Railcar Deal Missing Key Component: The Tracks

Click above title for link to story. By LINDSAY PETERSON The Tampa Tribune Published: July 20, 2008 Updated: 07/20/2008 12:15 am Florida plans to spend $45 million to buy commuter railcars from a company whose investors ousted its president recently amid production problems at its manufacturing plant. The company, Colorado Railcar Manufacturing of Fort Lupton, Colo., is a year late completing an order for South Florida's Tri-Rail commuter system. Nevertheless, Florida officials say they plan to order 10 more vehicles to start up the state's commuter rail project in the Orlando area - with an option to get 14 more later. The Orlando commuter system doesn't exist yet. The project stumbled this spring when state lawmakers rejected a key component of the state's agreement to buy railroad tracks from CSX Transportation. But state Department of Transportation officials said they are working on getting the deal through next year and plan to go ahead with the railcar purchase.