Miami Intermodal Center at Miami International Airport

[cirdan]

It was even worse before as far as confusing naming goes. Originally the station at the Airport was also named MiamiCentral, before there was a downtown Miami Central. Fortunately the name was changed, but still is a bit confusing for the uninitiated. Might have been better to call the station at the Airport, Miami International Airport station and be done with it.

still, one wonders how anybody could ever come up with the idea of calling an airport station so far from anything downtown, central ...???

 

[blueman271]

still, one wonders how anybody could ever come up with the idea of calling an airport station so far from anything downtown, central ...???

The idea was that it was a central place to board all forms of transit, long distance, regional, and local not that it was centrally located geographically.

 

[cocojacoby]

The idea was that it was a central place to board all forms of transit, long distance, regional, and local not that it was centrally located geographically.

How about "Miami International Airport Intermodal Terminal" or "MIA Intermodal" for short?

 

[jis]

How about "Miami International Airport Intermodal Terminal" or "MIA Intermodal" for short?

It is called “MIC at the Airport”. Everybody is used to it. No need to change that.

 

[bonzoesc]

still, one wonders how anybody could ever come up with the idea of calling an airport station so far from anything downtown, central ...???

I’d argue that it is pretty central, considering the vast population in Miami-Dads that lives west of the passenger part of the airport, but I don’t ever remember seeing it as anything but the MIC.

 

[jis]

I’d argue that it is pretty central, considering the vast population in Miami-Dads that lives west of the passenger part of the airport, but I don’t ever remember seeing it as anything but the MIC.

It changed to MIC within weeks of Brightline tagging its station as Miami Central. The thing is, the original use of Miami Central for the Airport station pre-dated the planning of the Brightline station, or at least any hint of what it will be named. There was a period of uncertainty about that which led to the short confusing period.

 

[joelkfla]

Sounds like Amtrak is demanding a wye at MIC.

https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2023/10/03/more-hurdles-in-long-drive-to-get-amtrak-to-the-airport/

 

[jis]

It will be interesting if they wish to use the potential Wye that can be rebuilt. To turn a ten car plus two loco train there they will have to infringe on NW 42nd Ave. and S Len Jeunne Rd. I frankly don't think Amtrak will ever move there, but it will mange to waste many million dollars of Florida taxpayers' money before throwing in the towel.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

I agree, the use of the wye doesn’t make it safer. That a busy road to back over, even if they turn the train set before backing in the station. A lot of traffic interference.

Time to bit the bullet and staff a switcher engine, that will hook on to the back and pull the train set north to the maintenance facility.

They used to have a contract CSX switcher and crew. I believe it was a major cost that was cut.

 

[jis]

I agree, the use of the wye doesn’t make it safer. That a busy road to back over, even if they turn the train set before backing in the station. A lot of traffic interference.

Time to bit the bullet and staff a switcher engine, that will hook on to the back and pull the train set north to the maintenance facility.

They used to have a contract CSX switcher and crew. I believe it was a major cost that was cut.

They can just keep an Amtrak Switcher and crew out of Hialeah. Their behavior suggests to me that they are merely playing a Kabuki. If they really wanted to do it the solutions are obvious and staring in their face, but they won't, because no matter which way you look at it, it will increase their cost of operation and they are trying to get someone to pay for it. So either they will be kicked in the butt and told by Congress (like has been the case for virtually everything they have done recently and taken credit for) to stuff it and eat the cost from the grant they have, or they will continue dithering.

Maybe it is time to tighten the screws a bit by adding some specific language in the next Appropriation Bill.

 

[user 14106]

I honestly don't know what to make of this situation. If Amtrak management alone is the roadblock I don't even understand why this was revived since basically Anderson had put it to bed and it seemed FDOT had given up and it was dead. In the presentation when this came up revealing it was revived the FDOT rep had mentioned that it was AMTRAK who approached them on this with renewed interest in the facility. Note: Don't take this as any sort of doubt or conclusive statement that Amtrak itself is or isn't the problem here as their internal processes are mind boggling (they very well may be), but the whole thing just seems baffling. I do know from a different experience that the FRA can hold Amtrak up from leasing new facilities as well for ADA and other issues and that it can take ridiculous amounts of time to get those things resolved.

 

[jis]

I honestly don't know what to make of this situation. If Amtrak management alone is the roadblock I don't even understand why this was revived since basically Anderson had put it to bed and it seemed FDOT had given up and it was dead. In the presentation when this came up revealing it was revived the FDOT rep had mentioned that it was AMTRAK who approached them on this with renewed interest in the facility. Note: Don't take this as any sort of doubt or conclusive statement that Amtrak itself is or isn't the problem here as their internal processes are mind boggling (they very well may be), but the whole thing just seems baffling. I do know from a different experience that the FRA can hold Amtrak up from leasing new facilities as well for ADA and other issues and that it can take ridiculous amounts of time to get those things resolved.

Indeed it is baffling. The only clear thing is it will increase cost of operations. I had some idea what Amtrak was thinking back in the Boardman days through people I knew, and I had the impression that their main mission was dithering and making sure that it never happens and deflect the blame onto FDOT instead of working on figuring out how to make it happen. I could quote an individual but I won't. But it is indeed baffling why they would bring it out of mothballs only to dither it to death one more time.

 

[PaTrainFan]

And why does this sound like a new demand when surely Amtrak has been well aware of the logistics for some time. Definitely suspicious, not that I am a conspiracy theorist by nature.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Flash back to when Denver Union station was getting a rebuild. Amtrak was up in arms about the tent over the tracks. In practice the engine do not go under the tent but stop on the drip pads near the throat of the station.

In this case it was the USDOT that restarted this act of frustration with their test train to the airport.

I agree with JIS if they want to, they would. The whole use other people money for improvement is just another example of American exceptionalism.

 

[user 14106]

Flash back to when Denver Union station was getting a rebuild. Amtrak was up in arms about the tent over the tracks. In practice the engine do not go under the tent but stop on the drip pads near the throat of the station.

In this case it was the USDOT that restarted this act of frustration with their test train to the airport.

I agree with JIS if they want to, they would. The whole use other people money for improvement is just another example of American exceptionalism.

When there’s a will there’s certainly a way. But don't underestimate how much bureaucracy and red tape can tie things up especially when multiple agencies and jurisdictions are involved. Legal red tape, etc. is also an example of American exceptionalism.

 

[BlackDiamond]

Legal red tape, etc. is also an example of American exceptionalism.

I don't think there is anything specifically American about legal red tape. After all, the term originated in the UK where red tape was used to tie up official documents.

 

[cocojacoby]

That wye was there and they recently severed it when they extended NW 28th street to appease Amtrak's problem with trains that wouldn't fit in the station. All they had to do was locate the newly installed crossing gate/signal slightly west. This whole thing is a such a cluster . . . .

 

[Bostontoallpoints]

Unless Amtrak signs a legally binding contract to move-in once the Wye is rebuilt, don't do anything,

 

[Steve4031]

It would seem to me much cheaper to just use the switch engine to haul the consist back to the maintenance yard and wye by the old station. Of course, this is an ongoing cost versus the fixed cost of a wye by the airport station. I wonder how much a switch move costs, and how many switch moves would need to be performed to even the cost of building the wye.

 

[jis]

I would be surprised if that Wye is ever used. It does not have enough space to turn a 10 car plus 2 loco train without causing traffic to be disrupted on the busy street at its other end, as discussed a few posts up in this thread. If Amtrak insists on using a difficult to use Wye, I would consider it as yet another scheme to foot drag on this thing rather than figure out a way to do this sooner rather than later or never.

 

[frequentflyer]

What would be the point of the wye? It would still have to backup to the old station area to be serviced.

 

[alpha3]

What would be the point of the wye? It would still have to backup to the old station area to be serviced.

Exactly - I had the same question. The MIC is an embark/disembark station; there's no servicing or maintenance area there. The Meteor and Star would have to go back to Hialeah anyway for servicing the next day's departures. Seems common sense (and less complicated) to have a switcher pull the consist out of the MIC to Hialeah. Then it could pull the consists back to the MIC for departure, or the consist could do a backup move to the MIC from Hialeah. Just more creating of confusion and complications instead of simplicity.

 

[cirdan]

Just thinking out loud here, but where does that line go?

What if the wye is there for some future commuter service going that way?

 

[jis]

Just thinking out loud here, but where does that line go?

What if the wye is there for some future commuter service going that way?

It is the Homestead Secondary. CSX has been trying to sell it to someone, there is a proposal for Miami-Dade to acquire it, but so far the money to do so does not exist.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Between the Airport station and Maintenance Facility is about 10 at grade crossing. Some are 4 lanes, most 2 lanes. I don’t know how many at grade crossing are travel over to get to Tampa in reverse, but pretty sure the safety of the crew members are a concern. Using a switcher would add mass. Since both train sets arrival and departure close to each other. Having a switcher available to add or subtract rail cars between arrival and departure while the train sets are been turned seem to me the way to go.