Tri-Rail trains to get first makeover in over 20 years

Tri-Rail train's will get a fresh new wrap. Credit: Tri-Rail

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) Governing Board has approved a new look for Tri-Rail trains, changing the emblematic ‘blue skies, white clouds and palm trees’ design for the first time since 2001.

Commissioner Raquel Regalado, SFRTA Governing Board Chair, said: “I am excited to announce that Tri-Rail trains will be refreshed with a new design that will modernise and bring new life to the trains. We as a Board felt collectively that this was the perfect time to revitalise Tri-Rail’s look with a fresh new wrap as we embark upon a new era with the system.”

The opportunity to change Tri-Rail’s train design was presented at the SFRTA’s February 2023 Board meeting, where the Agency was programming work to re-wrap the exterior of 12 locomotives and 49 passenger vehicles that were due for replacement.

Tri-Rail’s current design.

With the impending expansion of service into MiamiCentral Station and several new efforts to improve the train service, the Board felt it was a great opportunity to give Tri-Rail trains a fresh new design, and requested for SFRTA’s Executive Director to present design options for their review.

Twelve of the system’s locomotives are undergoing an overhaul programme to have new engines installed in the next two years, while passenger cars are going through a refresh project where restroom rehabilitation, seat repairs and floor replacement are included in the work.

Each Board member provided input from several illustrations at the March 2023 Board meeting and ultimately arrived at a consensus for Tri-Rail’s first makeover in over 20 years.

Commissioner Raquel continued: “The design was chosen to make it easy to overlay advertising opportunities that can help garner additional revenue for the agency. We expect it to be a hot commodity for vendors wanting to advertise in South Florida, as much as the service will be for the public when Tri-Rail trains are running in Downtown Miami.”

Tri-Rail’s original fleet of coaches were introduced in 1989 matching the green and white specifications of cars used by GO Transit in Canada, and it wasn’t until the year 2000 that the tropical design was created (unveiled in 2001) to identify the system with its own brand. The new ‘On Track’ design incorporates Tri-Rail’s logo colours, and was created by SFRTA’s agency of record, Goodman Public Relations, with members of the team that helped create the ‘blue skies’ design.