High speed train to be built in Miami

Julie Walsh/Contributing Writer

Demetrius Villa said he wants to take FIU students between the University and Miami Beach at 60 miles per hour non-stop.

His mission: to bring bullet trains across the country to make travel easier and more convenient for communities. “It’s more of a metrorail, but it’s a futuristic metrorail,” said Villa, a senior international business major.

Next to his brother, Darius Villa and their friend, Aleksandr Khalfin, Demetrius founded the High Speed Rail America Club (HSRAC), which has more than 700 members on their Facebook page. The club researches, promotes and advocates to bring high speed rail technology.

“FIU is, by far, the premiere research university in the south,” said Demetrius. “The University gets things done, [which is why] I was inspired to involve the school.”

The club pushes to bring Maglev-style trains to Miami, which use electromagnets to travel at high speeds without touching the ground. Orlando has already approved a $400 million project to build Maglev trains to travel between Orange County Convention Center and Orlando International Airport.

Maglev trains are currently found in China and Japan. A Miami Maglev train would transport people from Miami to the University, making it a 25-minute ride with seven stops including, Dolphin Mall, Miami International Airport, Marlin’s Park and Downtown Miami.

Villa said a train in Miami would cost about $500 million. It would integrate with metro rail, the bus system, Metromover and All Aboard Florida.

He said he found inspiration to the club when he came across a documentary called, “Shinkansen,” which is about a network of high-speed bullet trains in Japan that operate at 200 miles per hour. Researching the topic, he decided that it was something of a necessity in the U.S.

The duration of train rides has gotten worse. In the past, it would take roughly 24 hours to get to places compared to 32 hours in the 21 century, said Demetrius.

“We’ve actually gone backwards,” said Demetrius. “That started ticking me off.”

Since the trains use magnetic levitation to move rather than wheels, this reduces friction and allows for high speeds, all while being environmentally beneficial, said Susan Jacobson.

“Public transportation helps decrease carbon emissions, which helps cut down on global warming,” said Jacobson, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Broadcasting. Jacobson is also a researcher in the topics of sea level rise.

“The fact that one train can carry many passengers when they would otherwise be driving individual cars and emitting carbon gases from each car is good for the environment,” Jacobson said.

She also believe that high-speed trains cut down the use of air travel.

“People [could] choose to take the train instead of the plane,” said Jacobson. “An individual airplane has a huge footprint, much larger than an individual train.”

Lawrence Barimo, a senior business administration major, thinks that this would help alleviate the parking situation at the University, as well as help students avoid car accidents.

“It will also give students the opportunity to study [while going] to school, which isn’t possible when driving,” he said.

Emberly Infante agrees and thinks that history has proven that this would be a good idea.

“When the railroad was first made it made a huge impact in industrialization and trade around the nation,” said Infante, a freshman English major. “It set new standards for people and created new possible distances to be traveled. High speed rail trains are a symbol of not only technological but also intellectual progression.”

There will be a public forum on a Miami Maglev where more specifics on partnering, costs, timeliness and stations will be discussed. The event will take place noon at the College of Business Complex Monday, Sept. 21.

“It’s really moving forward,” said Demetrius. “This is like a done deal for sure.”
Additional reporting by Camila Fernandez/News Director

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