Brightline Trains Florida discussion

[Palmetto]

They've acknowledged the problems with accessibility by a post on Facebook.

 

[user 1215]

There are a lot of available seats on the trains tomorrow.....

But holy crap! Hotels are from $150+++ EXPENSIVE for a Red Roof Inn!

 

[chrsjrcj]

It looks like Brightline CEO Dave Howard is out, and COO Patrick Goddard is now President and COO. This news flew under the radar.

https://gobrightline.com/about-us/

The private rail service also announced yet another leadership change. COO Patrick Goddard will take over as president, replacing former sports executive Dave Howard, who joined the company in March as CEO. Howard replaced Mike Reininger, who became executive director of Brightline parent FECI.

"As we launch this new service, Patrick Goddard will lead Brightline as the President and COO. Dave Howard was instrumental over the past year in transforming the company into the vibrant operation you see here today," said a Brightline spokesman via a statement. Howard is no longer with the company, he said.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/article194068174.html

 

[Anderson]

The good news: I'm on the first train (WPB-FLL, 8:00 AM on Saturday) and the ticket was $13.50 (really not a bad deal for a 2-1 seat).

The bad news: Now I need to get down to Florida to take that train...which is presently involving a horribly-delayed JetBlah flight (you know it's bad when I'm thinking "I should have just flown American...").

 

[Palmetto]

I thought tickets were either $15 or $10, depending on the class of service. And Jet Blue was just given the dubious honor of being the worst airline in the country by the WSJ, if you can believe that.

 

[chrsjrcj]

POTUS is coming to town this evening. If you're flying into PBIA, that certainly doesn't help. Also be wary of the traffic on Southern.

Of course, if there are any movements from Mar-a-lago to the Trump Golf Course this weekend, Brightline, I-95, Tri-Rail, side streets all stop until the motorcade passes. It will be interesting to see if there is any interference on the 1st day of service.

 

[me_little_me]

They want your date of birth? I couldn't see any way around that.

 

[GBNorman]

OK everybody; the AAF site appears to be "up and running" and I have taken the occasion to plot out an AAF joyride for Sunday January 28:

Station----------Time-- -Carrier

Arsht Center-----910A----Metro Mover
Govt Center------925
-----------------934-----Metro Rail
Airport----------948
----------------1017-----Tri Rail
Ft Lauderdale---1105
FTL AAF Stn-----1225P----AAF
WPB AAF----------105
-----------------200
FTL AAF Stn------240
Ft Lauderdale-- -356-----Tri Rail
Airport----------450
-----------------516-----Metro Rail
Govt Center------531
-----------------545--- -Metro Mover
Arsht Center-----600P

Nine hours on my only free day; tempting if I were more the railfan; otherwise "too much".

 

[Anderson]

I flew into FLL. My flight was about an hour and a half late. Mom and Dad are going to drive me to the WPB station in the morning and then pick me up from the one at FLL (we're going to time how much longer it takes them to get to FLL than it takes the train), I'm going to take the train, and then I'm on an early-afternoon flight home.

JetBlah's Mint product is amazing; otherwise, they really just specialize at "not sucking in coach" (and if the prices hadn't been in walk-up nosebleed territory, I'd rather have been up front on AA or DL than anywhere on a mid-haul B6 flight).

 

[Caesar La Rock]

This didn't take long.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Woman-Struck-Killed-by-Brightline-High-Speed-Train-in-Boynton-Beach-469074483.html

 

[Palmetto]

This is becoming a daily event in Florida, it seems.

 

[user 1215]

Are you onboard, Anderson?

This is becoming a daily event in Florida, it seems.

Meanwhile, on the left side of the state, a man was attacked by a bear.

 

[chrsjrcj]

I too was on the first run, round trip. Bright Red both ways. Light load in the Smart coaches, but it looked like the Select coach was sold out. I clocked us 35 minutes from end to end both ways.

I didnt see an advantage to Select for such a smart trip, but maybe when Miami or Orlando happens it will be worth it.

The security check point is not invasive at all, and does not compare to entering a sporting event or concert. You simply walk through the waist high posts. No taking anything out of your pockets. If youre not carrying a bag, youd probably wouldnt even notice you went through it.

 

[Anderson]

@Chriscrj: I was onboard, but I was up in Select with my parents. It was an extra $4.50/seat each way, and the mix of lounge access and a set of free drinks did make it worthwhile to me. The nicer seats helped, too.

I'll concur with your comments about the security checkpoint, but it really raises the question of "Why bother?" at some point. I presume that the posts could pick up a gun or a large explosive, but I'm not even sure what else they'd catch.

I checked the run on my phone...we got up to about 80 (the GPS said 83 MPH once each way, but I think that's noise) and the average speed each way was about 72 MPH...so I figure it'll probably end up being around 70 MPH West Palm-Miami including the Fort Lauderdale stop. One thing I can't recall is if they intended to have top speeds at 79 or 90 on the section north of Fort Lauderdale (I don't recall whether 90 was talked about at one time or another). I know they're gunning for 110 on the FEC main and 125 on the Orlando-Cocoa segment.

Still, 35 minutes end-to-end is amazing (it's 42 miles or thereabouts) and I think once they extend to Miami they'll be able to bump fares up with higher load factors.

 

[Pere Flyer]

Pardon me if I sound like a fool. Does Brightline now have exclusive ROW on its routes? (i.e. no freights or Amtrak?)

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[me_little_me]

This didn't take long.

https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/Woman-Struck-Killed-by-Brightline-High-Speed-Train-in-Boynton-Beach-469074483.html

Weak story. Another place mentioned it was the third person to be killed by a Brightline train, including one that was deemed to be a suicide. The article mentioned four died in separate incidents before Tri-rai started up. I guess there are those that are so desperate to be first, they want to be first at anything.

We are all born ignorant. Some die stupid. Sad for her family and friends as well as the crew and first responders.

 

[AGM.12]

I am curious if any Amtrak officials, maybe Mr. Anderson himself will sample this ride? Perhaps DOT people from North Carolina, Virginia, and other states that support regional passenger rail might wish to see for themselves what kind of service Brightline offers. It may give them ideas going forward.

 

[Anderson]

I heard some discussion that at least some folks from NC came down to ride the "VIP" trains earlier in the week for just those reasons.

 

[me_little_me]

I heard some discussion that at least some folks from NC came down to ride the "VIP" trains earlier in the week for just those reasons.

If NC asked CSX to run a similar train, it would be called "All night line".

 

[jis]

I heard some discussion that at least some folks from NC came down to ride the "VIP" trains earlier in the week for just those reasons.

If NC asked CSX to run a similar train, it would be called "All night line".

Why? [emoji848]

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

 

[cirdan]

Pardon me if I sound like a fool. Does Brightline now have exclusive ROW on its routes? (i.e. no freights or Amtrak?)

Sent from my iPhone using Amtrak Forum

The track Brightline uses is a different one than Amtrak uses. But there are freights on that line.

 

[user 1215]

Pardon me if I sound like a fool. Does Brightline now have exclusive ROW on its routes? (i.e. no freights or Amtrak)

Not at all. This entire venture was originated by the Florida East Coast railroad, using their own money, using their real estate and tracks. Now, there's been some shakeup in the parent company, but they all seem to be cooperating with each other. There are freight trains, but no Amtrak (though Amtrak probably wish otherwise).

In other words, FEC as a whole will be responsible for their own success.

 

[user 1215]

I heard some discussion that at least some folks from NC came down to ride the "VIP" trains earlier in the week for just those reasons.

If NC asked CSX to run a similar train, it would be called "All night line".

NC runs a tight system for a government co-op with Amtrak. And most of their track is on their own ROW purchased from NS.

 

[user 1215]

I know that these have been discussed before, but I'd like to bring these up again.

First of all, it seems like having two locomotives is good for redundancy but the extra weight leads to extra fuel consumption that is unnecessary. I will say though that the consists look very sharp and homogeneous unlike other diesel locomotive hauling sets. Any comments on that?

Also, how much longer can the consists grow? Is there room that if there is ever the need for the platform to hold ALL passenger cars only that the locomotives and perhaps the snack car can "hang off the ends" of the platform?

It seemed from the just the couple of videos that I saw that the interest and ridership seemed particularly low. Not a lot in the news other than that lady getting herself killed, and the trains were hardly "sellouts".

 

[PRR 60]

This post got lost in the approval system. Apologies to GBNorman.

OK everybody; the AAF site appears to be "up and running" and I have taken the occasion to plot out an AAF joyride for Sunday January 28:

Station----------Time-- -Carrier

Arsht Center-----910A----Metro Mover
Govt Center------925
-----------------934-----Metro Rail
Airport----------948
----------------1017-----Tri Rail
Ft Lauderdale---1105
FTL AAF Stn-----1225P----AAF
WPB AAF----------105
-----------------200
FTL AAF Stn------240
Ft Lauderdale-- -356-----Tri Rail
Airport----------450
-----------------516-----Metro Rail
Govt Center------531
-----------------545--- -Metro Mover
Arsht Center-----600P

Nine hours on my only free day; tempting if I were more the railfan; otherwise "too much".