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

The only ones that will win will be the lawyers - the counties will lose and still have to pay the lawyers - a lose lose proposition.

The only way the counties can win is to be stopped by the courts so the lawyers don't bleed the county treasuries dry.

Here's some more, progress all over the place. Station work is progressing very well in Fort Lauderdale as well.

http://gobrightline.com/progress/runnin ... struction/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver

Mr. Weaver et al, I am simply astounded beyond belief that this AAF project has moved this far. This development reported at the AAF site is the one having me beginning to belive that somebody's passenger train will operate to "First and First" using FEC rails.

http://gobrightline.com/progress/miamic ... -progress/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

While I'm sure that if Tri Rail were to operate to this new Central Station, it would kick start it's rather tepid ridership, for now it would "go somewhere". However, somebody will have to do a "whole lot of explainin' as to why rail access was ever built at the Airport rather than a bus connection to a station such as Metro Transfer.

Mr. Norman,

Cream cheese or buttercream frosting?

TCPalm

Here's the YouTube video embedded in the article: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph9ZC-jmojM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brief, fair-use:

rightline makes first test run on tracks | Video

All Aboard Florida's first Brightline train engine made its inaugural run Thursday during a test session at a Siemens manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California.
...
Thursday's run followed three weeks of testing the train's diesel engine, brakes, software, communication systems and other components, All Aboard Florida said in the news release.

The first shipment of colorful Brightline trains — each with two bright-yellow locomotives — is expected to arrive in Florida later this year, according to All Aboard Florida.
...
All Aboard Florida is to begin limited service, with five, four-car trains — running between Miami and West Palm Beach with a stop in Fort Lauderdale — by mid-2017, according to spokeswoman AnneMarie Matthews.
...

Not sure if this is "news" or not, but... http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/c ... 79637.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

All Aboard Florida’s plan to operate regular passenger train service between Miami and Orlando is in jeopardy following a federal judge’s order questioning the company’s ability to borrow $1.75 billion in taxpayer-backed federal bonds to pay for the project.

At the same time, in a lawsuit filed by two Florida counties looking to block the project, the judge found that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) ignored federal law when it issued bonding authority for Phase II of the private rail project from Cocoa to Orlando.

Sounds like this could be quite a blow.

Mr. Pumpkins, this is news.

As I have consistently held, this ostensibly private sector passenger service initiative is simply going to the inevitable public funding trough, likely quite opaque, or to the "service to begin on a date to be announced" graveyard.

The link was to a Miami herald article of Sept. 11, 2016, which mentioned that there would be a Sept. 13 hearing. Did anything happen then?

AAF and the US DOT asked for an additional month...the counties cried foul...and the judge gave them a 1 week extension.

This came in on the Sun-Sentinel web today, more interesting stuff and more progress. What is happening in Fort Pierce, Stuart is simply going to end up being delaying tactics and speed bumps. I doubt if it will stop this important project.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/browa ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver

Martin County feels slighted, after finding that the Brightline did not evaluate an alternate route that would bypass most of their populated areas. They claim that the Environmental Impact Statement is not complete and the railroad should cease work. Part of the alternate route is over CSX tracks, but a Martin County commissioner claims that's not a problem. Of course, the CSX was not contacted.

http://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/ ... /90687416/

Arguments that border on specious. Not exactly the kind of thing that is going to win in court.

Well, I guess that Ft Pierce-Okeechobee line remains in service - or at least when the Googlemobile last went that way!

26939 SW Martin Hwy

https://goo.gl/maps/6ADFRoPjQhm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Gotta say, doesn't look like too much of an interchange between FEC and CSX:

29582 SW Warfield Blvd

https://goo.gl/maps/M1M3ADYHigL2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The FEC's Okeechobee-Fort Pierce line hauls bulk sugar and molasses from the cane sugar refineries on the South end of Lake Okeechobee.

AAF/Brightline holds "topping off" ceremony for WPB station (incl. video):
http://www.wpbf.com/article/topping-off ... ct/4370911" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;