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Brightline drops Virgin as partner

Brightline gets closer to creating a rail line from Tampa to Orlando. (Photo: Catie Switalski, WLRN)
Brightline gets closer to creating a rail line from Tampa to Orlando. (Photo: Catie Switalski, WLRN)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The partnership between Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and the private Florida passenger train service Brightline is over.

Brightline announced the split in a monthly report and said it would halt its plans to rebrand as Virgin Trains USA. Brightline declined comment Monday on the split.

Virgin did not respond to an email.

The companies had announced the partnership nearly two years ago and celebrated it with a rollout party in April 2019, with Branson getting a rock star’s welcome at Brightline’s new Miami station.

Virgin has had several recent setbacks. Its Virgin Atlantic airline filed for bankruptcy last week.