Miami Intermodal Center at Miami International Airport

[jis]

One of the factors that AmtrakLKL may be alluding to above is that FDOT is planning to charge Amtrak some large sum of money to move to and operate from the Miami Airport station. Amtrak is basically saying that they don't see any reason to pay what they consider to be an extraordinarily large sum to move when they are doing fine at their current facility. This is similar to the kabuki dance that Amtrak went through with CDTA in Albany until an alternative arrangement was found to make Amtrak good in terms of cost of operation from the new building.

And then there are some serious ADA issues that still need to be resolved apparently.

So yeah, don't expect a move anytime soon. Currently things are pretty much deadlocked, and the current state administration doesn't care enough apparently to do anything about it, never mind that they are sitting on an asset that is just sitting there unused.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

I think one leg of the wye has been removed (not to say it could not be reinstalled - may be a Metrorail pier in the old alignment). More cost for Amtrak but movement back and forth to Hialeah facility for service will probably resemble the old Seaboard days to the 7th Avenue station: a switch engine to haul it back and forth (too many crossings (8) and too far (4 miles) for a shove move?) (The Star does shove move in Tampa twice a day of over 2 miles and more than a dozen two-lane, gated street crossings - conductor stands in vestibule of last car (Star always backs in) with his radio in hand)

The south leg of the wye is gone, but a wye switch was installed when the new station tracks were laid. Don't believe there are any obstructions on the alignment, but there is no need for a wye at this time or in the foreseeable future. Even if there were a need, who would pay for it?

I had a conversation with a gentleman in the know in Jacksonville at the end of the Gulf test special, and he re-iterated that it will be a long time before Amtrak moves to MIC. There is a lot that needs to change before that will happen, not just the bypass road.

Someone needs their head pulled out of their ***, I assume?

Because there should be precisely zero technical obstacles to moving Amtrak into the platforms shared with Tri-Rail. (If it's an Amtrak-only platform... they need to raise it for ADA reasons, but they can probably get a temporary waiver because the current Miami Amtrak station isn't compliant either.)

If there are any further obstacles, they must be obstacles in the form of obstructionist people who need to lose their jobs.

I think everyone agree$ there are no technical obstacle$ preventing Amtrak from operating out of the MIC. There are non-technical i$$ue$, though.

 

[west point]

Would not like a shove move. About 8 grade crossings including NW 74th (?) street next to metro and NW 36th street which is a very major street near airport and often have seen it fouled. Terrible traffic during rush hours.

A switch engine could pull train to the north leg of wye, disconnect and go on wye, then Amtrak could back into station.

For the train to pull forward from Hialeah and go onto wye would have to foul both LaJune road and also the end of the east - west freeway that is a main entrance to MIA airport. Then if an arriving train had to back over these roads can you hear the howls waiting for the wye switch to be reversed ?

Then there is the factor that stopping originating Hialeah give maintenance at least 1 extra hour every day for turns which will become even more important as trains gets longer.

 

[erierail]

In reference to FDOT trying to charge Amtrak a high rent for moving into Miami central, this is an issue Amtrak has faced before. Back when they built the new station in recenseller / Albany ny, the cdta tried to do the same thing. Amtrak refused to pay the high rent and did not move into the new station. It stood vacant for week before a new deal was work out. Hopefully both parties can reach an agreement.

 

[CSXfoamer1997]

Is it officially known what date the Silver Service will be move to Miami Airport Station?

 

[CCC1007]

Is it officially known what date the Silver Service will be move to Miami Airport Station?

Sounds like the move is in jeopardy of never happening. Apparently Miami wants more money than Amtrak wants to spend.

 

[jis]

Is it officially known what date the Silver Service will be move to Miami Airport Station?

It is officially known that no date has been set yet, and no date has been set for setting an official date yet either. In short it is firmly in limbo.

 

[Palmetto]

Is it officially known what date the Silver Service will be move to Miami Airport Station?

It is officially known that no date has been set yet, and no date has been set for setting an official date yet either. In short it is firmly in limbo.

LOL! I drove by the place yesterday, using NW 25th St. That's the street on the north end of the station that the Amtrak trains would block when in the station. There is absolutely nothing going on to address the situation. So +1 on your post, Jis.

 

[west point]

Have not been there for several years. Is NW 25th still used as the short cut to River drive? Maybe a signal on LaJune tied to the crossing signal would state street blocked at RR crossing.?

 

[Palmetto]

Actually, upon entering the airport [from the south] follow the signs for the Rental Car Center, which is directly adjacent to the railroad station. That puts you on NW 25th St, eastbound. You can then actually drive around the station property by making all right-hand turns, after you cross the tracks. Lejeune Rd. is west of the facility about 3 blocks.

 

[neroden]

I think everyone agree$ there are no technical obstacle$ preventing Amtrak from operating out of the MIC. There are non-technical i$$ue$, though.

******* state officials... I can believe that.

So, step one, get rid of the governor who is an unindicted coconspirator in the biggest fraud ever committed against Medicare and Medicaid. A non-criminal governor would probably appoint better-behaved officials. Florida's criminal governor has been reported to have repeatedly appointed "officials" who request bribes.

 

[AmtrakLKL]

Sounds like progress is being made and service to the MIA Airport will begin this summer. I've heard speculation ranging between June and August. Considering they've started paying T&E crews to qualify to the airport, I'd say the rumors have some truth.

 

[KauaiJohn]

Why not just forget Miami (the whole place is as screwed up as the train station) get off at the Hollywood station in Broward County and have a nice visit to Fort Lauderdale

 

[jis]

Why not just forget Miami (the whole place is as screwed up as the train station) get off at the Hollywood station in Broward County and have a nice visit to Fort Lauderdale

This is your intelligent constructive contribution to a thread on Miami Central Station? Really? Hope you are joking and forgot to include a smiley

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Why not just forget Miami (the whole place is as screwed up as the train station) get off at the Hollywood station in Broward County and have a nice visit to Fort Lauderdale

This is your intelligent constructive contribution to a thread on Miami Central Station? Really? Hope you are joking and forgot to include a smiley

Yeah, whether or not someone likes Miami is really irrelevant to this thread. In addition, if someone wanted to go to Ft. Lauderdale, why would they get off at Hollywood?

As to the new station, if the above is true that is great news. It will be far better than the current location with rental cars, Metrorail, Metrobus, intercity busses, and the airport people mover at the same location as Amtrak. While not technically in city limits, that is only because of the tiny physical size of Miami. The new location is also closer to downtown and Miami Beach. I still wish this would have been planned better and Amtrak could go to the downtown station instead, but it is too late for that now and this is still a vast improvement.

 

[CraigDK]

It certainly would be nice to have this resolved and have Amtrak offering service to MIA. How many other Amtrak station offer an airport connection? I can think of only three (BWI, Newark, & Milwaukee) off the top of my head.

 

[jis]

It certainly would be nice to have this resolved and have Amtrak offering service to MIA. How many other Amtrak station offer an airport connection? I can think of only three (BWI, Newark, & Milwaukee) off the top of my head.

Newark Airport Station (via the Airtrain) does but not the downtown Newark Penn Station. Similarly the Milwaukee Airport Station does not the Milwaukee Station. There is Burbank too. And of course Oakland Coliseum for Oakland Airport (with a little gymnastics).

 

[Hal]

It certainly would be nice to have this resolved and have Amtrak offering service to MIA. How many other Amtrak station offer an airport connection? I can think of only three (BWI, Newark, & Milwaukee) off the top of my head.

Newark Airport Station (via the Airtrain) does but not the downtown Newark Penn Station. Similarly the Milwaukee Airport Station does not the Milwaukee Station. There is Burbank too. And of course Oakland Coliseum for Oakland Airport (with a little gymnastics).

Philadelphia 30th St. Station via Septa's Airport line. Works pretty well.

 

[Ryan]

DCA from ALX is super easy as well.

 

[jis]

If a transit ride is included then Logan from South Station by Silver Line is pretty convenient in Boston too.

 

[Bob Dylan]

It is now possible to get to DFW from Union Station in Dallas via DART Rail and also Ft.Worth via TRE and a bus from Center Point Station.

St. Louis is also very easy since the Light Rail stop by tbe Intermodel Station in downtown takes you right to Lindbergh Field.

 

[jis]

Add Seattle (Seatac) and Portland via Light Rail from the city Amtrak station.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

The easiest airport connection not yet mentioned is probably Denver. JFK can be accessed via the subway and AirTrain. Both Chicago airports are accessible via the CTA and a short walk. SFO and Oakland Airports can be reached by BART. If Cleveland ever gets better schedules, that is another possibility via local transit. Atlanta can be accessed via MARTA and a mile walk or bus ride. MSP can be reached via 2 light rail lines.

As to the Miami situation, is it known how the downtown Tri-Rail branch will be operated? Will the trains simply alternate, and will there be shuttle trains for the opposite endpoint?

 

[Mark P]

It certainly would be nice to have this resolved and have Amtrak offering service to MIA. How many other Amtrak station offer an airport connection? I can think of only three (BWI, Newark, & Milwaukee) off the top of my head.

Newark Airport Station (via the Airtrain) does but not the downtown Newark Penn Station. Similarly the Milwaukee Airport Station does not the Milwaukee Station. There is Burbank too. And of course Oakland Coliseum for Oakland Airport (with a little gymnastics).

There are no Amtrak stations directly at any terminals in the U.S. But there are several Amtrak stations that are near the airport and are easily reached by a people mover or a dedicated shuttle bus:

NE Regional - EWR (AirTrain)

NE Regional - BWI (Shuttle bus)

Silver Service - MIA (MIA Mover)

Capitol Corridor - OAC (AirBART)

Hiawatha - MKA (Shuttle bus)

Coast Starlight/Pacific Surfliner - BUR (Shuttle bus or walk)

If you have any interest in reading about other rail-to-airport locations, you can check out the thesis I wrote about the topic in 2012.

http://theses.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05142012-101644/unrestricted/Peterson_MW_T_2012.pdf

Obviously, there have been a few new ones since then, and I captured as many as I could that were in the works at the time.

 

[jis]

Coming to think of it, the NJT 62 Bus from NWK (Newark Penn Station) to Newark Airport is actually quite convenient and much cheaper than the Air Train extravaganza from the Newark Airport Station, which appears to be more and more broken of late.