Friday afternoon rail news:
[TRAINS: David Lassen]
Canadian Pacific has announced that Serena Ryder and The Trews will be the headline performers for the “Holiday Train at Home” online fundraising concert, to be held Dec. 12 and streamed online at CP’s Facebook page. JoJo Mason, Logan Staats, and Kelly Prescott will also be part of the concert, set for 8 p.m. EST. The show will also be archived for later viewing. The online concert will offer the chance to donate directly to Food Banks Canada and Feeding America, continuing the support for local food banks that is the mission of the annual CP Holiday Train. More information on the artists peforming in the concert is available here. CP announced earlier this year that the Holiday Train would not run because of the COVID-19 pandemic [see “CP Holiday Train to be replaced by food bank donations, online fundraising concert,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 24, 2020]. CP is donating $1.24 million this year to 201 food banks in communities that normally host Holiday Train events, bringing the company’s donation to more than $19 million since the train’s inception in 1999.
Miami-Dade commission approves access fee for commuter train on Brightline route
The Miami-Dade County Commission has unanimously approved an annual access fee that will pave the way for commuter-rail operations on the southern portion of the Brightline/Florida East Coast Railway route near downtown Miami. A 90-year agreement includes a one-time payment of $50 million and an annual fee of $12 million for the first 30 years. This will allow creation of service between Brightline’s MiamiCentral station and its station under construction in Aventura, Fla.; a number of intermediate station locations are under consideration. “This is a tremendous milestone for Miami-Dade County and all the credit goes to the county commission and their vision to improve mobility in our community,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard said in a press release. “A commuter rail system will take cars off the road and provide an environmentally friendly way to get around our region. In the short term, it will create jobs and rebuild our economy as we rebound from COVID.” Estimates are that the system could carry nearly 3 million passengers annually. Negotiations between Brightline and Miami-Dade began earlier this year [see “Brightline negotiating to operate Miami-Aventura commuter service,” Trains News Wire, May 27, 2020].
