Brightline Trains Florida discussion 2024

[crescent-zephyr]

any updates on how many wrapped trains (full wrap covering windows) exist? If I knew I had an unwrapped window I would fly into Orlando and take brightline down to Miami.... but I could save some money and fly right into Miami. Worth the gamble?

 

[joelkfla]

any updates on how many wrapped trains (full wrap covering windows) exist? If I knew I had an unwrapped window I would fly into Orlando and take brightline down to Miami.... but I could save some money and fly right into Miami. Worth the gamble?

Just checked the railcam for yesterday. Looks like there was only 1 in service, but there might be more that just weren't being used. Another set looked like it had a few windows per car partly obscured by wrap elements.

However, they seem to have added an unwrapped car to the consist. It was the 2nd passenger car from the north end. If you pay to select a seat, and you can figure out which car that is on the seating chart, and you can get a seat in that car, you would probably be assured of getting an unwrapped window. IIRC, the seating chart shows the direction of travel. Again, I don't know whether there are other wrapped trains in reserve, and whether they have an unwrapped car in the same position.

 

[joelkfla]

any updates on how many wrapped trains (full wrap covering windows) exist? If I knew I had an unwrapped window I would fly into Orlando and take brightline down to Miami.... but I could save some money and fly right into Miami. Worth the gamble?

Did a little more railcam viewing and checking the train log. Over the past 3 days, I've seen 2 fully wrapped trainsets, plus 2 wrapped with most windows unobscured.

Each of them has an unwrapped car inserted, and that is Car #4. Enjoy!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Thanks!!!! I did end up riding and of course it was a wrapped train, but the customer service guy was able to change me to car 4. Was glad to get to ride the full length - lots of side to side movement at 110 on FEC.

Brightline really needs a quiet car... the college kids riding in my car were using the F word every other minute it seems.... pretty annoying but less annoying than a wrapped window so I'll take it haha.

 

[joelkfla]

Thanks!!!! I did end up riding and of course it was a wrapped train, but the customer service guy was able to change me to car 4. Was glad to get to ride the full length - lots of side to side movement at 110 on FEC.

Brightline really needs a quiet car... the college kids riding in my car were using the F word every other minute it seems.... pretty annoying but less annoying than a wrapped window so I'll take it haha.

Was there a "customer service guy" onboard, or did you mean at the station?

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Was there a "customer service guy" onboard, or did you mean at the station?

At the station - at the Customer Service Desk.

 

[railiner]

So it appears the deal to add a station stop in Stuart, Martin County, is on again…

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story...artin-county-station-is-approved/76260981007/

 

[joelkfla]

Just posted!
Extensive and detailed view of the delivery, commissioning, and insertion of the 5th coaches (Car #4):

 

[west point]

The undercarriages did not appear all the same when cars delivered/. Noted all the warning keys on the blue flag protection

 

[cirdan]

The video says the new coaches were taken for night-time dynamic testing on Brightline.

I wonder if this implies that they were run as a single consist, which would make it the longest Brightline consist to date.

 

[pennyk]

Firetruck and Brightline train collide in Delray Beach 12/28/24

https://www.wptv.com/news/region-s-...stigating-train-incident-involving-fire-truck

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Three firefighters and 12 Brightline passengers have been injured following an incident involving a Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck and a Brightline train Saturday morning.

three firefighters have been hospitalized with injuries. Two of the firefighters were transported as trauma alerts to Delray Beach Medical Center and all are in stable condition.

12 passengers from the Brightline were transported to the hospital with minor injuries.

 

[jis]

The Fire Truck driver in his infinite wisdom drove the truck around closed crossing gates into the path of the Brightline train. Go figure!

 

[west point]

From other reports the fire truck was stopped at the crossing by one of FEC's long freight trains. When the end of the train cleared the crossing the fire truck ran around the gates that were still down into the path of the Brightline train that was on the other track. Nothing has been said if Brightline was visible by the fire truck or if freight was on near track and Brightline on far track.

 

[Anderson]

dryly
Remember, at a crossing, one train may hide another...

 

[Touchdowntom9]

The Fire Truck driver in his infinite wisdom drove the truck around closed crossing gates into the path of the Brightline train. Go figure!

Based on the fire department being incredibly vague in their statement and not condemning Brightline immediately, my money was 100% on the fault being the firetruck driver

 

[Anderson]

Based on the fire department being incredibly vague in their statement and not condemning Brightline immediately, my money was 100% on the fault being the firetruck driver

I mean, when your driver went around closed crossing gates, that's basically the ballgame.

 

[George Harris]

And the press does its usual doom and gloom armwaving whenever there is any sort of railroad collision. Good example is an AP article supposed to be up about an hour ago: After a fairly factual but brief discussion of the accident itself, it has to go on with mentioning the East Palestine derailment, the Pecos Texas collision and that there were three deaths in Melbourne by Brightline trains, it concludes with:

More than 100 people have died after being hit by trains since Brightline began operations in July 2017 — giving the railroad the worst death rate in the nation. But most of those deaths have been either suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of a train or drivers who went around crossing gates instead of waiting for a train to pass. Brightline has not been found to be at fault in those previous deaths.

Please note this is over a period of 6 years, and the last sentence: Brightline has not been found to be at fault in any of these previous deaths.

 

[frequentflyer]

With a cab video in hand, a city government is about to write big checks to Brightline and some pax too. Lawyers are going to have a field day with that cab video.

 

[trimetbusfan]

With a cab video in hand, a city government is about to write big checks to Brightline and some pax too. Lawyers are going to have a field day with that cab video.

The cab video has been posted by brightline.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

From other reports the fire truck was stopped at the crossing by one of FEC's long freight trains. When the end of the train cleared the crossing the fire truck ran around the gates that were still down into the path of the Brightline train that was on the other track. Nothing has been said if Brightline was visible by the fire truck or if freight was on near track and Brightline on far track.

See the cab video posted below. The Brightline train was on the track closest to the fire truck, so the driver appears to have not bothered looking both ways once the freight cleared the crossing.

 

[Cal]

So frustrating that the driver failed multiple different layers of danger.

-Trying to go around gates in the first place
-Assuming there was no other train
-Not looking both ways before crossing

And being a first responder along Brightline surely means that they know of Brightline's track record. It's sad that they still took the risk.

 

[jis]

See the cab video posted below. The Brightline train was on the track closest to the fire truck, so the driver appears to have not bothered looking both ways once the freight cleared the crossing.

Why would he even be looking when the gates are down? The level of regard or lack thereof of safety rules is utterly breathtaking!

 

[George Harris]

Looking at the video, the Brightline train was not hidden by the freight train. It was on the track on the side toward the fire truck's approach. Possibly the driver of the fire truck thought he could beat the train. I have no idea. There are five pictures with the following Yahoo news item.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/train-collides-fire-truck-florida-192449393.html

 

[west point]

Was the driver in charge or did the lieutenant in the right seat say "go Gus"?

Looking at the pcture it almost appears that someone sitting in the back seat on the right side is trying to bail out . Anyone?

 

[jis]

In other news Brightline has been assigned IATA designator code BE. This enables Brightline service to be presented on the GDS platform allowing interlining with airlines.