After the FEC
The Florida East Coast Railway and Henry Flagler’s hotel chain impacted Florida in many ways. First and foremost, the Florida Keys were now connected to the mainland, and the entire east coast had reliable transportation. The cities of West Palm Beach and Miami had been established, and were expanding rapidly. Steamship services connected the US to Cuba via Key West, providing a ready supply of sugar that could travel via the FEC.
"If you didn't have the Florida East Coast Railway operating today . . . I-95 and US 1 would both operate in rush hour traffic conditions, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week." "The FEC became the fastest and most efficient means of travel up and down the east coast of Florida. It connected the wild back country of Florida with the rest of the world." "Miami is the creation of Flagler. Of that there is no doubt. He made Palm Beach. Of that, there is no doubt." "We [The FEC] are one of UPS's biggest rail carriers. We ran 573 days without being late." |
"Flagler’s railroad provided travelers of the late 19th and early 20th century with a much needed means of transportation into the southern parts of the state." FEC freight trains of today.
"I think it [the FEC] is vital. It truly is the workhorse of the economy. Yes, we do have FedEx, we have UPS, we have the airport and the free trade zone and everything else, but . . . to this day it is still very, very important." |
Views from the Past: Scenes from Florida's Railroad History
|
|