Richard Branson Hypnotized Me and Stole My Watch

By Laine Doss, Miami New Times; April 5, 2019 It’s about 5 p.m. and Richard Branson is visibly tired.  The…

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Florida Development Finance Corp. approves $950M in bonds for Virgin Trains USA’s Orlando-to-Miami route

By Ryan Lynch, Staff Writer, Orlando Business Journal; April 5, 2019 Virgin Trains USA just received a big boost for…

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Virgin Trains plans to link with Disney World, SunRail at same time as Orlando International Airport

By Kevin Spear, Reporter, Orlando Sentinel; April 4, 2019 The train that will run from South to Central Florida is…

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Sir Richard Branson-backed Virgin Trains USA locks up funding for Orlando leg

By Ryan Lynch, Staff Writer, Orlando Business Journal; April 4, 2019 Virgin Trains USA on April 4 announced its $2.3…

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Billionaire Richard Branson visits South Florida to rebrand Brightline as Virgin Trains (Photos)

By Brian Bandell, Senior Reporter, South Florida Business Journal; April 4, 2019 Billionaire Richard Branson visited South Florida on Thursday…

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Florida: Brightline trains often seem empty. Is it a sign of trouble, or just growing pains?

Editor’s Note: The story below is representative of reporting on a new passenger rail project when neither the report nor…

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High speed trains get set for Illinois — but not in Peoria

By Steve Tarter, Journal Star; March 30, 2019 PEORIA — When high-speed rail finally takes off in Illinois, Peorians will…

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Brightline now will be called Virgin Trains USA. Here’s what to expect next week and beyond.

By David Lyons, Reporter, South Florida Sun Sentinel; March 29, 2019 One year after the Brightline commuter rail line unveiled…

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Challenges and opportunities as Brightline expands: A conversation with MetroPlan Orlando’s Gary Huttmann

By Ryan Lynch, Staff Writer, Orlando Business Journal; March 28, 2019 The $5 billion Brightline passenger train is expected to…

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Virgin Trains USA’s Patrick Goddard Wants to Get Americans Out of Their Cars

By Meredith Carey, Conde Nast Traveler; March 27, 2019 ‘Innovators’ chronicles our treks behind the scenes with travel’s disruptors and…

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Australia: Dreaming of a fast train – we think we can, we know we can

Opinion By Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens, The Fifth Estate; March 28, 2019 OPINION: For decades, Australians have dreamt about…

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California sells $600 million in high-speed rail bonds

By Kathleen Ronayne, The Associated Press, KCRA 3 NBC; March 26, 2019 Sacramento, Calif. (AP) — California sold $600 million…

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Florida: Virgin Trains USA reveals more plan details in new prospectus

By Scott Powers, FloridaPolitics.com; March 22, 2019 Virgin Trains USA has issued a new bond sale prospectus parparing for the…

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I’ll give up booze, Netflix, even sex to avoid traffic jams, South Florida drivers tell new train service survey

By Johnny Diaz, South Florida Sun Sentinel, Mass Transit Magazine; March 14, 2019 Mar. 13–A lot of South Florida drivers,…

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Texas Central’s High-Speed Train Named Top Global Infrastructure Project

A press release from Texas Central Partners; March 5, 2019: DALLAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Mar 5, 2019–The Texas high-speed train has been named…

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Traveling Around Florida? Ditch the Car and Ride the Rails, Says Virgin

By Tariro Mzezewa, The New York Times; March 7, 2019 Entering the newest train station in Miami is a bit…

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California: Trump plan to take back rail money ‘disastrous’

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE, Associated Press, Tri-City Herald; March 4, 2019 SACRAMENTO, Calif. Leaders of California’s high-speed rail project told the…

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Governor Newsom’s shorter California bullet train plan likely to run out of money before completion

By Ralph Vartabedian, Los Angeles Times; March 3, 2019 The California bullet train project will probably run out of money…

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Florida: Brightline says it’s ready to build its Orlando extension, requests $950M in bonds

By Jim Turner, News Service of Florida, Miami Herald; March 2, 2019 Brightline rail service largely drew praise from businesses,…

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Even California’s Analysts Are Confused About Bullet Train Fate

By Romy Varghese, Bloomberg; February 26, 2019 Even California’s studiously deliberate bureaucrats are confused by what Governor Gavin Newsom intends…

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Florida Treasure Coast safety group vows to keep up the battle as Virgin Trains’ Phase 2 expansion gets closer

By Colleen Wixon, Treasure Coast Newspapers, TCPalm.com; February 26, 2019 VERO BEACH — St. Lucie Village resident Anne Sinnott, who travels…

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Florida: Officials ponder Volusia, Flagler county’s transportation problems

By Mark Harper, The Daytona Beach News-Journal; February 26, 2019 DAYTONA BEACH — For an hour Monday, 125 government and…

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California: Why not try a ‘faster’ speed rail system first? It could work now

Commentary By Jim Gonzalez, CALmatters; February 25, 2019 Claims by President Donald Trump and other naysayers aside, Gov. Gavin Newsom…

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Whither (wither) high-speed rail?

By William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief, Railway Age Magazine; February 21, 2019 By now, everybody in the rail management and advocacy…

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White House Wants California to Return $2.5 Billion High-Speed Rail Funding

By Lucas Laursen, Fortune Magazine; February 20, 2019 The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is canceling a $929 million grant…

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