Amtrak in Miami (Hialeah, Miami Intermodal Center/Airport)

How fast can trains travel with a reverse hose? 25? 30? I don't think that's much slower than the track speed anyways. I still say it would be best to rebuild the WYE there just north of the station, and do the reverse move on the deadhead, in other words, train pulls straight into the station, discharges passengers, backs onto the wye, pulls into the yard. The morning move could pull down toward the station if that's faster, but take the wye, then shove into the station. It would limit the platforms to the two near platforms at the outside, but maybe switches could be built all the way over to the fourth one, there's enough room to maybe even avoid a slip switch.

That has been my contention to restore the wye. Only problem using wye is that a train will either pull across or back up over a very very busy LaJune road. The wye switch as I remember is maybe only 100 feet from LaJune rd. That switch should be a powered switch probably automatic. I suspect that that currentleg of wye and definitely beyond west switch is still CSX track?

If it's still in use, would a quick Amtrak move cause a lot of disruption that existing trains don't?

MattW wrote: ↑Tue Jun 28, 2022 9:12 am If it's still in use, would a quick Amtrak move cause a lot of disruption that existing trains don't?

No the sw leg is not in use track and ROW is there except close to the TRIRail track at NW 26th street.. That SW leg has a crossing cantilever verticle column that is sitting in what was the SW leg. Protects NW 26th street from triRail tracks.. The NW leg is in service for CSX Homesstead subdivision (green line) to proceed to the south of the MIA airport to interchange to FEC.. That cantilever will need to be move 30 - 50 feet south to clear the SW leg track.

Zoom down about 15 times to that area and you can get some idea however unless memory fails that is not quite what is there. Orange color is TriRail. Blue is overhead Metro rail.

https://www.openrailwaymap.org/

The "new" and unused MIA Amtrak station is already outdated!

https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2023/04/ ... -upgrades/

Mr. Train Guy, since I last participated in this discussion now over a year ago, really what has changed?

No one here has contended that the existing HIA/MIA facility is inadequate for the volume of passengers handled there? True, there are the few which apparently includes you, that choose to rent autos and would have more convenience doing so at the Intermodal facility. But for passengers "being met", the friends and relatives need not pay to park at the existing; hardly the case at Intermodal.

Further, while not sure on this one but wouldn't be surprised if such the case, taxicabs may have to pay an access fee, which of course means YOU pay an access fee, to get to Intermodal; certainly not the case at existing MIA.

So much for passengers, now to railroad operations. FEC has made concession enough to having Tri-Rail trains operate over the Iris X-ing - and will be making even more when they start operating to the Brightline Miami Central facility - especially if the SFRTA Agency comptemplates additional frequencies after such. At least all of those are "more or less" on time, but same can hardly be said of inbound Amtrak #91 and #97.

And finally lest we forget, the FEC operates their trains on a timetable; think of them as passenger trains.

The "few"? You really think only a few passengers traveling to tourist-popular Florida rent cars? And as far as the "few which apparently includes you", the last time we went we had to take an Uber from HIA to a hotel near MIA that provided free bus transfer to the Miami Cruiseport the next morning. Most hotels are located there not Hialeah. So we didn't rent a car last time but I know from personal experience that Florida is very tourist related and rental cars are necessary for many. BTW - car rental fees are usually much lower at the airport.

And there is ample pickup and drop off area in front of the station so why are you saying you need to pay to pick up people? Also looks like an Uber or taxi can also access the driveway without a problem.

Can't speak specifically to MIA, but most airport authorities charge rental car companies and taxicabs an "access fee" for the right to drive on their roadway. IAD/DCA has a monopoly on pickups; only the cab company they control is allowed. Not sure how Uber et.al is dealt with.

I've always saved money on rentals by picking up the car off-site;

Mr. Trainguy, I think it's time to accept that the only reason Amtrak should consider a move to the Intermodal facility would be if someone held a "political gun to their head". At this time, I don't know where that "gun" will come from.

Florida has shown they are quite pro passenger rail - just so long as it isn't Amtrak. They have created and funded two rail passenger agencies and I think are prepared to assume a private sector - Brightline - after it is evident "they won't make numbers".

I will not be surprised if a Tampa Bay agency.is formed; maybe even one around JAX.

So even if passenger trains and Florida will "live happily ever after", that does not include those belonging to "that agency from up North controlled by those Democrats".

The Hialeah station does not impress me. While its size is adequate it’s basically a dump in the middle of an industrial area. Move it.

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:37 pm The Hialeah station does not impress me. While its size is adequate it’s basically a dump in the middle of an industrial area. Move it.

I have to agree. The current Miami station is a few blocks away from a transfer station for local rail transit... and it's in a freakin' rail yard. Moving the station down to the intended place will give you better access to everything (direct rail transit transfers, local highway access, rental car lot...).

It makes more sense to move it to MIA's transit mall.

Yes. It would be advantageous if it were collocated with a Tri-Rail station as other Florida stops are. I do believe the airport would be optimal, but Hialeah just doesn’t work. It is indeed a rail yard, and the crossing to the station itself is often fouled.

First, Messrs. Smith and Wolf, let's address personal safety. No question whatever, the existing MIA/HIA facility is located "uh, not in the best" part of town and anyone going off its secured by fencing premises on foot - especially laden with baggage, is taking a personal safety risk. While I have in the past walked from there to the "within sight" Metrorail station without incident, that was in broad daylight and without baggage, I wouldn't be about to nowadays considering the "not so people friendly" times of day (well OK, #92 Star) the trains depart and arrive.

So, in short, if passenger convenience were first and foremost, the move should be made.

But where does passenger convenience stand in a market that Amtrak shows little interest in attempting to promote when set against operational efficiency? The LD's largely belong to the die hards (not necessarily railfans; OK, I did meet a nice young girl at DFB a year ago who goes to Univ Central Florida near ORL and she said this train is convenient), and the only way a move could be justified would be is if additional revenue arises from having the trains serve MIC over MIA/HIA in excess of the additional costs (facility rental, the highway infrastructure changes for which Amtrak reportedly will be on tap, access to the FEC's Iris X-ing, security, et magna alia) that will be incurred.

I’ll be honest I’m not sure what Silver ridership is like all the way to Miami and what room for growth potential is there. Are people disembarking earlier for convenience? What baggage services are available at other stops? Or other services? My thoughts are that intermodal is a huge convenience, and that the present location is bad enough that a move is imperative and the incremental cost is worth it. Hialeah to me would be ideal for an AT additional stop and nothing else.

Sgt. Smith, there was once a Hertz outlet at Orlando station, but that was far as station auto rental outlets in Florida went

I think however, that outlet has closed.

While I'm personally "wed" to Hertz (they once came out @ 2A to rescue me after I left the headlights on @ Riverside) for life, others are not. I know of horror stories from those seeking out some "brand X"; the most recent being last Feb from a really nice gal, who was in Boca at my hotel to visit FAU with her kid.

But considering that its time to "think $100/day" for even some "wind up toy" rental, no wonder people like this gal are looking for "alternatives" away from the Big Three.