FORT MYERS, Fla. — Seminole Gulf Railway is in the midst of renewing 11.5 miles of its railroad between Fort Ogden and Cleveland, Fla.
The $32.1 million project will allow for increased train weight and higher track speeds, the railroad says.
Funding for the 18-month project includes a $9.6 million federal Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program grant and $4.3 million from the Florida Department of Transportation. The railroad is funding the remaining $18.2 million cost of the project.
Track upgrades will include the installation of heavier rail and the replacement of decayed timber ties with steel ties to provide increased operating reliability, lower maintenance costs, and greater resiliency from extreme weather. The faster speeds will boost line capacity to serve what the railroad says in increasing demand in the fast-growing region.
These railroad upgrades will improve the track structure which will increase the line capacity to serve growing demand for one of the fastest growing regions in the nation.
Seminole Gulf operates more than 100 miles of track in southwest Florida, including lines from Naples to Arcadia as well as in Sarasota. Plywood, drywall, aggregates, propane, plastics, and recyclables are among the commodities the railroad hauls.
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