Tri-Rail
A Tri-Rail train atMiamiCentral
Overview
Owner	South Florida Regional Transportation Authority
Locale	Greater Miami
Termini	Mangonia Park Miami Airport MiamiCentral
Stations	39
Website	tri-rail.com
Service
Type	Commuter rail
Operator(s)	Herzog Transit Services
Daily ridership	13,000 (weekdays, Q3 2025)[1]
Ridership	4,952,500 (2024)[2]
History
Opened	January 9, 1989; 37 years ago (1989-01-09)
Technical
Line length	80 mi (128.7 km)
Character	At-grade
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm)standard gauge
Operating speed	Avg.: 38 mph (61 km/h) Top: 79 mph (127 km/h)
Route map Tri-Rail highlighted in teal Show interactive map Show static map Legend Amtrak toNew York City orChicago Mangonia Park Coastal Link toJupiter(proposed) Brightline toOrlando   Toney Penna PGA Boulevard Park Avenue 13th Street 45th Street Brightline toMiamiCentral West Palm Beach Storage yard I-95 Palm Beach Airport (closed 2000) Lake Worth Beach Fare zone boundary Boynton Beach Delray Beach Fare zone boundary Boca Raton Deerfield Beach Pompano Beach Fare zone boundary Cypress Creek New River Fort Lauderdale Fare zone boundary I-595 Port Everglades Expwy. Fort Lauderdale Airport Sheridan Street Hollywood Fare zone boundary Golden Glades Opa-locka   Tri-Rail maintenance facility   Miami Metrorail toPalmetto Metrorail Transfer Brightline toOrlando Hialeah Market Miami River Miami Airport Metromover toSchool Board MiamiCentral Government Center Metromover toFinancial District Metrorail toDadeland South All stations are accessible This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram

Tri-Rail (reporting markTRCX) is acommuter rail service linkingMiami,Fort Lauderdale andWest Palm Beach in Florida, United States. TheTri prefix in the name refers to the three counties served by the railroad:Palm Beach,Broward, andMiami-Dade.^[3] Tri-Rail is managed by theSouth Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) alongCSX Transportation's formerMiami Subdivision;^[4][5] the line is now wholly owned by theFlorida Department of Transportation. The 80-mile-long (128.7 km) system has 19 stations along theSoutheast Florida coast, and connects directly toAmtrak at numerous stations, toMetrorail at theMetrorail Transfer station,Miami Airport station, andMiamiCentral, and toBrightline at MiamiCentral.

In 2024, the line had a ridership of 4,952,500, or about 13,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2025.

A second Tri-Rail line on theFlorida East Coast Railway corridor, dubbed the "Coastal Link", has been proposed. The line would operate betweenToney Penna station inJupiter andMiamiCentral inDowntown Miami, and add commuter rail service between the downtown areas of cities between West Palm Beach and Miami. Combined with the existing Tri-Rail line, this expanded Tri-Rail system is estimated to have a daily passenger ridership of almost 30,000; or approximately 9 million passengers per annum, doubling Tri-Rail's current ridership.

The line on which Tri-Rail operates was built by the Seaboard-All Florida Railway (a subsidiary of theSeaboard Air Line Railroad) forintercity passenger rail service in the early 1920s. The line was inaugurated on January 7, 1927. Intercity rail service by Seaboard operated theOrange Blossom Special service fromNew York City until 1953.Amtrak continues to offer passenger rail service with theFloridian train fromChicago andSilver Meteor train fromNew York City.^[6] Today, the original 1920s Seaboard stations are used by Tri-Rail for service atWest Palm Beach,Deerfield Beach,Fort Lauderdale,Hollywood. Though no longer in use, the Seaboard stations atDelray Beach,Opa-locka andHialeah are still standing.

Planning for a new commuter rail line began in 1983, and building the organization began in 1986. The current system was formed by theFlorida Department of Transportation and began operation January 9, 1989, to provide temporary commuter rail service while construction crews widenedInterstate 95 and the parallelFlorida's Turnpike.^[7][8] Tri-Rail was free from opening until June 1, 1989.^[9]

Due to higher than expected ridership, FDOT made Tri-Rail a permanent service, adding more trains and stations in the process.^{[citation needed]} The state's original plan was to use the more urban Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) line, but FEC declined the offer as it wanted freight to be their top priority.^[10] In 1998, the initial 67-mile-long (108 km) route was extended north from the West Palm Beach station to theMangonia Park, and south fromHialeah Market to Miami Airport (at an earlier station on the site of the current station). Construction of the extensions began in 1996; which added nearly 4 miles (6.4 km) to the system.

In the early 2000s, Tri-Rail received a budget of $84.8 million^{[clarification needed]} for double tracking, building extensions, improving stations, establishing a headquarters, and linking to buses.^[11]

In 2001, Tri-Rail unveiled its "blue skies, white clouds, and palm tree" livery. Previously, Tri-Rail's passenger coaches were painted in the same green and white scheme used byGO Transit in Canada.^[12]

In 2002, Tri-Rail began to upgrade itsgrade crossings to include raised medians and/or four quadrant gates to prevent cars from driving around them in an attempt to beat trains. This decreases accidents and allows the cities they run through to petition for them not to use their whistle between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.^{[citation needed]} They also decreasedheadways to 20 minutes during rush hours.^[13]

In 2007, a project to upgrade the full length of the line from Mangonia Park to Miami Airport withdouble track was completed with the opening of a high-level fixed bridge over theNew River nearFort Lauderdale. During the 2000s, most of the stations were completely rebuilt to accommodate for double-tracking and include dual platforms, elevators, pedestrian bridges over the tracks, large roofs over the platforms, and better facilities.

In March 2006, Tri-Rail went from 30 passenger trains a day to 40 trains; the completion of the New River rail bridge, the double-tracking project, and the addition of a secondColorado Railcardiesel multiple unit (DMU) ushered in sweeping changes to Tri-Rail's operational timetables. Tri-Rail added several more trains during peak weekday commuting hours in June 2007, increasing to the current 50 trains per day, as well as increasing weekend service.^[14] During "rush-hour," trains ran every twenty to thirty minutes rather than the previous schedule of every hour. This change comes at quite a fortuitous time in Tri-Rail's operation history. Withgasoline prices at record highs—particularly in South Florida's sprawling metropolis—Tri-Rail saw a double-digit percentage increase in ridership in mid-2007.^{[citation needed]} By 2009, annual ridership had reached about 4.2 million passengers.^[15] This was also the time during which work was being done on I-95 to add the express lanes from the Golden Glades Interchange to the Airport Expressway near Downtown Miami.^[16] In 2007,Veolia Transport commenced operating the Tri-Rail service under a contract that ran until June 2017.^[17]

In 2009, Tri-Rail service was nearly cut drastically, with the threat of being shut down altogether by 2011,^[18] even as ridership was at a record high, as Palm Beach County withheld its funding of the system and looked to cut its funding from $4.1 million to $1.6 million per year. This would mean that Broward and Miami-Dade counties would also have had to cut their support to $1.6 million each to match. The state, which was also running a budget shortfall and did not pass a rental car tax increase to help fund Tri-Rail, would have had to cut its support as well. This would have caused an immediate cut from 50 to 30 daily trains and a complete cutting weekend service, followed by additional cuts and possible shut down two years later.^[19] Schedules were decreased slightly, but service was never cut altogether, as dedicated federal funding was attained through the $2.5 million grant as part of theAmerican Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

After a 25% fare increase in mid-2009, annual ridership dropped by 15% (about 600,000) in 2010.^[20] However, in 2011, Tri-Rail again saw increasing ridership due to sustained high gas prices, averaging about 14,500 riders per weekday by the end of year. Throughout the year, ridership increased at a rate of about 11% per month, paired with a decline in automobile travel^[21] and an increase in employment, with 285 companies and 2,829 individuals joining in the discount program.^[22]

In 2011, the dilapidated Pompano Beach station received a $5.7 million federal grant, to be redone as a "green station," generating more than 100% of its energy demand through solar power, with the excess to be sent to the grid or stored for nighttime lighting. Construction started in spring 2012 with the station remaining open during construction.^[23] The crossing of Race Track Road and the Tri-Rail line near the Pompano Beach station, rough for several years, was also repaired in 2012.^[24]

In early 2012, it was announced that a second Tri-Rail station inBoca Raton was once again being considered at the busy intersection ofGlades Road (S.R. 808) andMilitary Trail (S.R. 809), nearTown Center Mall,Florida Atlantic University and large office parks. A station was proposed for this location in the early 2000s while many other stations were being renovated.Boca Raton station nearYamato Road (S.R. 794) is the busiest station in the system^[25] as of 2014, with 1,600 riders a day,^[26] surpassing theTri-Rail and Metrorail transfer station inMiami-Dade County. For this reason, and the fact that Glades Road is considered the most congested road in the county, aninfill station there has been long considered.^[27] However, in 2019, plans for the station were ultimately canceled by the city and Tri-Rail.^[28]

Total ridership on the system fully recovered to earlier high levels in fiscal year 2013, to 4.2 million.^[20] Tri-Rail wanted to double ridership by 2021 to 30,000 daily riders by building the Coastal Link.^[29]

In April 2015, the Miami Airport station opened at theMiami Intermodal Center, once again connecting Tri-Rail directly with theMiami International Airport for the first time since the original Miami Airport station closed in 2011. This new station has connections toMIA Mover (providing a direct link to the airport),Metrorail,Metrobus andGreyhound. After extensive delays,Amtrak has yet to move its operations from itscurrent station.^[30] This new station was under construction since 2009, with a September 2011 closure of the original Miami Airport station to allow for construction of the new station.^[31]

On January 27, 2017, the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority board voted to awardHerzog Transit Services a $511 million, 10-year contract to operate Tri-Rail beginning in July 2017.^[32] The board disqualified the other five bidders (Amtrak,Bombardier,First Transit,SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit and incumbent operatorTransdev), stating that they had all submitted "conditional" prices despite the request for proposals mandating that the bid price be final.^[32] The other five losing bidders all protested the contract, with Transdev, Bombardier, and First Transit jointly requesting a court injunction to prevent it from being awarded.^[32]

In the first quarter of 2023, theSouth Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) reported a 25% increase in Tri-Rail ridership, surpassing 350,000 riders for the first time in three years. To meet the demand, the SFRTA began an overhaul process with their Brookville locomotives, which is anticipated to be completed by 2025, and received a federal grant that will allow the replacement of a third of the aging fleet of railcars with new ones, which are expected to start service in the coming years.^[33] In addition, the SFRTA created a new livery design, which debuted in time for the Tri-Rail service intoMiamiCentral.^[34][35]

Tri-Rail service to MiamiCentral (Tri-Rail Downtown Miami Link) began service on January 13, 2024.^[36] The station, which is also amixed-use complex, is located inDowntown Miami and includes direct access toBrightline as well asMiami-Dade Transit services. The initial service consists of a shuttle service betweenMetrorail Transfer station and MiamiCentral, but a MiamiCentral Express train has since been added, running from MiamiCentral toWest Palm Beach station.^[37] To continue traveling north or south, a transfer is required.^[38] It marks the first time Tri-Rail trains useFlorida East Coast's trackage for service. Tri-Rail trains switch to the FEC's Little River Branch on the Iris Connection south of Metrorail Transfer station and head east to the FEC mainline, where they turn south and head to Downtown Miami. Tri-Rail trains began testing the corridor on June 19, 2023.^[39] The total cost of accommodating Tri-Rail trains in MiamiCentral was about $70 million.^[40]

With the Brightline extension toOrlando, the company has indicated that their trains have reached capacity, especially during peak commute time along theSoutheast Florida region. As a result of this, Brightline proposed for the SFRTA to facilitate aTri-Railexpress train between theWest Palm Beach station and MiamiCentral, with few stops in between. This would be similar to the route Brightline currently services in Southeast Florida.^[41] On May 31, 2024, the SFRTA announced that the new weekdayrush hour express train, with stops atBoca Raton,Fort Lauderdale Airport, and Metrorail Transfer, which began service on July 1, 2024.^[42][43]

v t e Tri-Rail Coastal Link
Legend
Brightline toOrlando Toney Penna PGA Boulevard Park Avenue Amtrak toChicago orNew York City   13th Street Mangonia Park 45th Street Northwood Connection West Palm Beach West Palm Beach I-95 Gregory Road Lake Worth Beach Lake Avenue Fare zone boundary Boynton Beach Delray Beach Atlantic Avenue Fare zone boundary Boca Raton Boca Raton Northeast 2nd Street Deerfield Beach Hillsboro Boulevard Pompano Beach Pompano Beach crossover Fare zone boundary Atlantic Boulevard Cypress Creek Oakland Park New River Wilton Manors Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale New River Fare zone boundary Fort Lauderdale Airport Fort Lauderdale Airport Sheridan Street Dania Beach Hollywood Downtown Hollywood Fare zone boundary Golden Glades Hallandale Beach Opa-locka Aventura North Miami Beach Metrorail toPalmetto North Miami Metrorail Transfer Miami (Amtrak only) Upper Eastside Iris Connection Hialeah Market Design District/Midtown Miami River Miami Airport MiamiCentral Metrorail toDadeland South All stations are accessible

In the 2025 and 2030 long-range transportation plans, Tri-Rail has envisioned moving to or adding service on theFlorida East Coast Railway (FEC) corridor, which runs parallel toU.S. 1 (Biscayne Boulevard/Brickell Avenue in Miami-Dade County, and Federal Highway in Broward and Palm Beach counties). This corridor will provide more opportunities for pedestrian travel from stations to end destinations than does the current South Florida Rail Corridor, which must rely almost exclusively on shuttle buses for passenger distribution. Tri-Rail officials project that the project would cost about $2.5 billion and that 59,000 people per day would ride it,^[10] The FEC, which denied the state's request to use the line for commuter rail in the 1980s, is now under new ownership as of 2017, and has now stated that it is willing to allow the use of the 85-mile-long (137 km) segment of track between downtown Miami and Jupiter for passenger trains.^[10]

Tri-Rail service on the FEC line would bring stations toDowntown Miami's transit hub,Government Center station via MiamiCentral, as well as service inMidtown Miami/Miami Design District,Upper East Side/Miami Shores,North Miami,North Miami Beach/Aventura, DowntownHollywood, and DowntownFort Lauderdale, putting it within walking distance of thousands of potential riders. Getting to and from the current stations has been a major detractor of Tri-Rail's convenience since opening.^[44] Miami's Downtown Development Authority along with Miami-area politicians are^[when?] actively lobbying to bring Tri-Rail to the city core.^[45]

Track connections between the FEC tracks and the South Florida Rail Corridor are also currently under construction.^[when?] These connections are mainly for freight connectivity between the two lines, but are planned for future Coastal Link use. The Northwood Connection just north of West Palm Beach will provide a new connection as well as rehabilitating an existing connection. The Iris Connection will connect the SFRC to the FEC's Little River Branch near Hialeah. FDOT has built both connections, which were funded by a federal TIGER grant.^[46]

The Coastal Link is planned to begin in phases. The first phase is known as Tri-Rail Downtown Miami Link, which began service on January 13, 2024.^[47]

A later phase would allow Tri-Rail to begin service to Jupiter by having trains switch to the FEC on the new Northwood connection north of West Palm Beach and head north to Jupiter with additional stops inPalm Beach Gardens,Lake Park andRiviera Beach. No official timeframe has been given for this phase.^[48]

Miami-Dade County is also working to find funding for service on the FEC from Downtown Miami as far north asAventura.^[49] Construction of an additional track for commuter service would require the approval of Brightline, which ownstrackage rights to operate passenger trains over the corridor.^[50]

If the Coastal Link is fully implemented, Tri-Rail would operate in three separate services with a line on the FEC tracks from Jupiter to Downtown Fort Lauderdale, a line on the existing tracks from Mangonia Park to Pompano Beach, and then transition to the FEC tracks and continue to Downtown Miami. Another line would run on the existing tracks from Boca Raton to Miami Airport.^[51]

Before full implementation of the Coastal Link service can begin, officials have acknowledged that a new crossing over (or under) theNew River in Fort Lauderdale is necessary. The FEC's current low-level drawbridge is unable to handle Tri-Rail service along with Brightline and FEC freight service without negatively affecting vessel traffic on the river since the bridge would need to be lowered quite often. Proposals include a taller bridge or possibly a tunnel under the river.^[49]

In 2020,Brightline solicited a proposal to operate a commuter rail service on the FEC, utilizing its exclusive trackage rights for passenger service, under a different system known as theNortheast Corridor Rapid Transit Project.^[52][53] Under these plans the city of Miami would support the service operated by Brightline, without direct involvement of Tri-Rail.^[54]

There had been proposals in the past^[when?] byMiami-Dade County andCSX Transportation to use theCSX Homestead Subdivision for Tri-Rail service, with the corridor being purchased by the county or theFlorida Department of Transportation.^[55][56] However, one of the problems at the time^[when?] was that the price of the corridor was exorbitant. Since then,^[when?] CSX has had new leadership, and the company is now willing to make a deal with Miami-Dade County to potentially have passenger rail service initiated on the corridor.^[57] Service could include the Lehigh spur from the Miami Intermodal Center toDoral, as well as the Homestead Subdivision from the Miami Intermodal Center toHomestead.^[57][58][59] As of 2024^[update], both lines only see sporadic freight service, and the southernmost 12 miles (19 km) of the Homestead Subdivision (south of theGold Coast Railroad Museum) have been out of service since 2019^[update].^[60]

Tri-Rail is currently in the preliminary stages of adding a station near theVA Medical Center northwest of theMangonia Park station. The tracks northwest of Mangonia Park are currently owned byCSX Transportation, which Tri-Rail would need to have an agreement with to operate at the potential new station.Palm Beach County is expected to cover the costs of the project.^[61]

In November 2023,Swerdlow Group responded to a request for proposals fromMiami-Dade County for a newaffordable housing development inLittle River, which also includes a Tri-Rail station. The project is located just east of I-95 and just north of the FEC's Little River Branch, which is part of the current route of the Tri-Rail Downtown Miami Link, which has no stations along the east-west route (with the north-south route eventually having stations as the result of theNortheast Corridor Rapid Transit Project).^[62] Swerdlow Group had indicated that they would fund $20 million for the station.^[63][64][65]

Tri-Rail shares the South Florida Rail Corridor trackage with Amtrak'sSilver Meteor,Floridian, andCSX Transportation'sMiami Subdivision. The Florida Department of Transportation purchased the track from CSX in 1989. Under the terms of the agreement, CSX would continue to provide dispatch services and physical plant maintenance for the track and would have exclusive freight trackage rights until certain conditions were met. At midnight on March 29, 2015, CSX handed over dispatching and maintenance to SFRTA (Tri-Rail). While this should have the advantage of giving passenger trains signal priority over freight trains, it was at first wracked with delays.^[66]

Tri-Rail participates in theEASY Card regional smartcard-based fare collection system along withMiami-Dade Transit. Purely paper tickets are also available for same-day or weekend use. A paper ticket or an EASY Card with a paper-based transfer receipt (created after a confirmed trip is completed) can be used to obtain transfer discounts when transferring toBroward County Transit as well asPalm Tran. However, only EASY Cards may be used to obtain a transfer discount when transferring to Miami-Dade Transit.^[67][68][69]

Due to the route's success, Amtrak'sSilver Meteor andFloridian do not allow local travel between West Palm Beach and Miami. The two trains only stop to discharge passengers southbound and receive passengers northbound. This policy is in place to make seats on those two trains available for passengers making longer trips.

Tri-Rail fare is divided into six zones for 24-hour passes, ranging from $2.50 to $8.75, with fare calculated by the number of zones traveled through, and whether it is one-way or round trip. On weekends, a $5 all-day pass good for all zones is available, though trains run hourly headways. For frequent use, Tri-Rail offers a $110 monthly pass (good for Tri-Rail only) and a $155 regional monthly pass (good on Tri-Rail,Metrorail, andMetrobus). Discount fares are available for senior citizens, the disabled, students, and children under 12.^[70] Certain businesses allow their employees to register for the Employer Discount Program, which reduces their fares by 25%.^[14] Free parking is available at all Tri-Rail stations.^[71] On weekdays, 50 train trips are made in all, with 25 in each direction, while on weekends only 30 trips, 15 north and 15 south, are made in all, with 1-hour headways between each train. While Tri-Rail peaks at speeds of 79 miles per hour (127 km/h), it can be extracted from the timetable and the distance of the line that its overall average speed is approximately 38 miles per hour (61 km/h).

On December 19, 2025, Tri-Rail stated that it will be announcing special service and hours for2026 FIFA World Cup games atHard Rock Stadium andInter Miami CF home games atMiami Freedom Park.^[72]

For fiscal year 2010, train revenue was approximately $10.3 million.^[73] Total operating expenses for fiscal year 2010, including depreciation expense, were approximately $86.9 million. Expenses increased by approximately $14.9 million or 20.7% when compared to fiscal year 2009.^[73] 2010 was a low year for ridership after the economy crashed and there were service cuts. By 2015, ridership was about 25% higher.^[74] By 2018, fare revenue was budgeted at $13.4 million, whereas operating expense was $119.8 million.^[75]

A typical station contains two tracks and twoside platforms connected by an overpass. Most stations have large parking lots, however, some, like West Palm Beach andHollywood have a limited number of spaces, most of which are reserved for Amtrak travelers.

Location	Zone	Station	Time to Pompano Beach	Year opened	Connections
Mangonia Park	1	Mangonia Park	48 min	1998	Palm Tran: 21, 31, 33
West Palm Beach		West Palm Beach	42 min	1925	Amtrak:Floridian,Silver Meteor Brightline(at theBrightline station) Palm Tran: 1, 2, 20, 31, 40, 41, 43, 44, 49, 60 WPB Trolley: Green Line Greyhound Lines
Lake Worth Beach		Lake Worth Beach	33 min	1989	Palm Tran: 61, 62
Boynton Beach	2	Boynton Beach	28 min		Palm Tran: 70, 71, 73
Delray Beach		Delray Beach	19 min	1991	Amtrak:Floridian,Silver Meteor Palm Tran: 2, 70, 81, 88
Boca Raton	3	Boca Raton	13 min	1989	Palm Tran: 2, 94 Boca Raton Shuttles: BR-1, TPABS, TREX
Deerfield Beach		Deerfield Beach	6 min	1926	Amtrak:Floridian,Silver Meteor BCT: 48, 728
Pompano Beach		Pompano Beach	–	1989	BCT: 34
Fort Lauderdale	4	Cypress Creek	8 min		BCT: 14, 60, 62
		Fort Lauderdale	15 min	1927	Amtrak:Floridian,Silver Meteor BCT: 9, 22, 81 LauderGO!: NW Community Link, Neighborhood Link
Dania Beach	5	Fort Lauderdale Airport	22 min	2000	BCT: 4, 6, 15, 16, 110 Dania Beach Bus: West Route Tri-Rail Shuttle: FLA-1 toFort Lauderdale–Hollywood Int'l Airport, SFEC Shuttle
Hollywood		Sheridan Street	26 min	1996	BCT: 12 Greyhound Lines Megabus
		Hollywood	30 min	1928	Amtrak:Floridian,Silver Meteor BCT: 7 Hallandale Bus: 3
Miami-Dade	6	Golden Glades	39 min	1989	Metrobus: 75, 75A, 77, 401, 95/95A/95B Golden Glades Express BCT: 18, 441 NMB Line: E Greyhound Lines
Opa-locka		Opa-locka	45 min	1927	Metrobus: 32, 135 Tri-Rail Shuttle: North Link
Hialeah		Metrorail Transfer	52 min	1989	Metrorail:Green Metrobus: 79
		Hialeah Market	58 min		Metrobus: 132
Miami		Miami Airport	64 min	2012	Metrorail:Orange Metrobus: 7, 20, 36, 37, 56, 150, 338 MIA Mover toMiami International Airport Greyhound Lines
		MiamiCentral	72 min (transfer atMetrorail Transfer)	2018	Brightline Metrorail:GreenOrange Metromover:OmniBrickellInner Metrobus: 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 21, 77, 95, 100, 203, 207, 208, 400, 401, 836, 837 BCT: 109, 110

Annual ridership averages

Tri-Rail posted its highest-paid daily ridership in the commuter-rail system's 24-year history on June 24, 2013. It transported 19,060 people, many of whom attended a "victory parade" for theMiami Heat, which won the2013 National Basketball Association championship. Most trains operated at or near capacity, SFTRA officials said in a press release. Special four-car sets were operated to accommodate the anticipated overflow crowd.^[84]

Previous Miami Heat victory parades resulted in high ridership counts for Tri-Rail, as well. On June 23, 2006, Tri-Rail transported 18,613 riders; and on June 25, 2012, the agency carried 18,355 passengers. In 2019, TriRail reached its highest annual ridership with 4.5 million riders.^[81]

Tri-Rail began service using a fleet of fiveF40PHL-2 locomotives built in 1988. These were remanufactured locomotives, built byMorrison–Knudsen using the frame and other components from retiredEMD GP40 units previously owned by Conrail, and the bodies fromEMD F45 units previously owned by Burlington Northern. These locomotives hadhead-end power (HEP) supplied from a generator connected via a shaft to the prime mover.^[85][86] The F40PHL-2 fleet was retired in 2015.

The fleet was later expanded with fiveF40PH locomotives. Three were F40PH-2C models built new by Morrison–Knudsen in 1992 using new frames, a remanufactured EMD engine, and a standalone engine for head-end power (HEP), which was not part of the original F40PH design. The other two were F40PH models built in 1981 for Amtrak and rebuilt by Boise Locomotive Company, a successor to Morrison–Knudsen, as the F40PHR-2C, to the same standard as the F40PH-2C.^[87][86] The F40PH locomotives were later rebuilt by Progress Rail between 2016 and 2021 and returned to service as -3C models.^{[citation needed]}

In 2006, Tri-Rail acquired sixEMD GP49 locomotives fromNorfolk Southern, which were remanufactured for passenger service by Mid-America Car Company. The units, reclassified as GP49H-3s, were originally built asGP39X locomotives in 1980 forSouthern Railway and upgraded to GP49 specifications by Norfolk Southern in 1982. The rebuild for Tri-Rail included the addition of HEP.^[88]

In February 2011, Tri-Rail placed an order for tenBrookville BL36PH locomotives, with options for additional units, at a cost of US$109 million.^[89] The procurement was controversial, drawing criticism from state lawmakers and business groups, and prompting a lawsuit from rival bidderMotivePower, the successor to Morrison–Knudsen and Boise Locomotive. Two additional BL36PH locomotives were later added to the order, bringing the total to twelve.^[90] Delivery was completed by 2015.^{[citation needed]}

In January 2025, Tri-Rail announced an order for sevenSiemens Charger locomotives. According to the agency, the Charger was the only locomotive offered that met its operational and regulatory requirements, including compatibility with service into MiamiCentral station. The new locomotives are intended to enable expanded service into Miami and replace the aging GP49PH-3 locomotives.^[91]

• 
  F40PH
• 
  GP49
• 
  BL36PH

Since the start of operations, Tri-Rail has primarily usedBiLevel Coach passenger cars. The original fleet consisted of cars built by theUrban Transportation Development Corporation (UTDC), including six cab-equipped cars and fifteen trailer coaches. These cars were built to specifications similar to those used byGO Transit and were delivered in the same paint scheme.^[12] The fleet was later supplemented in 1996 with five additional cab cars built by Bombardier, UTDC's successor, which were added to a larger order originally placed byMetrolink of Southern California.^[86] Beginning in 2015, some of the UTDC bi-level coaches were modified to increase bicycle capacity by removing seating on the lower level and installing bicycle racks, allowing each modified car to carry up to 14 bicycles.^[92]

In 2010, theSouth Florida Regional Transportation Authority approved the purchase of ten cab cars and fourteen trailer coaches fromHyundai Rotem for approximately US$95 million. Deliveries occurred between 2011 and 2013, allowing Tri-Rail to restore three-car trainsets that had been temporarily reduced due to equipment shortages. The Hyundai Rotem cars feature enhanced crashworthiness, including front and rearcrumple zones.^[93]

• 
  UTDC/Bombardier trainset
• 
  Bicycle car interior
• 
  Hyundai Rotem trainset

Between 2006 and 2012, Tri-Rail briefly operatedColorado Railcardiesel multiple unit (DMU) equipment acquired through a grant from theFlorida Department of Transportation. The fleet included four bi-level DMU power cars and two unpowered trailer coaches. The DMUs experienced persistent mechanical reliability issues and were withdrawn from service in 2012.^{[citation needed]}

• 
  Colorado Railcar interior
• 
  Colorado Railcar DMU 706

On January 4, 2016, a passenger train collided with agarbage truck which had broken down on agrade crossing atLake Worth Beach station and derailed. Twenty-two people were injured.^[94] This marked the first derailment in almost 27 years of operation.

On January 28, 2016, Tri-Rail suffered their second derailment inPompano Beach, after a train hit debris on the tracks between the Cypress Creek and Pompano Beach stations. This section of track is also where Tri-Rail is allowed to go its fastest speed, 79 MPH. One injury was reported and GP49H-3 locomotive #813 and a Bombardier BiLevel Coach directly behind it came off the rail.^[95]

On October 25, 2019, a northbound Tri-Rail train led by Bombardier cabcar #509 hit a semitruck inOakland Park. Several people were injured, and cabcar 509 was sidelined after the incident.^[96]

On August 19, 2020 atDeerfield Beach, GP49H-3 locomotive 816 caught on fire and its passengers from the train were safely evacuated. No injuries were reported.^[97]

On August 27, 2022, a northbound Tri-Rail train hit a vehicle left on the tracks in Fort Lauderdale. 6 people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The train partially derailed as a result of the impact.^[98]

• 
  Derailed Tri-Rail cars in Lake Worth Beach on January 4, 2016
• 
  View of the train and garbage truck it struck in Lake Worth Beach
• 
  Wrecked crossing signals at the site of the Lake Worth Beach accident

• Metrorail (Miami-Dade County)
• Metromover
• SunRail
• Transportation in South Florida
• List of Florida railroads
• List of United States commuter rail systems by ridership
• Commuter rail in North America

Wikimedia Commons has media related toTri-Rail.

• Official website
• Tri-Rail Coastal Link Study
• South Florida Regional Transportation Authority

• Tri-Rail
• Commuter rail in the United States
• Passenger rail transportation in Florida
• Transdev
• Railway lines opened in 1989
• American companies established in 1989
• 1989 establishments in Florida
• Transportation in Miami

• All articles with dead external links
• Articles with dead external links from July 2024
• Articles with dead external links from February 2022
• Articles with permanently dead external links
• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Use American English from April 2024
• All Wikipedia articles written in American English
• Use mdy dates from April 2024
• All articles with unsourced statements
• Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020
• Wikipedia articles needing clarification from December 2015
• Articles with unsourced statements from January 2012
• Pages using BSto or BSsrws with missing text values
• All articles with vague or ambiguous time
• Vague or ambiguous time from September 2020
• Vague or ambiguous time from January 2024
• Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2024
• All articles containing potentially dated statements
• Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2019
• Articles with unsourced statements from January 2026
• Commons category link is on Wikidata
• Pages using gadget WikiMiniAtlas
• Articles using KML from Wikidata
• Pages using the Kartographer extension