Miami Intermodal Center (f/k/a Miami Central Station)

[jis]

Designing a station that might still be in use 50 years from now for the minimalist needs of today can be a very shorted policy.

I agree. But we have a station such as it is. The question now is should it be used or not, and if so what is the best way to operate it, and not about what its design should be. At most what we can do is build out a platform beyond the grade crossing to allow a few more cars, which of course can be done at any time. Building a completely new station with a new design at MIC is not going to happen. This is not a greenfield station design situation at present. That time passed 10-15 years back.

There is space set aside for a third platform with two platform tracks, which will most likely be used at some point by Brightline, and that will be a high level platform and most likely will not extend beyond the grade crossing since Brightline trains will not be more than ten cars plus two SCB-40s

 

[cirdan]

I agree. But we have a station such as it is. The question now is should it be used or not, and if so what is the best way to operate it, and not about what its design should be. At most what we can do is build out a platform beyond the grade crossing to allow a few more cars, which of course can be done at any time. Building a completely new station with a new design at MIC is not going to happen. This is not a greenfield station design situation at present. That time passed 10-15 years back.

There is space set aside for a third platform with two platform tracks, which will most likely be used at some point by Brightline, and that will be a high level platform and most likely will not extend beyond the grade crossing since Brightline trains will not be more than ten cars plus two SCB-40s

Admittedly I'm not familiar with the situation or any constraints that may exist on the ground, but would it not be possible to divert the road to permit longer platforms. That might be a few extra seconds for motorists but a huge plus for Amtrak?

 

[cocojacoby]

Admittedly I'm not familiar with the situation or any constraints that may exist on the ground, but would it not be possible to divert the road to permit longer platforms. That might be a few extra seconds for motorists but a huge plus for Amtrak?

Already done. They built a bypass for whenever the road is blocked. See previous posts.

 

[cirdan]

Already done. They built a bypass for whenever the road is blocked. See previous posts.

cant they just always use the bypass and remove the present crossing to build proper platforms ?

 

[joelkfla]

cant they just always use the bypass and remove the present crossing to build proper platforms ?

The station has low platforms. Amtrak loads/unloads on grade crossings and platforms that are no more than a strip of asphalt at other locations. Why bother to take out the road and build a platform? Just use the road surface for one car, and if necessary build a platform on the far side of the crossing for additional cars.

 

[neroden]

cant they just always use the bypass and remove the present crossing to build proper platforms ?

Yes. The Car Lobby protested against the extra minute of driving time, so we ended up with this situation. :eyeroll:

I figure if the number of people taking the train at Miami Intermodal increases enough, this car lobby opposition will shrink and melt away. So it's something which can happen in the future.

 

[west point]

I said this before, but building a station for today’s length of trains is fine, but not have the space to lengthen the platform for tomorrow trains is foolish. Your just shooting yourself in the foot, by not thinking of your future needs. This limited length of terminal track will cause operational issues.

Yes VRE has that problem at some of their stations.

 

[west point]

Train length? Do not forget when private cars on the end of train.

 

[Just-Thinking-51]

Train length? Do not forget when private cars on the end of train.

Or when they are Deadhead equipment for routine maintenance.

 

[cocojacoby]

Train length? Do not forget when private cars on the end of train.

Would private car occupants be required to get off at the Miami Airport or could they ride the train back to the Hialeah yard?

 

[bonzoesc]

Paywalled article about it in the Herald today: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article259742360.html

No hard dates, mostly the same as the Next Miami article, but one more quote:

An Amtrak spokesperson, Kimberly Woods, did not respond to the Miami Herald’s questions about Amtrak’s plans. Tish Burgher, a spokesperson for Florida’s Transportation Department, said the agency met with Amtrak in February but hasn’t yet scheduled the follow-up meeting where both sides plan “to discuss Amtrak’s intercity passenger rail service at the MIC.”

 

[Barciur]

We're about a year after this latest update... has there been anything new at all in this regard?

 

[RebelRider]

Brightline will probably design, construct and start operations between Orlando and Tampa before Amtrak goes 3.5 miles further to the already built Miami Airport station.

 

[alpha3]

Brightline will probably design, construct and start operations between Orlando and Tampa before Amtrak goes 3.5 miles further to the already built Miami Airport station.

LOL. No argument there. But in Amtrak's defense, in this case they've got Miami-Dade county politics to deal with (horrible). Also, I remember when they did a test fit of a train, and it stuck out across 25th street. And there's no wye, so they'd have to do a backup maneuver back to the Hialeah yard afterwards. The remedy, as I remember, was to close off 25th and maybe re-construct a wye that had been there. Auto traffic would have to be detoured off 25th as well. I moved away shortly thereafter so I don't know if Miami-Dade has progressed on any of those improvements but I sure doubt it.

 

[blueman271]

LOL. No argument there. But in Amtrak's defense, in this case they've got Miami-Dade county politics to deal with (horrible). Also, I remember when they did a test fit of a train, and it stuck out across 25th street. And there's no wye, so they'd have to do a backup maneuver back to the Hialeah yard afterwards. The remedy, as I remember, was to close off 25th and maybe re-construct a wye that had been there. Auto traffic would have to be detoured off 25th as well. I moved away shortly thereafter so I don't know if Miami-Dade has progressed on any of those improvements but I sure doubt it.

Miami Dade politics have always been and will always be corrupt and inefficient. It was like that twenty years ago when I moved away and it will be like that 20 years from now. As for the MIC I believe the solution for the platform length was to build a bypass around 25th ST which I believe has been completed. As for the back up move, Amtrak has known they would need to do that from the very beginning so I’m not sure how that can be a reason for not completing the move.