Tri-Rail budget crunch goes beyond subsidy — state cuts money to run the railroad

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WLRN Public Media | By Joel Engelhardt | Stet News

This story was originally produced by WLRN, South Florida’s only public radio station at 91.3 FM, as part of a content sharing partnership with Miami’s Community News. Read more at WLRN.org .

Since 2013, the state has paid at least $42 million a year to run a South Florida railroad.

Now, Florida officials have hit upon a better way to run a railroad: Let three South Florida counties pay for it.

In a stunning setback after the fiscal year began July 1, the Florida Department of Transportation cut the money it pays to maintain and operate 80 miles of track for Amtrak passenger trains , CSX freight trains and the Tri-Rail South Florida commuter service .

Instead of $42.1 million, t