations==

;Main Line

{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Milepost
!City
!Station<ref name="commission" /><ref>'Official Guide of the Railways,' June 1961, Florida East Coast section</ref><ref name="Ferguson">{{cite web |title=Florida Railroads: Passenger Stations & Stops |url=http://www.railwaystationlists.co.uk/pdfusarr/floridarrs.pdf |website=Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists |accessdate=5 June 2020}}</ref>
!Connections and notes
|-
|0.0
|! rowspan="6" |[[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]]
|Jacksonville
|rebuilt in 1919 as [[Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center|Jacksonville Union Terminal]]<br>junction with:<br>{{bulleted list
|[[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] [[Main Line (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad)|Main Line]] (now CSX A Line)
|[[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] [[Main Line (Seaboard Air Line Railroad)|Main Line]] (now CSX S Line)
|[[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]] (now [[Norfolk Southern Railway|Norfolk Southern]])}}
|-
|1.3
|{{no wrap|South Jacksonville}}
|junction with Mayport Branch
|-
|5.0
|Bowden Yard
|
|-
|9.3
|Nesbit
|
|-
|12.8
|Greenland
|
|-
|15.2
|[[Bayard (Jacksonville)|Bayard]]
|
|-
|20.6
|
|Durbin
|
|-
|24.2
|
|Woodland
|
|-
|27.3
|
|Sampson
|
|-
|31.4
|
|Magnolia Grove
|
|-
|36.7
|! rowspan="3" |{{no wrap|[[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]]}}
|St. Augustine
|
|-
|37.0
|Moultrie Junction
|north junction with Moultrie Cutoff
|-
|40.0
|[[Tocoi Junction, Florida|Tocoi Junction]]
|junction with Tocoi Branch
|-
|44.2
|
|Hurds
|
|-
|47.1
|[[Elkton, Florida|Elkton]]
|Elkton
|
|-
|49.0
|[[Armstrong, Florida|Armstrong]]
|Armstrong
|
|-
|53.7
|[[Hastings, Florida|Hastings]]
|Hastings
|
|-
|57.4
|Orange Mills
|Orange Mills
|
|-
|61.5
|[[East Palatka, Florida|East Palatka]]
|East Palatka
|
|-
|
|[[Palatka, Florida|Palatka]]
|[[Palatka station|Palatka]]
|located on a spur across the [[St. Johns River]]<br>junction with:{{bulleted list
|[[Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway]] ([[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|ACL]])
|[[Florida Southern Railway]] Palatka Branch ([[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|ACL]])
|[[Georgia Southern and Florida Railway]] ([[Southern Railway (U.S.)|SOU]])
|[[Ocklawaha Valley Railroad]]}}
|-
|62.8
|
|San Mateo Junction
|junction with San Mateo Branch
|-
|66.6
|[[Yelvington, Florida|Yelvington]]
|Yelvington
|
|-
|68.8
|
|Roy
|
|-
|76.4
|
|Dinner Island
|
|-
|80.3
|
|Neoga
|
|-
|82.3
|[[Espanola, Florida|Espanola]]
|Espanola
|
|-
|86.6
|[[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]]
|Bunnell
|south junction with Moultrie Cutoff
|-
|90.1
|[[Dupont, Florida|Dupont]]
|Dupont
|
|-
|97.6
|
|Harwood
|
|-
|99.0
|[[Volusia, Florida|Volusia]]
|Volusia
|
|-
|101.4
|
|Tomoka
|
|-
|104.2
|[[Ormond Beach, Florida|Ormond]]
|Ormond
|
|-
|107.0
|[[Holly Hill, Florida|Holly Hill]]
|Holly Hill
|
|-
|109.8
|[[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]]
|Daytona
|
|-
|112.5
|[[South Daytona, Florida|South Daytona]]
|Blake
|
|-
|114.7
|! rowspan="2" |[[Port Orange, Florida|Port Orange]]
|[[Port Orange station|Port Orange]]
|
|-
|119.3
|[[Samsula-Spruce Creek, Florida|Spruce Creek]]
|
|-
|121.3
|! rowspan="2" |{{no wrap|[[New Smyrna Beach, Florida|New Smyrna Beach]]}}
|Turnbull Bay
|
|-
|124.6
|New Smyrna
|junction with Atlantic and Western Branch
|-
|127.1
|[[Edgewater, Volusia County, Florida|Edgewater]]
|Hawkes Park
|later renamed Edgewater<br>junction with Kissimmee Valley Line
|-
|131.0
|
|Hucomer
|
|-
|136.4
|[[Oak Hill, Florida|Oak Hill]]
|Oak Hill
|
|-
|143.2
|
|Lyrata
|
|-
|143.5
|[[Scottsmoor, Florida|Scottsmoor]]
|Scottsmoor
|
|-
|150.4
|
|East [[Mims, Florida|Mims]]
|
|-
|151.3
|[[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]]
|Jay Jay
|also known as Cape Canaveral Junction<br>junction with [[NASA Railroad]]
|-
|154.4
|[[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]]
|Titusville
|junction with Enterprise Branch
|-
|157.7
|
|Pritchards
|
|-
|162.6
|
|Delespine
|
|-
|165.4
|
|Frontenac
|
|-
|167.7
|
|[[Sharpes, Florida|Sharpes]]
|
|-
|169.3
|
|City Point
|
|-
|173.1
|[[Cocoa, Florida|Cocoa]]
|Cocoa
|! rowspan="2" |later replaced by Cocoa-Rockledge station
to be rebuilt nearby by [[Brightline]] as the [[Cocoa station]]
|-
|174.4
|[[Rockledge, Florida|Rockledge]]
|Rockledge
|-
|
|
|Rockledge Hotels
|located on a spur across [[Indian River (Florida)|Indian River]]
|-
|179.4
|
|Bonaventure
|
|-
|182.7
|
|[[Pineda, Florida|Pineda]]
|
|-
|189.8
|! rowspan="3" |[[Melbourne, Florida|Melbourne]]
|Eau Gallie
|
|-
|190.7
|Sarno
|
|-
|194.2
|Melbourne
|
|-
|197.4
|[[Palm Bay, Florida|Palm Bay]]
|Tillman
|later renamed Palm Bay
|-
|199.9
|[[Malabar, Florida|Malabar]]
|Malabar
|
|-
|203.3
|! rowspan="2" |[[Grant-Valkaria, Florida|Grant-Valkaria]]
|Valkaria
|
|-
|205.5
|Grant
|
|-
|208.6
|
|[[Micco, Florida|Micco]]
|
|-
|212.4
|
|[[Roseland, Florida|Roseland]]
|
|-
|214.5
|[[Sebastian, Florida|Sebastian]]
|Sebastian
|junction with Fellsmere Branch
|-
|219.3
|
|[[Wabasso, Florida|Wabasso]]
|
|-
|221.9
|
|Quay
|
|-
|225.5
|
|[[Gifford, Florida|Gifford]]
|
|-
|227.8
|[[Vero Beach, Florida|Vero Beach]]
|[[Vero station|Vero]]
|
|-
|231.1
|
|[[Oslo, Florida|Oslo]]
|
|-
|234.6
|
|[[Viking, Florida|Viking]]
|
|-
|238.9
|[[St. Lucie Village, Florida|St. Lucie Village]]
|St. Lucie
|
|-
|241.5
|[[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]]
|Fort Pierce
|junction with Lake Harbor Branch
|-
|246.4
|
|[[White City, St. Lucie County, Florida|White City]]
|
|-
|247.2
|
|Eldred
|
|-
|249.0
|
|Ankona
|
|-
|252.4
|
|Walton
|
|-
|254.4
|
|Eden
|
|-
|256.7
|[[Jensen Beach, Florida|Jensen]]
|Jensen
|
|-
|258.8
|
|[[Rio, Florida|Rio]]
|
|-
|260.5
|
|Gosling
|
|-
|261.2
|[[Stuart, Florida|Stuart]]
|Stuart
|to be rebuilt nearby by [[Brightline]] as the [[Stuart station (Brightline)|Stuart station]]
|-
|266.0
|
|[[Port Salerno, Florida|Salerno]]
|
|-
|266.3
|
|[[Aberdeen, Florida|Aberdeen]]
|
|-
|268.7
|
|Fruita
|
|-
|272.2
|
|Gomez
|
|-
|274.7
|
|[[Hobe Sound, Florida|Hobe Sound]]
|moved to a grove on Bridge Road west of Hobe Sound and still extant (Land purchased and developed into the Hobe Sound Polo Club and the old station now serves as the grounds office)
|-
|277.8
|
|Likely
|
|-
|283.3
|[[Jupiter, Florida|Jupiter]]
|Jupiter
|later moved to 479 Seabrook Road, Tequesta to be used as a house. Now facing demolition.<ref>[http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/jul/25/tequesta-gives-groups-time-try-save-old-flagler-tr/ Wagner, Jody, Palm Beach Post, "Tequesta gives groups time to try to save old Flagler train depot"]</ref>
|-
|290.5
|[[Palm Beach Gardens, Florida|Palm Beach Gardens]]
|Monet
|renamed Palm Beach Gardens
|-
|293.3
|[[Lake Park, Florida|Lake Park]]
|Kelsey City
|renamed Lake Park
|-
|295.3
|[[Riviera Beach, Florida|Riviera Beach]]
|Riviera
|
|-
|299.0
|[[West Palm Beach, Florida|West Palm Beach]]
|[[West Palm Beach station (Brightline)|West Palm Beach]]
|junction with Palm Beach Branch<br>rebuilt a short distance south of original in 2018 by [[Brightline]] as the [[West Palm Beach station (Brightline)|West Palm Beach station]]
|-
|300.0
|! rowspan="2" |[[Palm Beach, Florida|Palm Beach]]
|[[Royal Poinciana Hotel|Royal Poinciana]]
|! rowspan="2" |located on Palm Beach Branch
|-
|300.1
|[[The Breakers (hotel)|Breakers]]
|-
|306.1
|[[Lake Worth, Florida|Lake Worth]]
|Lake Worth
|
|-
|308.3
|[[Lantana, Florida|Lantana]]
|Lantana
|
|-
|309.4
|[[Hypoluxo, Florida|Hypoluxo]]
|Hypoluxo
|
|-
|312.3
|[[Boynton Beach, Florida|Boynton Beach]]
|Boynton
|
|-
|316.9
|[[Delray Beach, Florida|Delray Beach]]
|Delray
|
|-
|321.3
|! rowspan="2" |[[Boca Raton, Florida|Boca Raton]]
|[[Yamato Colony, Florida|Yamato]]
|
|-
|324.6
|[[Boca Express Train Museum|Boca Raton]]
|restored and functioning as a museum
nearby the [[Brightline]] [[Boca Raton station (Brightline)|Boca Raton station]]
|-
|327.0
|[[Deerfield Beach, Florida|Deerfield Beach]]
|Deerfield
|
|-
|331.1
|[[Pompano Beach, Florida|Pompano Beach]]
|Pompano
|
|-
|338.3
|
|Colohatchee
|
|-
|341.2
|[[Fort Lauderdale, Florida|Fort Lauderdale]]
|[[Fort Lauderdale station (Brightline)|Fort Lauderdale]]
|rebuilt nearby in 2018 by [[Brightline]] as the [[Fort Lauderdale station (Brightline)|Fort Lauderdale station]]
|-
|343.3
|
|Port Everglades Junction
|junction with [[Port Everglades]] Belt Line Railroad<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ports of Miami, Port Everglades, and Palm Beach, Fla |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XPwvAQAAMAAJ&dq=%22PORT+EVERGLADES+BELT%22+RAILROAD+SEABOARD&pg=PA86 |website=U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |year = 1972|access-date=8 March 2022}}</ref>
|-
|345.9
|[[Dania Beach, Florida|Dania]]
|Dania
|
|-
|350.6
|[[Hallandale Beach, Florida|Hallandale Beach]]
|Hallandale
|
|-
|353.4
|[[Ojus, Florida|Ojus]]
|Ojus
|rebuilt nearby in 2022 by [[Brightline]] as the [[Aventura station]]
|-
|354.7
|[[North Miami Beach, Florida|North Miami Beach]]
|Fulford
|
|-
|357.4
|
|[[Arch Creek, Florida|Arch Creek]]
|
|-
|359.0
|
|Biscayne
|
|-
|360.6
|! rowspan="5"|[[Miami]]
|[[Little River (Miami)|Little River]]
|north junction with Little River Branch
|-
|361.8
|[[Little Haiti|Lemon City]]
|known today as [[Little Haiti]]
|-
|363.2
|[[Buena Vista (Miami)|Buena Vista]]
|
|-
|365.4
|[[MiamiCentral|Miami]]
|rebuilt in 2018 as [[MiamiCentral]]
|-
|370.9
|[[Coconut Grove]]
|
|-
|373.7
|
|Larkin
|south junction with Little River Branch
|-
|376.4
|[[Kendall, Florida|Kendall]]
|Kendall
|
|-
|378.6
|
|Benson
|
|-
|379.0
|
|Keys
|
|-
|380.2
|
|Rockdale
|
|-
|381.6
|[[Perrine, Florida|Perrine]]
|Perrine
|located just northwest of [[Cutler Bay, Florida|Cutler Bay]]
|-
|382.5
|[[Peters, Florida|Peters]]
|Peters
|
|-
|385.8
|[[Goulds, Florida|Goulds]]
|Goulds
|
|-
|386.7
|
|Black Point
|
|-
|387.8
|[[Princeton, Florida|Princeton]]
|Princeton
|
|-
|389.3
|[[Naranja, Florida|Naranja]]
|Naranja
|
|-
|391.5
|[[Leisure City, Florida|Leisure City]]
|Modello
|
|-
|393.9
|[[Homestead, Florida|Homestead]]
|Homestead
|
|-
|395.6
|[[Florida City, Florida|Florida City]]
|Florida City
|
|-
!colspan=4| '''Key West Extension'''
|-
|408.3
|
|Everglade
|
|-
|415.4
|
|[[Jewfish, Florida|Jewfish]]
|
|-
|417.1
|
|[[Key Largo, Florida|Key Largo]]
|
|-
|424.3
|
|[[Rock Harbor, Florida|Rock Harbor]]
|
|-
|430.8
|
|[[Tavernier, Florida|Tavernier]]
|
|-
|434.5
|! rowspan="3" |[[Islamorada, Florida|Islamorada]]
|[[Plantation Key, Florida|Plantation]]
|
|-
|438.2
|Quarry
|now the location of [[Theater of the Sea]]
|-
|439.9
|Islamorada
|
|-
|442.0
|
|[[Upper Matecumbe Key|Matecumbe]]
|
|-
|445.3
|
|[[Indian Key, Florida|Indian Key]]
|
|-
|447.6
|
|Midway
|
|-
|449.2
|
|[[Lower Matecumbe Key|Lower Matecumbe]]
|
|-
|450.6
|
|[[Craig Key|Craig]]
|
|-
|455.0
|
|Crescent
|
|-
|457.2
|
|[[Long Key]]
|location of [[Long Key Fishing Camp]]
|-
|460.1
|
|Tom's Harbor
|
|-
|463.9
|! rowspan="4" |[[Marathon, Florida|Marathon]]
|[[Grassy Key|Grassy]]
|
|-
|470.8
|[[Key Vaca|Vaca]]
|
|-
|474.2
|Marathon
|
|-
|476.8
|[[Knights Key]] Dock
|
|-
|474.2
|
|[[Pigeon Key]]
|
|-
|484.0
|
|[[Missouri Key]]
|
|-
|485.2
|
|[[Bahia Honda Key|Bahia Honda]]
|
|-
|488.7
|
|Spanish Harbor
|
|-
|491.9
|
|[[Big Pine Key]]
|
|-
|495.0
|
|[[Little Torch Key|Torch Key]]
|
|-
|495.8
|
|[[Ramrod Key]]
|
|-
|499.9
|
|[[Cudjoe Key]]
|
|-
|503.0
|
|[[Sugarloaf Key|Sugarloaf]]
|also known as [[Perky, Florida|Perky]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilkinson |first1=Jerry |title=History of Sugarloaf Key |url=https://www.keyshistory.org/SL-Sugarloaf-Key.html |website=Keys Historeum |access-date=18 June 2024}}</ref>
|-
|512.2
|
|[[Big Coppitt Key|Big Coppitt]]
|
|-
|514.8
|
|[[Boca Chica Key]]
|
|-
|518.2
|
|[[Stock Island, Florida|Stock Island]]
|
|-
|522.0
|[[Key West, Florida|Key West]]
|Key West
|located on [[Trumbo Point]]
|-
|}

;Kissimmee Valley Line
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Milepost<ref>{{cite web |title=Florida Railroad: Passenger Stations & Stops |url=http://www.railwaystationlists.co.uk/pdfusarr/floridarrs.pdf |website=Jim Fergusson's Railway and Tramway Station Lists |access-date=June 5, 2020}}</ref>
!City
!Station<ref name="KV Line map"/>
!Connections and notes
|-
|0.0
|[[Edgewater, Volusia County, Florida|Edgewater]]
|Edgewater Junction
|junction with Main Line
|-
|9.5
|[[Creighton, Florida|Creighton]]
|Creighton
|
|-
|17.6
|[[Maytown, Florida|Maytown]]
|Maytown
|junction with Enterprise Branch
|-
|24.0
|
|Osceola
|
|-
|28.8
|[[Geneva, Florida|Geneva]]
|Geneva
|
|-
|35.9
|[[Chuluota, Florida|Chuluota]]
|Chuluota
|
|-
|39.4
|[[Bithlo, Florida|Bithlo]]
|Bithlo
|
|-
|47.1
|
|Pocataw
|
|-
|51.5
|
|Wewahotee
|
|-
|
|
|[[Narcoossee, Florida|Narcoossee]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/Narcoossee%20Station.jpg |title=Narcoossee station |access-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051010022259/http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/Narcoossee%20Station.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
|-
|59.1
|
|Salofka
|
|-
|64.9
|
|Tohopkee
|Mail service terminated 1927
|-
|71.2
|
|[[Holopaw, Florida|Holopaw]]
|
|-
|79.8
|
|Illahaw
|Mail service terminated 1935
|-
|84.7
|
|Nittaw
|Mail service terminated 1935
|-
|90.0
|
|[[Kenansville, Florida|Kenansville]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/Kenansville%20Station.jpg |title=Kenansville station |access-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051010022301/http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/Kenansville%20Station.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|named for Henry Flagler's third wife, Mary Lily Kenan
|-
|96.1
|
|[[Apoxsee, Florida|Apoxsee]]
|
|-
|99.1
|
|Lokosee
|
|-
|106.1
|
|[[Yeehaw Junction|Yeehaw]]
|currently known as Yeehaw Junction
|-
|112.6
|
|[[Osowaw Junction, Florida|Osawaw]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/RROsawaJunction.jpg |title=Osawa station |access-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051010022303/http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/RROsawaJunction.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
|-
|118.9
|
|[[Fort Drum, Florida|Fort Drum]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/fort_drum_depot.jpg |title=Fort Drum Depot |access-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-date=October 10, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051010022300/http://www.tommymarkham.com/OPG/fort_drum_depot.jpg |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|
|-
|122.9
|
|Hilo
|currently known as Hilolo
|-
|127.7
|
|Efal
|
|-
|131.8
|
|Opal
|
|-
|139.1
|[[Okeechobee, Florida|Okeechobee]]
|Okeechobee
|junction with [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] [[Florida Western and Northern Railroad|Miami Subdivision]]
|-
!colspan=4| For stations south of Okeechobee, see Lake Harbor Branch
|-
|}

;Lake Harbor Branch
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Milepost
!City
!Station<ref name="1957 TT"/>
!Connections and notes
|-
|K 0.0
|[[Fort Pierce, Florida|Fort Pierce]]
|Fort Pierce
|junction with Main Line
|-
|K 14.0
|
|Cana
|
|-
|K 28.5
|
|Marcy
|junction with:<br>{{bulleted list
|original Kissimmee Valley Line
|[[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] [[Florida Western and Northern Railroad|Miami Subdivision]] (CSX)}}
|-
|K 14.0
|
|Mantola
|
|-
|K 38.2
|
|Bessemer
|
|-
|K 40.0
|[[Port Mayaca, Florida|Port Mayaca]]
|Port Mayaca
|
|-
|K 45.1
|
|Sand Cut
|
|-
|K 49.7
|[[Canal Point, Florida|Canal Point]]
|Canal Point
|
|-
|K 52.5
|[[Pelican Lake, Florida|Pelican Lake]]
|Pelican Lake
|
|-
|K 55.6
|
|Cardwell
|
|-
|K 57.6
|[[Runyon, Florida|Runyon]]
|Runyon
|
|-
|K 61.6
|[[Belle Glade, Florida|Belle Glade]]
|Belle Glade-Chosen
|
|-
|K 63.0
|
|Dahlberg
|
|-
|K 64.5
|[[South Bay, Florida|South Bay]]
|South Bay
|
|-
|K 70.9
|
|[[Lake Harbor, Florida|Lake Harbor]]
|junction with [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] [[Haines City Branch]]
|-
|}

;Little River Branch
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Milepost
!City
!Station<ref name="1957 TT">[http://multimodalways.org/docs/railroads/companies/FEC/FEC%20ETTs/FEC%20ETT%20%234%2012-12-1957.pdf Florida East Coast Railway Timetable (1957)]</ref> 
!Connections and notes
|-
|LR 0.0 
|[[Miami, Florida|Miami]]
|[[Little River (Miami)|Little River]]
|junction with Main Line
|-
|LR 4.6 
|! rowspan="2"|[[Hialeah, Florida|Hialeah]]
|Iris
|junction with [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] [[Seaboard-All Florida Railway|Miami Subdivision]] ([[Tri-Rail|SFRC]]/CSX)
|-
|LR 8.5 
|Hialeah Yard
|
|-
|LR 11.8 
|
|Oleander
|junction with [[Seaboard Air Line Railroad]] [[Homestead Subdivision]] (CSX)
|-
|LR 14.7 
|
|[[Tropical Park]]
|
|-
|LR 18.0 
|
|[[Kendall, Florida|Kendall]] Junction (Larkin)
|junction with Main Line
|-
|}

;Enterprise Branch
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Milepost
!City
!Station<ref name="1957 TT"/>
!Connections and notes
|-
|E 0.0
|[[Titusville, Florida|Titusville]]
|Titusville
|junction with Main Line
|-
|E 2.1
|
|LaGrange
|
|-
|E 4.3
|[[Mims, Florida|Mims]]
|Mims
|
|-
|E 9.4
|[[Aurantia, Florida|Aurantia]]
|Aurantia
|
|-
|E 16.5
|! rowspan="2" |[[Maytown, Florida|Maytown]]
|Maytown Junction
|junction with Kissimmee Valley Line
|-
|E 16.8
|Maytown
|
|-
|E 21.2
|
|Cow Creek
|
|-
|E 23.5
|[[Farmton, Florida|Farmton]]
|Farmton
|
|-
|E 29.5
|[[Osteen, Florida|Osteen]]
|Osteen
|
|-
|E 36.3
|[[Enterprise, Florida|Enterprise]]
|Enterprise
|
|-
|E 40.1
|
|[[Benson Junction, Florida|Benson Junction]]
|junction with [[Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway]] ([[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|ACL]])
|-
|}

==See also==
{{Portal bar|Trains|Florida}}
{{Portal|Railways}}
* [[Grupo México#Florida East Coast Railway|Grupo México]]
* [[Boca Express Train Museum]]
* [[Florida tourism industry]]
*Notable passenger trains operated over FEC rails: (sponsoring railroads and destinations)
**''[[Champion (passenger train)|Champion]]''-east coast section ([[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad|Atlantic Coast Line]], [[New York City]])
**''[[City of Miami (train)|City of Miami]]'' ([[Illinois Central]], [[Chicago]])
**''[[Dixie Flagler]]'' ([[Louisville & Nashville]], Chicago & St. Louis)
**''[[Dixie Flyer (train)|Dixie Flyer]]'' (Louisville & Nashville, Chicago & St. Louis)
**''[[Ponce de Leon (train)|Ponce de Leon]]'' ([[Southern Railway (U.S.)|Southern Railway]], [[Cincinnati]])
<!--**''[[Havana Special (train)]]'' (Atlantic Coast Line, New York City)-->
**''[[Royal Palm (train)|Royal Palm]]'' (Southern Railway, Cincinnati)
**''[[South Wind (train)|South Wind]]'' (Louisville & Nashville, Chicago)

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book|last=Bramson|first=Seth H.|year=2003|title=Speedway to Sunshine: The Story of the Florida East Coast Railway|edition=2nd|publisher=Boston Mills Press|location=Ontario|isbn=1-55046-358-6|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/speedwaytosunshi0000bram}}
* {{cite book|author=Standiford, Les|title=Last Train to Paradise|year=2002|publisher=Crown Publishers|location=New York|isbn=0-609-60748-0|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/lasttraintoparad00stan}}
* [http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/1900/rand17z.htm Rand McNally Map – 1917, showing Western Kissimmee Valley Branch]
* [http://www.biscaynetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220:waiting-for-the-train&catid=46:features&Itemid=162 ''Biscayne Times'': "Waiting for the Train". (Jan. 2009)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090918100317/http://www.biscaynetimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220:waiting-for-the-train&catid=46:features&Itemid=162 |date=September 18, 2009 }}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [https://gettraveling.com/fec-1957-timetable.htm Florida East Coast Railway December 12, 1957 winter season timetable]
* [http://www.thejoekorner.com/brochures/fec-timetable/index.html Florida East Coast Railway April 25, 1960 timetable] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191120060540/http://www.thejoekorner.com/brochures/fec-timetable/index.html |date=November 20, 2019 }}
* [http://www.fecrwy.com Florida East Coast Railway Website]
* http://www.sethbramsonbooks.com (Includes three books on FEC, many local histories and history of the Plant System)
* [http://www.flaglermuseum.us/history/florida-east-coast-railway Flagler Museum – History of the Florida East Coast Railway]
* [http://www.fecrs.com/ Florida East Coast Railway Society]
* [https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip_512-cr5n873v4q At Issue:  The Railroad War] - 30-minute news report by [[National Educational Television]] on the FEC railroad strike, including interviews with Ed Ball and strike leaders; first aired on March 16, 1964.
* {{citation |chapter-url=http://www.railwaywondersoftheworld.com/key-west-extension.html |chapter=Out to sea by train |title=Railway Wonders of the World |year=1936 |pages=109–114 |editor-first=Clarence |editor-last=Winchester }} account of the Florida East Coast Railway Key West Extension
* [http://stars.library.ucf.edu/ahistoryofcentralfloridapodcast/21/ Railroad Bells] at [http://stars.library.ucf.edu/ahistoryofcentralfloridapodcast/ A History of Central Florida Podcast]
*[https://digitalarchives.broward.org/digital/collection/greatdays Virtual Exhibit: Great Days of Rail Travel, Bienes Museum of the Modern Book, Broward County Library.]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|
  before=[[Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad]]|
  title=[[Regional Railroad of the Year]]|
  years=2007|
  after=[[South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Regional railroads}}
{{Former Class I}}
{{Florida railroads}}
{{Jacksonville Corporations}}
{{Brightline rail}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Florida East Coast Railway}}
[[Category:Florida East Coast Railway| ]]
[[Category:Regional railroads in the United States]]
[[Category:Former Class I railroads in the United States]]
[[Category:Florida railroads]]
[[Category:Transportation in Brevard County, Florida]]
[[Category:Companies based in Jacksonville, Florida]]
[[Category:Railway companies established in 1885]]
[[Category:Alfred I. du Pont]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in Florida]]
[[Category:2007 mergers and acquisitions]]
[[Category:Standard-gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:Grupo México]]