Amtrak Inspection Train CSX P957-29 Hialeah - Thursday, April 29, 2010

After witnessing the interchange from FEC to CSX at Oleander, I made a run over to the 79th. St. crossing at Hialeah. I thought about taking Milam Dairy, but decided to go LeJeune instead as ATCS revealed two Tri-Rail trains, P632 and P629, operating between the Hialeah Market and Miami Airport stations. I passed them on Perimeter Rd. as they were slowing and continued on to the Metrorail Transfer Station. I arrived just as P632 was about to depart northbound on Track-1, but a smoking passenger caused a delay, forcing P957-29 to stop between Iris and 79th. St. As soon as P632 was out of the way, P957-29 proceeded at restricted speed past me and into Hialeah Yard.
From there, I went over to the Miami Amtrak station, but didn't stay very long; just long enough to catch a minute or two of video while P957-29 was backing up to the station platform and to use the men's room in the waiting area. While, in the lavatory, I had an interesting albeit brief conversation with an unnamed Amtrak official who rode the train from Jacksonville. I made an off the cuff remark to him about how bad of shape the restroom was in and how the building has seen better days. I went on to mention that the new proposed station at the M.I.C. would be a welcome addition to the area and the thought of another station downtown on the FEC didn't seem practical. While he did not delve into any specifics with me, he did say in no uncertain terms that the plans for a new station at the M.I.C. were still on track, but the concept of Amtrak service to downtown Miami is just a dream and that the entire FEC idea, at this point, is little more than a dream as well. According to him, talks over who will fund the necessary upgrades and FEC's firm insistence of complete legal indemnification all but derailed any foreseeable plans to revive passenger service to Floida's east coast cities. Of course, this came as no surprise to me as the liability issue has been the deal breaker during previous negotiations between FEC and Amtrak.
©2010 SFLRailFan Productions

[@SFLRailFan]

Thank you very much, Kyle... It's comments like yours that I find most rewarding.

[@scarlettschmeeda]

nice video and i like the way the amtrak goes back to the Miami amtrak station.This summer i am going to the Philadelphia with my friend on the train.

[@fleecejackets]

Absolutely awesome video! That was some insane K5LA action. Sweet pacing shot too! Loved all the radio chatter, too. Thanks!!

[@bhamrails]

What an awesome vid love it from start to finish nice chase, those cars were on the Crescent in June, I got them. Great k5la, they chose the perfect unit to lead 1, love 1 it looks good and has a great k5la

[@SFLRailFan]

Thanks, Jacob... I'm very glad you liked it. :-)

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Awesome video, Ted! Great catches of the coveted train.

[@SFLRailFan]

Thanks, Frank.

[@CintiRailFan]

Awesome video!!

[@SFLRailFan]

Thanks for the comment, Aaron... The 79th St. crossing is beneath the Metrorail Transfer station. Metrorail, as you know, is an elevated subway system in Miami-Dade County. Check out the aerials sometime either on Google Earth or Bing Maps.

[@CSXBOY187]

Great video Ted is the 79th st. crossing under a bridge because thats what it looks like. i like it and favorite

[@justkiddin08]

Wow that was a cool video.

[@boxcarfrank]

Cool stuff man!

[@NSHammerhead]

Believe it or not, I got to meet one of the amtrak executives that rides this train during railcamp 2010!

[@LinemanRailfain]

Sweet shot Ted!

[@yaraihan]

in my country indonesia this trains named "KLB(Kereta Luar Biasa)" inspection
not hauled with locomotives

[@tommy4trains]

I Should of Commented this like 2 or 3 Years ago when i First saw this video but Epic Video! :-P

[@SFLRailFan]

Yes! You really should have commented... ;-)

[@tommy4trains]

South Florida Railfan I probably WAS gona Comment but Forgot :-P

[@HarrisonPeloso]

Who's still watching in 2016

[@nickstransportvlogs]

Me.

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Is that Patti on P957?