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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

 #1453973  by Noel Weaver
 
Yesterday (Monday, December 18th) a friend and I took an exploratory trip by Tri-Rail up to WPB to check out the new Brightline Station. We got off Tri-Rail at the West Palm station and took a number 1 bus from there to Clematis Street very close to the new station. Then the walking began, no way to get in from Clematis Street so walk down to the next crossing and again no way to access the station. Then back to Clematis Street and walk west a block to the next street south, headed south then east and finally found the station entrance. The station was locked but a security guard there was interesting to talk to. He did not provide much information but it was a positive conversation. On the way back to the main streets we stopped at O'Shea's for a good lunch, thanks Jim for that tip, we both had roast beef and it was good. I would recommend this one for sure. The biggest reason for this escapade was to see if a group trip could be done for some of my neighbors here and reluctantly I concluded that it would not be a suitable trip at least out of WPB because there is too much walking involved from the nearest bus stop to the station. I walked over a mile trying to find the entrance and yes I made it but I would not do it again. I walked farther than necessary and would not have to do it again but even the shorter distance that we would have to do would be way too much for a good number of the folks here. The station at West Palm looked ready to go with all the lights on and even the escalators running but it was locked. OH between 12:00 Noon and about 2:00 PM we did not see any trains of any kind, only some track equipment working around the station. The two tracks that service the station looked shiny and in regular use. The third track that does not serve the station was rusty and looked like it was not currently in use.

The Tri-Rail trains were pleasant, clean and on time to the minute in both directions, Tri-Rail is a pleasure to use at least for me.

Noel Weaver
 #1454004  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Mr. Weaver, from the Googlemobile's latest "drive-by", there appears to be an entrance from Clementia to the station. I trust that will be available whenever the service commences, as that would appear to be a convenient entrance from N-S thoroughfare, Quadrille.

Having some familiarity with the area, I guess you would have had to go South from Clementia on Rosemary to East on Datura. But then, no assurance that entrance was available.
 #1454106  by deathtopumpkins
 
Gilbert B Norman wrote:Mr. Weaver, from the Googlemobile's latest "drive-by", there appears to be an entrance from Clementia to the station. I trust that will be available whenever the service commences, as that would appear to be a convenient entrance from N-S thoroughfare, Quadrille.
I would assume that the entrance you're seeing from Clematis St will actually be an emergency exit, as will the one at Fern St. If you zoom in you can see large metal gates across the ramps where they meet the platform. This assumption is also based on Brightline's previous statements that there will be faregates in the stations. I don't think the platforms will be accessible at all from the street, just from the station building.
 #1454189  by Noel Weaver
 
Although the platform was more or less at track level it does not look like the passengers will be able to access the platform directly from Clematis or any other street without passing through the main station and using an escalator or elevator up to the upper level and then another escalator or elevator down to the platform level to board the train. There is a ramp that one might be able to use to get down to street level from the high level platform but whether that will be made available to exiting passengers or not, I could not tell. I have been using a walker for a few weeks now so naturally that could be a concern for me. As for the fake trolley, yes it goes close to the station but it is four or five steps up to the floor of this vehicle and it is not user friendly for walkers or canes or seniors for that matter. The no. 1 bus goes just as close and is easier to board at the Tri-Rail station, runs every 20 minutes and has facilities for wheelchairs and walkers. Went over on the city bus and back on the fake trolley, the bus is the better of the two by far.
Noel Weaver
 #1454526  by andrewjw
 
Private ventures can be supported by tax dollars and still remain private... states granting similar support to private railroads was far from unusual even in the days of yore. In the present, you can also see aircraft manufacturers and airlines both have very close relationships with the government. (Boeing gets significant special treatment, airlines have close involvement in air terminal construction.)
 #1454696  by Noel Weaver
 
I don't know where you got this information, they still have a few days left for a soft opening which could happen any time without prior notice. As I wrote last week, the stations at West Palm and Fort Lauderdale are ready to go. Compare this with any other private enterprise in the USA getting a passenger train up and running in 2017. I don't know of any others and anything else is not too likely right now either. It takes time to get everything up to snuff and better to take a few days or weeks longer than to rush in and then have problems. BE PATIENT!!

Noel Weaver
 #1454732  by CentralValleyRail
 
I'm in no rush, I just want answers, not some BS TBA shtick that's been going on for 6 months.

I know you went on that little field exploratory trip last week but the stations have been ready to go since the BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER! That is when both stations got their certificate of occupation, which was the final step to opening the stations. They have hosted several events for corporate companies in the stations (think cocktail hour) and their own holiday party there. So it has NOTHING to do with the stations. First off they aren't going to do a soft opening without FRA approval which is public information. They notified the FRA on December 5th that they would begin simulated service effective immediately and per the FRA 2 weeks of mock testing is required and that proper time has passed with no service to light. Today puts you at 3 weeks from that mark. I'm not asking for the service to be opened in a rush in fact I think that they really shouldn't even open until Miami Central is done (yeah the whole FLL-PBI is nice to train the employees in a partial setting but it's more of a PR stunt than anything) which is looking like April from a close source of mine, just like that source said they never were going to start in December despite CEO Dave Howard's claim. The paper work(the high up stuff) has them starting Mid January. All I am asking is for some honesty and creditability. Because since day one we've gotten none of that. I run a 7 figure company and the one thing I've learned in my day is that you NEVER beat around the bush and you always tell the truth even if it's blunt, which ends up coming back to me in a wow I'm glad you were up front with me way. There is was to much PC stuff going on with Brightline..
 #1454870  by Noel Weaver
 
You might run a 7 figure company but that does not mean that you know squat about railroading. I'll let it go at that. On a brighter note here is a double track meet on video with two freight trains in Hollywood. ENJOY!!

https://youtu.be/YxXUHO7RopE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

OH and how is the project coming in New Jersey to restore passenger/commuter service on the old D L & W cutoff?????

Noel Weaver
 #1454931  by Gilbert B Norman
 
"Three Days and a Wake-up" - Tick, Tock, Tick Tock.

As I've previously noted at this discussion, and forgive if I reiterate previous points, I am not opposed to AAF; I just cannot be as optimistic as Mr. Weaver and others here are of the project's eventual success. That a major rating agency has labeled one debt security issue of $600M as "junk", I wish them luck with their $1.2B. That the issues will qualify as "Private Activity" and hence are exempt to the holders from Federal Income Tax, does not mean there is anything beyond the revenue AAF generates to meet the debt service. Now selling - "floating" - them becomes a new ball game. Sure in their Executive Suite they can talk about "a low B" rating, which means an effective rate of about 5% today. That could well be their coupon rate. But what if the Market says that this "junk" with its "C" rating is only good for a 7.5% effective interest rate? that means the $1.8B face would only raise about $1.0B - and for that, they'd just be back for more, and the chance AAF will ever be a private sector enterprise obviated.

I think that with the railroad now sold to Mexican interests and AAF's parent, FECI, sold to Japanese, is simply complicating matters. Who says that these foreign entities have the interest in this "just might make it" venture that the one entity there when the project was first announced during 2012 apparently had. FtL-W Palm "hasn't a prayer" and the best it could be is an employee training ground. Even a Miami-W Palm "Super Shuttle" I doubt has much expectation of success. Maybe, just maybe, Orlando Airport-Miami could make a go of it, but simply "making book" with the farebox (the current measurement Amtrak touts that "they're almost there") is not what private enterprise expects. The foreign ownership of both entities makes it unlikely they could ever expect a public subsidy such as a guarantee on the debt service.

Like Mr. Central Valley, these "any day now" announcements just further my skepticism.

At first, I thought AAF was a "fatten the livestock" ploy to sell the railroad to the State, as they are the greatest "party in interest" to ensure the JAX Gateway remains open. Any other major East Coast port has two railroads serving it; the maritime industry does not enjoy being at the mercy of one road, which would be the case for the Florida ports if either CSX or NS got its hands on the FEC. On that point, I was evidently mistaken.

At this time, it would appear AAF's "bailout costs" are minimal. I'm certain that either a Local rail passenger agency or Amtrak themselves would take the Siemens locomotives and cars, and I'm certain the Miami Central Station development will be a going concern with or without AAF. If Neo-PANAMAX traffic is to grow for the Florida ports, and there have been signs of late that "it's picking up", then the double tracking that's been done along the Gold Coast will be put to use. The Shops are little more than a metal shell over a "pit stop" as I'm sure any "heavies" would be contracted out. The real "White Elephants" will be the two station structures at FTL and WPB. If they remain standing, they will be monuments to a business plan that went amok and B-School's will have as a case study for a long time to come.
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