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

  • This is a forum for all operations, both current and planned, of Brightline, formerly All Aboard Florida and Virgin Trains USA:
    Websites: Current Brightline
    Virgin USA
    Virgin UK
This is a forum for all operations, both current and planned, of Brightline, formerly All Aboard Florida and Virgin Trains USA:
Websites: Current Brightline
Virgin USA
Virgin UK

Moderator: CRail

 #1543426  by Jadebenn
 
Speak of the devil.

Virgin Trains USA Says Florida Rail to Stay Shut for Months

Interestingly, they cite weak demand post-COVID-19 as being behind their the reasoning; no mention is made of PTC. I don't think that neccesarily rules out my intuition being correct, but it does point to it being a side effect, not the main cause.
 #1543432  by BandA
 
Unless the FRA has a regulation limiting how long a "temporary shutdown" remains temporary, it is just like a hurricane or trackwork or signal work or temporary annulment. I don't see why they would not be allowed to restart with a December deadline for PTC, if they wanted to. But since we are in a recession much larger than after 9/11, it makes economic sense to wait.

Does Virgin/Brightline have economic interest in the real estate development around the stations, or was that sold along with the freight?
 #1543704  by Gilbert B Norman
 
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... e=url_link

Mr. Jade, Bloomberg's reporting of this development seems to have a less restrictive paywall than does the source you located.

The article appearsvto be "one in same".

Finslly, allow me to note, Sir Richard seems to have more "pressing issues" within his "empire" at this time; and I hold that the fate of Brightline does not depend upon his participation, which to me appears nothing beyond "hornin nin".
 #1549428  by daybeers
 
How long do we think Virgin will stay suspended? I'm looking to visit a friend in the Fort Lauderdale area and will probably take one of the Silvers (hope they're both running!) to Deerfield Beach and then take a joyride on Virgin/Brightline to Miami the next day or so. Hoping this will be sometime in spring 2021.
 #1549512  by Gilbert B Norman
 
The Journal's take:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/virgin-atl ... lewebshare

Fair Use:
Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. to put into effect a $1.5 billion rescue package designed to keep the airline solvent through the coronavirus pandemic and aid the billionaire’s broader efforts to stabilize his travel and tourism businesses.

Virgin Atlantic sought protection under chapter 15 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York, as part of the airline’s court-sanctioned restructuring process in the U.K. that includes £600 million ($784 million) in financial support from shareholders.

Chapter 15 is the section of the U.S. bankruptcy code that gives foreign companies access to many of the benefits of U.S. bankruptcy law. Virgin’s lawyers are seeking a temporary restraining order from the U.S. court, which would freeze lawsuits and shield its U.S.-based assets from potential seizure during restructurings in their home countries.
I think Sir Richard has enough other things to address within his empire. I predict ever so silently that whenever Brightline resumes (apparently not until they can go all the way to Orlando. says TRAINS), any reference to "Virgin" will be gone.

Who knows what will happen to his "Big Red Love Tubs" he plans to sail from Miami.
 #1549747  by gokeefe
 
Good for Brightline. They have a brand that has built a lot of equity already. Virgin was fundamentally an interloper who was going to dilute the value. I'm sure given the dollars at stake it would have been worth it but without the cash it's pointless.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 #1549760  by Erie-Lackawanna
 
Jadebenn wrote: Sat Aug 08, 2020 1:44 amVirgin Trains USA will be returning to the Brightline branding.
They never got around to rebranding, so they’ll just remain Brightline as they always have been. All their advertising here in South Florida has been branded as Brightline, and they are known universally among the locals as Brightline. The local media have been calling them Virgin, but nobody else has.

The only thing that ever got the Virgin name has been MiamiCentral station, and I’m sure that will be repainted yellow soon enough.

Jim
 #1549890  by Jeff Smith
 
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/2020 ... son-empire
Brightline leaders wrote in a monthly report published Friday that Virgin now “has no remaining affiliation with us.” The company will drop Virgin from its branding and will instead be named Brightline Trains LLC, according to the report.

Brightline’s parent company informed Virgin of the termination July 29, but the report said Virgin disputes the validity of the notice. A Brightline spokeswoman did not respond Saturday to requests for comment.

The cancellation represents an abrupt and apparently acrimonious end to the ties between Brightline and Virgin Group, the global business empire led by eccentric British billionaire Richard Branson.
...
 #1549910  by Gilbert B Norman
 
As I likely reported at either this or another related topic, when I took a January joyride, the only sign of a rebranding was at Miami Central. Apparently none of the equipment had been reliveried. There had been no rebranding at West Palm.

I have no plans to visit Florida during '21 (fully expect The Cleveland Orchestra will CX their Miami residency as that is what I go down to hear) and who knows to what extent I will be able to travel anymore during '22 (earliest I foresee an "all clear"). All told, while I'm astounded Brightline ever collected a fare, I'm glad I had my eight joyrides with them.

Sir Richard was simply a "distraction" that, whenever they are able to resume operations, is happily behind them.
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