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@WesternNation I understand seasonal changes, which would occur perhaps several times a year. Or does Amtrak change consists daily? How much extra work would that be to break apart an integrated trainset versus loose car train four times a year ? And if the integrated trainset is better maintained I...

Having been on the Brightline trains, I can say that having semi-permanently attached trainsets is really the only way to go. The benefits are: ADA compliance for full train access, much less noise inside the car, safer to walk between cars, improved climate control, and as others have pointed out t...

Morty The Manatee? LOL Well the good folks at FECI/Fortress did hire a bunch of excellent people to fill the technical, operational, and management positions at AAF over the years. They truly represent the best team put together in modern passenger rail history. From Gene Skoropowski, Mike Reininger...

I would not say they are aiming high, just that they are in the process of ramping up service to the promised level of 16 roundtrips per day. They have intentionally run fewer trains due to trackwork not being finished as well as for quality control purposes. Meaning crew training, operational train...

Some more screenshots from the GOAA presentation. So as you can see, phase 2 work is almost here. Early prep work starts in July and track or roadbed work in October or maybe sooner. I assume the $200M already spent on phase 2 is mostly for the 5 new trainsets needed for Orlando service.

Mr. Norman, feel free to quote my post over on 'another forum' as I am happy to have the information get out there in the public realm. The information was from the GOAA (Orlando Airport authority) monthly board meeting held two days ago. They so nicely provide a page to download meeting agendas and...

@MBTA3427 I would disagree with your characterization that the state government here is not supportive of passenger rail. Nor would I agree with the sweeping statement that this is a partisan issue. Back in 2009, HSR in FL had bipartisan support in the state legislature. Gov Scott was the one indivi...

Mr. Norman, I have come to the conclusion that AAF will initially finance phase 2 to Orlando "in house" with debt and/or equity. That was pretty much what Bob Johnston reported in his Trains magazine article in the recent June issue. With Softbank now owning AAF, I am sure there are some o...

Mr. Weaver, perhaps this screenshot could help in understanding the plans for TriRail. I am assuming the yearly quarters it references are for 2019. That would match the other slide I presented earlier that has TriRail service starting in Q4. And testing complete in Q3.

Mr. Bone Valley, what correlation, if any, does this timeline have regarding when AAF will start revenue service at Miami Central? None at all if MiamiCentral service starts in 2018. If service to MiamiCentral were to start in 2019, it might be considered new service requiring fully certified PTC o...

Jacksonville will probably eventually happen. But because AAF is more of a real estate development company that happens to operate a passenger rail service, my thought is that they will expand to cities that offer the most potential for RE development. Orlando happened because the airport was willin...

The monthly board meeting of SFRTA (TriRail) on April 28 had some additional details on the PTC installation/testing/approval schedule. I can only assume that the information is pretty accurate as SFRTA/FECR/AAF hold regular meetings on the PTC project. Basically, field testing is to take place betw...

I've found Brightline - Wikipedia I've calculated distances using Google Maps: Miami - West Palm Beach: 72 mi, Miami - Orlando: 240 mi, Orlando - Jacksonville: 140 mi, Orlando - Tampa: 84 mi. So the FEC's lack of Orlando - Tampa trackage will make Jacksonville more likely than Tampa, despite being ...

I doubt it would ever happen. The main reason is back in 2012, as part of not having STB oversight and to be considered an intra -state railroad, AAF promised the STB that they would not engage in cross ticketing with Amtrak. Second reason, and the more practical matter that would impact both Bright...

I will be using the new parking garage C at MCO in two weeks when I fly out, so I will check out the adjacent ITF and see if any earthwork is being done at the maintenance facility site just southwest of there. Last time I was at the ITF in February there was no obvious new work done since my last v...