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Miami Metrorail

A Great Train Journey

Part One

NRHS 2023 Annual Convention in Deerfield Beach, Florida

by

Robin Bowers

September 02, 2023

Saturday

Chapter Four

Text and Photos by Author

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent

Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com







Seeing Miami on the Metro

  

    Today we are going to Miami to ride their Metro line. Chris and I were up early for today's adventure and skipped breakfast at the hotel as it was a little pricey. On our walk to the train station, we made a nutrition stop at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and got our choice to go. A hint, doughnuts with icing should not go into a bag because when you remove it, most of the icing stays on the bag. We carried our goodies to the train station and waited for the southbound Tri-Rail train after buying our weekend pass. As we were sitting waiting, it started to rain, which continued until our train arrived.


    Tri-Rail train P-617 arrived, we boarded and ran to Opa-Locka where we stopped for five minutes. We came to the Amtrak lead and passed six police cars from Miami-Dade County then started the detour on the Amtrak lead which became a rare mileage trip through the Amtrak yards. We stopped to throw the switch to leave the Amtrak lead then took the connection to Tri-Rail, which ended out detour trip. Once on the regular route again, we continued to the Miami Airport station, taking the elevator to the second level and we used Chris' Easy Card to get us through the gate.

at station

Our train to take us to Earlington Heights, the junction with the mainline.

map



tra

I stepped off the train to take this picture. As soon as I pushed the shutter button, the train left quicker than a New York minute.


wec

    Here I was all alone on the platform after Chris left on the train. He then called to tell me to meet him at the next station. As I was waiting for the next train, he arrived on the incoming train.  The reason for his speedy return was that this is a short route that just runs between the airport and the Earlington Heights; a short shuttle line. I boarded and we rode to Earlingtron Heights Transfer Station.


sign

The rain in Miami.

in f

Out of service.

build

Miami skyline from the Orange Line.

We rode to the end at South Dadeland station. After a layover we rode the same train west to the end of the line at Palmetto.

sign


at station

Our train at Palmetto. The lens fogged up as I went from the cold car to the warm outside air.

open door

Inside our ride.

at rest

Another train waiting at the end of line.


sign


yard

The Miami yard in center back.

aa yard

Miami yard.

ex yard

The Miami Metro shops.

yard

Miami skyline as we leave Palmetto.

race

View of Hialeah track.

    While we were waiting to leave the Palmetto station, we decided it was time to start north to Deerfield Beach and we would take this Metrorail train to Tri-Rail transfer station to catch a northbound train. As we approached the transfer station, we saw Tri-Rail train approaching and going under us. The race was on. As we were racing down the steps to the platform, the train started to depart. We ended on wrong platform and no time to run up and down the stairs to get to the correct platform, missed it by that much. Now we had one hour to wait for the next train. 

out

The private cars in center on the Amtrak siding.

amtrak

Main line north next to Amtrak yard.

sign

About ten minutes before the arrival of our train we were told to change to the other side, the platform that is at the bottom of the stairs that we raced down. We boarded and ran to Cypress Creek where the conductor had door problems, not being able to get the doors open and shut. It was so bad that he finally used the rear seat in our car and opened the window so he could watch the doors, as well as passengers boarding and detraining. After a long wait, we left and went two stations to Deerfield Beach.


Deerfield Beach Railroad Museum

    Their goal has been to provide the public with a historical outlook to the reasons America's railroads played such an important part of the region's development. and offer model railroading in the form of two operating layouts.   

    After arriving at the train station, we decided to take a look inside this museum located at the station.   

model


lay a



lay


lay


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    After looking around at the model train layouts, I walked back to the hotel and went to early diner around 6:00pm so to have time to attend the convention's seminars which started at 7:00pm. For dinner I had the Philly Steak/Cheese sandwich in the hotel's Stag Dining room. After a good diner I walked down the hallway to the Everglades room for a series of presentations in a standing room only full venue. I enjoyed all three starting with a) Southeast Florida Railroading over the years by Walter Zullig: followed by U.S. Sugar Railroad's Trains Magazine Charter by Doug Scott and closing with I Cover the Waterfront by Mike Yuhas.

    After the meeting broke up, I returned to my room and ended the day.

Thanks for reading.

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Text and Photos by Author, Robin Bowers

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent

Comments are appreciated at...yr.mmxx@gmail.com