Brightline (All Aboard Florida) Orlando - Miami FL FEC fka Virgin Rail

It is impossible for Tri-Rail to serve the current Amtrak Miami station. It's a stub-end station, and it's inside a loop, both of which are just south of the Hialeah coach yard.

Rockingham Racer wrote:It is impossible for Tri-Rail to serve the current Amtrak Miami station. It's a stub-end station, and it's inside a loop, both of which are just south of the Hialeah coach yard.

The dot on the diagram I saw must have been on the Metrorail Transfer Station then, and then the Tri-Rail would turn east about a block south of the Metro in order to join the FEC. It seems that the big $ item is simply the connection to turn east.

Discussion of the matter Mr. Arlington has addressed is over here.

Tri-Rail is NOT going to serve the Amtrak Station in Miami. They already have good connections in these parts at several different stations between West Palm Beach and Hollywood. The plan as I see it anyway is for alternate Tri-Rail trains to operate to the airport and to downtown and i think they will probably increase the service as well to accomplish this. The line is state owned and they should be able to operate as many trains as they deem necessary. I think the FEC will not be too big of a problem, the line between IRIS and LITTLE RIVER is all double track although they might make changes in the signal system in that part. After all the FEC will gain in a big time way with their new station downtown if Tri-Rail also runs trains in and out of there. I still have doubts if Amtrak will go anywhere in Miami, their present facility serves them nicely and everything is close by.
Noel Weaver

Earlier today I had a good phone conversation with a friend locally who has been involved in the AAF facilities in Fort Lauderdale. This is probably a bigger project than most on here realize, many changes will take place. The reason for the third track in Fort Lauderdale is for a bypass for freight trains to pass by the AAF station without interference with AAF passenger operations. He said the local station will have an island platform. A lot of property here will be affected by use changes. Same thing in Miami where what was basically not much more than a parking lot will become very useful. The big money in both location is Real Estate and Fortress Investments will gain big in this respect. Both Miami and Fort Lauderdale stand to gain as well. I was very encouraged by this conversation.
Noel Weaver

Noel,

Count me as "not surprised". The population densities are there. To an extent it was only a matter of time before this made sense.

I think its going to work and I also think that if it does there is going to be a lot of discussion elsewhere among other private railroads who travel through similarly populated areas. Florida East Coast is unique but not likely an isolated example.

I'm assuming that FEC owned a lot of the property that they're developing to help make this work? how many of those private railroads still own all the property necessary for similar developments, or how much of that is owned by the likes of American Premier or Cattalus Development?

bdawe wrote:I'm assuming that FEC owned a lot of the property that they're developing to help make this work? how many of those private railroads still own all the property necessary for similar developments, or how much of that is owned by the likes of American Premier or Cattalus Development?

Not only do the railroads have to own property in the right places but they also have to be motivated to develop uses for that property. The FEC has been an innovator in this for some time and they are good at it. I don't think they care how they make money on their property as long as they make money on it. After all they have been paying taxes on their property for a long, long time, why not make the best use of that property they can? This project has great potential for all, the cities, the railroad, the tourists, business travelers and the local residents as well. Property in Fort Lauderdale at that specific location was not doing anybody much good either, the new station will be very close to the downtown bus terminal (Central Terminal) where about 30 different city bus routes begin their runs, there is heavy city bus activirty all day in that area. Miami has a superb location as well and the railroad owns all of the key property they need although there is some buying and selling in Miami as well as horse trading as well. All in all it is going to be a very interesting period around these parts.
Noel Weaver

The real problem is that most other railroads have/had long ago had their urban-core real estate holdings stripped either to create downtown expressways or during bankruptcy and also that too many transit agencies don't "get" real estate development. When Catellus was stripped from Santa Fe Pacific (the story on the Catellus site obscures that shareholders looking for short-term returns forced the divorce) we lost the only other FEC-like opportunity that I can think of (maybe a little bit of Illinois Central). The FEC is both happily different and sadly unique in its ability to recapture rail costs through real estate appreciation. Everybody else is just a transportation company.

Rocla to set up concrete tie manufacturing facility in Fort Pierce with production commencing early next year:
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Got a good look at the various construction projects in connection with AAF in downtown Fort Lauderdale and believe me this is history making for a private railroad to get back in the passenger business. Construction all over the place with a third track in place on Andrews Avenue, Broward Boulevard and probably other crossings. I don't know just how far up this construction is proceeding right now but there were construction people working in several different locations. It is nice to see places where a freight railroad is building to operate passenger trains rather than tearing something up that once was used for passenger service.
No I am not in a position to venture a guess as to when the trains will be running but I would say it will be a while because there is a lot of work to happen first. Other reports have come in that this is going on all over the place at least in South Florida.
Noel Weaver

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If they get this right......it's a gamechanger for American rail. I know FEC is unique but there are a lot of places throughout the South where this could work. Atlanta area comes to mind....but obviously Class I carriers aren't necessarily friendly.

gokeefe wrote:If they get this right......it's a gamechanger for American rail. I know FEC is unique but there are a lot of places throughout the South where this could work. Atlanta area comes to mind....but obviously Class I carriers aren't necessarily friendly.

And Texas Central HSR, which has an upbeat thread, is also a private effort.

Creating developable the real estate steps away from the terminals is a huge economic advantage for HSR companies.

Any reports on the progress of restoring some of the sections of double track?
Andy