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Riding the train with Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson
Posted at 4:34 PM, Apr 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-04 17:55:11-04

Thursday, English business mogul Sir Richard Branson was in Miami.

"Hey, everybody," Branson says playfully to the crowd.

He unveiled the newly rebranded Virgin USA train station called 'Virgin Miami Central.'

"Virgin Miami Central. Virgin Miami Central. Virgin Miami Central," Branson leads the crowd in a chant.

Along with the new station, signage came with a slew of other announcements Branson said was possible because the line is owned by a private company which allows them to innovate.

VIRGIN TRAIN U.S.A. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Letter of intent to place a station at Walt Disney World in Orlando

2. Orlando construction is now fully funded

3. They are developing plans to connect Tri-Rail, Virgin Train U.S.A. Miami Central terminal, Miami International Airport, and the Port of Miami.

"Virgin Trains [U.S.A.] has now raised the money to build the track all the way to Orlando," says Branson. "You'll be able to get off your cruise ship and go all the way to Disney World in Orlando."

"So in a very quick three years we'll be [connecting] South Florida and West Palm Beach to the rest of Central Florida," says Brightline President Patrick Goddard.

"Total game changer. I mean to be able to get on a train in Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and actually arrive on Disney property," says Goddard.

Branson says, passengers who are going to board a cruise ship at the port of Miami will not have to worry about their luggage it will automatically arrive at their staterooms.

Other plans include connecting the Miami terminal with Miami International Airport, Tri-rail, other trains and the Port of Miami.

"We already have tracks that run to Miami Central Station. The bricks are in place, all we have to do is put it all together," says Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.

And looking to the future, he has another endeavor planned called Virgin Hyperloop, "A tunnel with pods that will send people at tremendous speeds through them."

As Branson, other media, and I arrived at the West Palm Beach station, he met the new mayor, Keith James, who says he is thrilled with the Brightline train.

"I'll vote for you," jokes Branson.

"It was a once in a lifetime thing," says Mayor James.