Jeff Smith wrote:So, Superstar, you’re saying Virgin, which is a contract operator in the UK, and Brightline management would unequivocally turn down an opportunity to expand their brand? And who’s to say they wouldn’t do it and expand into Real Estate? Northern Westchester, Dutchess, etc. still has development opportunities.
Yes, it’s “foam” right now. But so was Penn Access for MNRR up until today.
Yes, even more so now that Virgin is involved, which is a globally known brand with a (generally) favorable brand image. Virgin also has a huge presence in Florida already with VS's flights to Florida; I have no doubt that they will be selling combined flight/rail tickets through Orlando. They also have significant traffic to Las Vegas...where Brightline is also bound. They have no such connections to New York, where BA more or less owns the UK-origin transatlantic traffic.
Look at the stations Brightline built. Look at the buildings that sprouted up around them. Do you think that is in any way compatible with the rathole of NYP and the boarding lines that snake halfway across the concourse? Or the unsheltered platforms north of MNRR territory? That doesn't expand their brand, that destroys it. Do you see a twenty acre plot of land at NYP or ALB for them to buy and develop? Do you honestly think that the wealth of New York's northern suburbs would ever let similar development happen without a legal fight for the ages?
And half the line is already leased to Amtrak on the northern end, a lease that doesn't expire until early next century. What motive does Amtrak have to play ball, and if NYS somehow has a way to break the lease, why would Brightline get into a business relationship with NYS if the state's first action is to unilaterally screw over the previous partner. Why would they invest billions and depend on a partner that is demonstrably untrustworthy?
The only way I could Virgin/Brightline being involved is if they established another subsidiary for contract operations that was operated and branded separately. But I would think that to be even less likely than NYS, if they were well and truly fed up with Amtrak for some reason, establishing their own agency to run the trains.