Miami Intermodal Center Progress

[Noel Weaver]

Tri-Rail begins to operate from the new MIA Station on Sunday, April 5th. Maybe this link will work.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm- ... story.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Noel Weaver

[quadrock]

Thanks for the update Noel, that link does work. That's great that this is finally happening. And now the wait begins for Amtrak to make the move...

[Noel Weaver]

I rode in to the new Miami Airport Station today and it is some facility. There are two island platforms and four station tracks but only one platform and two tracks are presently in use. I don't know whether Amtrak will ever use this facility or not but I certainly have my doubts because there is a crossing at the north end of the platforms and Amtrak trains are too long to fit and it will add to Amtrak's costs to run here as well. Amtrak Stations offer free parking in these parts but I doubt if the parking at MIA will be anywhere near free. Amtrak's patrons will be better served in and out of Miami using the present station with its free parking and if Amtrak's passengers want to use the Miami Transit System they can always transfer to a Tri-Rail at any one of the several stations that both stop at. The platform is served by both escalators and elevators between the platform and the station itself and it is a l o n g ride up the escalator from the platform to the station. There are now two stations where folks can transfer between Tri-Rail and Metro-Rail the Metro-Rail Transfer Station at 79th Street (the older location) and the new Miami Airport Station. I certainly recommend the new facility as both operations have island platforms so you don't rush to one platform only to find out that your desired train is going to use the other platform. The facility is brand new, fewer stops are involved on Metro-Rail and the fare is exactly the same no matter which one you use.
I rode three different Tri-Rail Trains and all three were on time all the way. Good day.
Noel Weaver

[Rockingham Racer]

I "heard" that when Amtrak is in the station, the crossing is going to get blocked off to traffic. I have no idea how that will work.

[Noel Weaver]

There has been all sorts of "baloney" as to Amtrak running in and out of MIA but truth is that the crossing should have been considered when the place was designed. It is not a good fit for Amtrak and I still have very serious doubts that Amtrak will use it anytime soon or for that matter in the reasonable future.
Noel Weaver

[Rockingham Racer]

Haven't been up there lately, but if the parking lot to the South isn't too crowded, couldn't they conceivably extend the Amtrak tracks and platform south a couple of hundred feet?

[electricron]

It's not a parking lot to the south. It's a driveway for a parking lot.

[Rockingham Racer]

I guess the point is: can't something be done to extend the tracks south a few hundred feet?

[electricron]

I don't think they can going south. Earlier proposals to fix the too-short Amtrak platform was to extend the platform north, which would have permanently closed the street crossing. If going south was a possibility, someone would have suggested it by now.

[Jeff Smith]

How is this going to relate to plans to bring trains downtown to AAF's operation (Miami Central Station)? Are these two the same, or different? From the timeline of operations given here, I assume they're different.

[Rockingham Racer]

I read somewhere that the new connection at Iris from the CSX to the FEC is now under construction, which will allow Tri-Rail trains to get to downtown Miami and the AAF Miami Central Station in downtown. The confusion arises because for some reason, the new airport station has the same name as the AAF station downtown. Kinda dumb, but that's the reality. I believe the Tri-Rail timetable calls the station at the airport--hold your breath--Miami Airport Station, which it SHOULD be called. It's not at all "central" IMO. So yes, some trains will continue to the airport, and eventually other trains will use the new connection at Iris to access the AAF Miami Central station downtown.

[Jeff Smith]

Thanks! It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out. I suppose FEC could also have used Miami Union as a throwback, but like Miami Central. It seems stupid for the airport to use it.

[Rockingham Racer]

I forgot to mention that Tri-Rail would also like to initiate commuter rail service from the under-construction downtown station using the FEC tracks. That would give them two north-south parallel services.

What is lacking, IMO, is good rail service to the south. There is Metrorail to Dadeland [SW 95th] and a busway south from there with some Park 'n Ride lots along the way, but people don't really like to have to "change", especially commuters.

In short, Miami transit planners have been asleep at the switch, and now traffic gridlock has come to the fore as a source of real annoyance in try to get around the area. We are not talking only of limited entry expressways, but also street arteries like Galloway Road that are just awful during rush hour.

[CentralValleyRail]

Service to the station via Amtrak promised Summer 2016 hmm looks like that's an after thought...

[Rockingham Racer]

Source, please.