Canaveral Port Authority Looks To Revive NASA Railway

By  //  October 29, 2014

CPA Will Apply To Surface Transportation Board For Powers To Build, Operate Rail Link

RAILWAYGAZETTE.COM – The Canaveral Port Authority has announced its intention to apply to the Surface Transportation Board for powers to build and operate a rail link between its port on Atlantic and the Florida East Coast Railway near Titusville, Florida.

The Canaveral Port Authority has announced its intention to apply to the Surface Transportation Board for powers to build and operate a rail link between its port on Atlantic and the Florida East Coast Railway near Titusville, Florida. (NASA image)
The Canaveral Port Authority has announced its intention to apply to the Surface Transportation Board for powers to build and operate a rail link between its port on Atlantic and the Florida East Coast Railway near Titusville, Florida. (NASA image)

This would eliminate the need for road haulage between the port and a suitable railhead.

In documents published on October 27, the Canaveral Port Authority said the Port Canaveral Rail Extension would require the construction of about 11 miles of new single-track railway including a bridge across the Banana River, and would also make use of 17 miles of the existing rail network within Kennedy Space Center, which has been out of use since the end of the Space Shuttle program.

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Initial traffic is estimated at 170 wagon round trips per week in three or four trains moving at around 10 miles per hour, with an additional 50 double-stack intermodal wagons per week projected within two and a half years of the start of services.

The project would also maintain the possibility of providing rail services to support the launching of space vehicles.