Brightline Trains Florida discussion

[jis]

Agreed, but there would still need to be some sort of kitchenette or servery to be able to store and heat food, no matter how compact and minimalistic. So without a car that has space set aside for that purpose they will only be serving cold snacks.

Since it was a trolley service back then and there is no different on board facility, I presume it will still be trolley service, and whatever can be served out of them for the time being. I have not seen anything that says that they intend to serve more than snacks in the initial service offering to Orlando.

 

[neroden]

For a relatively short service which adheres to its timetable, it is less essential to have on-board kitchen facilities than to have suitable commissary facilities at the key stations. It is perfectly possible to load the trolleys at Orlando and at Miami.

 

[joelkfla]

For a relatively short service which adheres to its timetable, it is less essential to have on-board kitchen facilities than to have suitable commissary facilities at the key stations. It is perfectly possible to load the trolleys at Orlando and at Miami.

Personally, I don't so much tare about full meal service, but rather to have a lounge car where I could stretch and hang out with a cup of coffee (or something stronger).

The Venture cars are very comfy, but over 3 hours it would still be nice to have some place to walk to for a change of environment from time to time. That's part of the appeal of trains over planes.

 

[Qapla]

Another Update Video

 

[user 1215]

Personally, I don't so much tare about full meal service, but rather to have a lounge car where I could stretch and hang out with a cup of coffee (or something stronger).

The Venture cars are very comfy, but over 3 hours it would still be nice to have some place to walk to for a change of environment from time to time. That's part of the appeal of trains over planes.

These guys are in it to turn a profit. Every seat should be revenue generating. Everything else is wasted space. Honestly, it looks like the seats are comfortable enough to go three hours with plenty of room to stretch and work. Windows are all the same size. It's not like this train is traversing the Rockies or Denali. First Class is always an option for more comfort and imbibements.

The Shinkansen got rid of its dining cars decades ago. The typical less than 3-hr jaunt was just too quick to effectively serve enough meals to generate the income required to offset the expenses. Many travelers would purchase lunch boxes at the station or from the onboard trolley service. Adult beverages are always available, and even with trolley service, vending machines are abundant both on and off trains.

 

[cirdan]

These guys are in it to turn a profit. Every seat should be revenue generating. Everything else is wasted space. Honestly, it looks like the seats are comfortable enough to go three hours with plenty of room to stretch and work. Windows are all the same size. It's not like this train is traversing the Rockies or Denali. First Class is always an option for more comfort and imbibements.

The Shinkansen got rid of its dining cars decades ago. The typical less than 3-hr jaunt was just too quick to effectively serve enough meals to generate the income required to offset the expenses. Many travelers would purchase lunch boxes at the station or from the onboard trolley service. Adult beverages are always available, and even with trolley service, vending machines are abundant both on and off trains.

Sadly, you are probably right.

Furthermore, most Brightline riders probably don't have that much experience with passenger trains of any description and won't know what they're missing and thus won't be demanding it.

 

[Scott Orlando]

Roaming Railfan reporting that the first work train has arrived at the Stanton OUC branch - 528 mainline junction. The train has moved out onto the 528 siding and becomes the first train ever on the line. Pics on FB.

Photo credits to The Roaming Railfan

 

[JWM]

Call me skeptical, but hopeful, as Brightline turning a profit would be a shock to me, but they did studies etc. The market is huge though and good luck to them. Onto Tampa and, yes, even St. Pete would be another huge plus.

 

[Scott Orlando]

Connection of the big markets is obviously the goal - its hard to imagine getting financial backing for trains, stations, double tracking wpb- cocoa , and the enormous expense of cocoa - MCO without proving this is very viable.

I am an optimist about this but I also have worked for two of the biggest companies in the world. Investors are rarely optimistic

 

[Qapla]

Roaming Railfan reporting that the first work train has arrived at the Stanton OUC branch - 528 mainline junction. The train has moved out onto the 528 siding and becomes the first train ever on the line. Pics on FB.

Photo credits to The Roaming Railfan

Here is the video of this



Watching that load negotiate the curve and the bends was really nifty - the rails are 1600' long ... the length of the train - they were held to 5MPH

 

[joelkfla]

Bright Red now has a twin, and they’re coming home.

No in-transit shots, just a collection of construction scenes.

 

[Qapla]

The newest update - some really nice shots and insight on how the various cars are made

 

[George Harris]

The Shinkansen got rid of its dining cars decades ago. The typical less than 3-hr jaunt was just too quick to effectively serve enough meals to generate the income required to offset the expenses. Many travelers would purchase lunch boxes at the station or from the onboard trolley service. Adult beverages are always available, and even with trolley service, vending machines are abundant both on and off trains.

In Japan, the box lunch is standard fare everywhere. They are good. Even with a dining car, it is entirely likely that a lot of the passengers would rather have a box lunch. Relaxing in your seat with a good lunch box is by most considered better than traipsing up and down the train to a dining car.

 

[Qapla]

Brightline sighting for Florida bound consist

 

[joelkfla]

Brightline sighting for Florida bound consist

Why are the car lights on?

 

[west point]

Car lights ? Visibility ! Anything to keep stupid drivers from running into the side of the train.

 

[user 1215]

There is a Brighline crew "living" aboard the train during transit. There is a vlog on Facebook, but I can't link it from my work computer.

 

[joelkfla]

I guess that yellow line cutting across the bottom of the windows is part of the livery -- the "bright line", perhaps. At first, I thought they had stretched an extension cord the length of the train.

 

[cirdan]

I guess that yellow line cutting across the bottom of the windows is part of the livery -- the "bright line", perhaps. At first, I thought they had stretched an extension cord the length of the train.

it does look a bit messy, doesn't it?

but if making the train look hipsterish helps business, then so be it.

 

[jis]

In Japan, the box lunch is standard fare everywhere. They are good. Even with a dining car, it is entirely likely that a lot of the passengers would rather have a box lunch. Relaxing in your seat with a good lunch box is by most considered better than traipsing up and down the train to a dining car.

Indeed! The so called Ekiben (Railway Station Bento) is an integral institution associated with train stations. They are available almost everywhere and are used by many traveling by train. And the food in them is actually very good and tasty with lot of variety available.

But it works because stations serve many trains, not one train per day. Though in the US they would probably be rejected as yet another version of Flex Meal if anyone tried to deploy them on Amtrak.

 

[user 1215]

Indeed! The so called Ekiben (Railway Station Bento) is an integral institution associated with train stations. They are available almost everywhere and are used by many traveling by train. And the food in them is actually very good and tasty with lot of variety available.

But it works because stations serve many trains, not one train per day. Though in the US they would probably be rejected as yet another version of Flex Meal if anyone tried to deploy them on Amtrak.

The interesting thing about Ekiban is that most (certainly not all) are sold cold. We seem to have a much greater demand for "hot" foods here in the US.

 

[Qapla]

A look inside the new train

 

[MARC Rider]

Indeed! The so called Ekiben (Railway Station Bento) is an integral institution associated with train stations. They are available almost everywhere and are used by many traveling by train. And the food in them is actually very good and tasty with lot of variety available.

But it works because stations serve many trains, not one train per day. Though in the US they would probably be rejected as yet another version of Flex Meal if anyone tried to deploy them on Amtrak.

I think they would work great on the NEC/Empire Service/Keystone Service. Then they could turn the cafe cars into real bar/lounge cars with bartenders and mixed drinks and maybe make a lot more money, as it seems to me that most of the cafe car customers are purchasing mainly booze.

For the long-distance trains, if they could run reliably on schedule, they could have land-based caterers prepare the meals and load them on board at intermediate stops. For instance, dinner on the Capitol Limited Westbound could be prepared by a caterer in the Martinsburg, WV area, and loaded on the train and served after Harpers Ferry or Martinsburg. The meals could be delivered to one's seat or room, but passengers could take them to the Diner-Lounge if they wanted to a change of scenery for dinner.

 

[MARC Rider]

The interesting thing about Ekiban is that most (certainly not all) are sold cold. We seem to have a much greater demand for "hot" foods here in the US.

The ekiben article on Wikipedia shows a picture of a sukiyaki ekiben that has "heating capabilities" I guess you buy it cold, and when you're ready to eat it, you activate some sort of chemical heater that heats up the package.

 

[joelkfla]

The ekiben article on Wikipedia shows a picture of a sukiyaki ekiben that has "heating capabilities" I guess you buy it cold, and when you're ready to eat it, you activate some sort of chemical heater that heats up the package.

Just add water.