How did “All Aboard Florida” go so wrong? I have gone from being excited about the return of passenger train travel on the Treasure Coast to one unhappy resident. How could they possibly have turned off so many people in such a short period of time with such a great idea? I have to say that feat was not easy.

There will always be a small minority who dislike change no matter what is proposed. Then, you have the people who are against something because they have either a prejudice or their facts are wrong. I am neither of these. The saga of “All Aboard Florida” is wrong because the company is not being honest about their true intentions to the people of the Treasure Coast.  Passenger trains are just the rouse being used to be able to borrow $1.5 billion or more from the federal government to lay a new track bed in anticipation of increased freight traffic. Will FECI double track through Stuart? Are they going to close our Florida Street crossing? These and other questions have yet to be answered.

I keep hearing that the railroad was here first, and that is absolutely true. Without it, Stuart possibly would not be Stuart today. Yes, railroads have enormous rights but then shouldn’t these rights granted in the 19^th century adjust to the realities of 21^st century Florida? We are currently the third most populous state in the nation. When the railroad was built, there were very few people on the Treasure Coast. While Stuart prides itself on its “old Florida charm,” we live in the 21^st century. Today’s population cannot be held hostage to a 19^th century reality.

The property rights of the railroad are important, but neither can you destroy the property rights of the people who have come here in the intervening 125 years. For the past 50 years, the railroad has operated as a sleepy little freight line with a limited amount of trains mostly travelling at night.  In the intervening years, Florida’s population has gone from less than 5 million to over 19 million with Martin County’s population growing from 17,000 to 148,000.  What was once acceptable can no longer be tolerated. There is no absolute right for anyone or any corporation. Our government should be there for the protection of the vast majority not a minority of one railroad.