Construction Continues on Virgin Trains USA Brightline High-Speed Railway From Miami to Orlando

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Virgin Trains USA Brightline High-Speed Railway will soon provide a means of transportation from Miami to Orlando in 3 hours. It typically takes about 4 hours to drive between the two cities. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, construction on the railway has continued, with certain adjustments and precautions implemented.

The line will include a Walt Disney World Resort station in Orlando.

A new Trains Magazine 2020 spread features an in-depth look at the Brightline High-Speed Railway.

brightline high speed railway

Florida is home to swamplands and a wide range of sensitive ecosystems, which must be taken into consideration throughout construction. Stephen Cartwright, Virgin Trains USA Field Engineer, explains the additional work required to build train tracks through this terrain.

brightline high speed railway

Once complete, the train will travel from Miami to Orlando International Airport. The tracks at MCO have already been laid.

brightline high speed railway

To achieve the trip in under 3 hours, the Cocoa-Orlando line is proposed to operate at high speeds of up to 125 mph. From Miami to West Palm Beach, trains will reach speeds of up to 79 mph. From West Palm to Cocoa, it’s a maximum speed of 110 mph.

Virgin Trains Lays High-Speed Railway To Orlando International Airport

Posted on by Mathew Corn Uncategorized

South Florida residents are well on track to a high-speed rail to Orlando.

Brightline, soon to be known as Virgin Trains, posted a photo of freshly-laid track leading to their future station at Orlando International Airport on Tuesday. Construction has continued on the line during the COVID-19 pandemic, with adjustments made to take precautions against the virus.

When complete, the route will take riders from Miami to Orlando in three hours. For comparison, it typically takes four hours to drive between the two cities. Air travel typically takes an hour, but factoring the time needed for going through security and seating, the time difference is significantly shortened.

Virgin Trains signed a letter of intent with Walt Disney World in 2018 to establish a station at the resort, with engineering and design work for the station currently underway. Virgin Trains president Patrick Goddard said last year about the Orlando line, “It’s our expectation to get it done and to build out to Disney.” Currently, Brightline operates stations in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach.

The Orlando International Airport station is expected to open in 2022.

Disney World Terminal Talks Continuing With Virgin Trains USA

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks

In what is a welcome piece of news for guests visiting Disney World from outside the Orlando area, Disney and Virgin Trains USA are in advanced talks for a train station to built on or near the resort. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Michael Cegelis, Virgin’s EVP for Infrastructure, told local officials that talks with Disney are in a “rather advanced state now.”

This station, whether built on or near Disney property, would be a part of the proposed rail line to Tampa. The Tampa rail line would start at the Orlando International Airport, the termination of the Miami to Orlando line which is slated to open in 2022.

“While we have not yet made any definitive commitment, we have mutually agreed to more formally explore developing a train station on our property,” stated a Disney official, “As the top vacation destination and largest single-site employer in the United States, Walt Disney World Resort is an obvious choice for a rail station between Orlando International Airport and Tampa.”

Virgin is still working with the Central Florida Expressway Authority, the Florida Department of Transportation and the Orlando Utilities Commission to negotiate leases and right-of-ways for the Orlando to Tampa line. Additional proposed stops on this rail line include the SunRail Meadow Woods station and Lakeland.

Construction of a Walt Disney World rail station would provide guests another option in traveling to and from the resort. A high-speed rail line would provide a quick and inexpensive option for guests traveling from the airport, downtown Orlando, and even Tampa.

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