MIAMI (WSVN) - Virgin Trains USA has unveiled their trains, re-branded from Brightline, as Virgin’s founder announces plans to transform rail travel in South Florida.
The unveiling took place on Thursday morning at the Miami Central Station where Virgin’s founder, Sir Richard Branson, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez celebrated the new hub.
“It’s a wonderful day today,” said Branson.
He said he not only plans on changing train travel here in South Florida but across America.
“I think with the Virgin brand we can attract many more people off the cars and onto the trains,” said Branson. “Governments running companies doesn’t work that well. I think, hopefully, we can show that a private company like Virgin doing it, we can do it with a better panache and a bit of style.”
The re-branding is considered a milestone to those who worked on the project.
Virgin Trains USA President Patrick Goddard, former president of Brightline, said Miami has now received its own grand central station.
“This new mobility hub will connect every major transportation system in our region including Brightline, Metrorail, Metromover, bike-share and Lyft rideshare and soon Tri-Rail,” said Goddard. “Maybe with Richard Branson’s help we’ll have some spaceships, some flying cars some day in the future.”
Suarez attended the unveiling and said, “We want to thank the Virgin team for bringing this powerful brand more into the City of Miami than they already are in the port and all of the things that they do. Thank you for believing in our city.”
Branson said this is just the beginning, as the company has already secured the funding to build tracks into Orlando and Walt Disney World.
“Whilst we’re doing that, we’ll definitely be looking at one or two other routes like Los Angeles to Las Vegas and other places in America,” said Brandson.
The last time Branson was in Miami was in November when he unveiled the design of the Virgin Voyages terminal set to be completed in 2021.
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