TRAIN LINE STARTED OFF THE COAST OF KEY WEST GOING TO AN OUTER ISLAND PAST FLA. (mid 1800's)?

Answer 1

The Key West Extension did not exist until 1905.

Railroad infrastructure engineering technology was not advanced enough in the mid-1800's to attempt something that difficult. As the previous poster said, the KWE was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1930s and was never rebuilt.

Answer 2

There was a railroad line that ran from the southern tip of Florida to Key West. The rails and bridges were destroyed in a hurricane. The bridges were rebuilt or replaced for the A1A Highway that now runs to Key West.

Answer 3

Both of the above...............

There was a fair amount of drama surrounding the hurricane that destroyed the line, as a special train was ran to try to evacuate the residents and tourists of and on the island.

The financier and rail tycoon who built the railroad needed to ensure that there was passenger traffic to the island, and increased these numbers by building the first hotel on the island. If I remember correctly, this was also the first hotel to employ a new technology called 'air conditioning'. It was a big success.

The hurricane took a toll of lives, including some of the railroaders themselves in their valiant effort to save the stranded islanders.