The state has committed $491 million to bring commuter rail to central Florida in an agreement between the Florida Department of Transportation and CSX Transportation (NYSE-CSX), which is selling the state 61 miles of track.

Using existing rail lines, the system will run during peak periods and will have the capacity to carry as many passengers as a single lane of Interstate 4 can hold during the same period.

The first phase will run between DeBary and downtown Orlando and is expected to be in operation in 2009, just before the start of a $2.3-billion reconstruction project that will rip up I-4 between Kirkman Road and State Road 434.