Brightline trains run on tracks of the Florida East Coast, which did not join Amtrak, therefore the FEC has no contractual relationship with Amtrak. Commuter lines were specifically excluded from Amtrak from its beginning. The chance of Union Pacific choosing to operate passenger trains is less than zero. If they could figure out how to get the Amtrak trains that operate on their tracks to go away, they would be gone tomorrow.
The UP owns nowhere near most of the rail in the USA, and even if they did it wouldn't mean that they would necessarily make a profit on passenger service. The UP has other things to worry about, it owns little to no rolling stock for passenger service and hasn't run any for decades, why would they even be interested. They have plenty on their plate competing with BNSF and their other rivals. They would have to be desperate to even consider passenger service.
A pretty standard Virginia train though. Some are even 9 or 10 cars specially on heavy load days.
I suspect a lot of college kids use it as 156 is a weekend train. It stops at Newark, DE where the Univ of Delaware is located. Weather permitting I may go down to see it (without the UP engine, of course) . It's already running an hour late and will lose more time in Alexandria and DC for engine changes (UP engine does not have the necessary cab signals to go all the way to DC)
There is no such federal mandate. Union Pacific or any other railroad could operate passenger service, but they don't want to, because it loses money. The very reason Amtrak was created was that private railroads like Union Pacific wanted to dump their passenger trains.
I thought that UP and other RR's gave up right to reenter passenger business once they gave it to Amtrak. Am I wrong?
I believe they only gave up the obligation to run them on their own.
Take a look at what the Rocky Mountaineer charges. That would be at least a starting point.
The ones that continued with their own service did not join Railpax (the name before Amtrak came about). There were several railroads that did not join Railpax. Santa Fe almost did not, but ultimately a quick calculation of projection of losses on its passenger service over the subsequent five years changed their mind and they joined. Those that joined were restricted from starting their own passenger service in competition with Amtrak for a period of time IIRC. There was also a clause about Amtrak having first right of refusal on any new passenger service. This was subsequently removed freeing up the field for any takers. Since then there have been several attempts to find takers for current LD service in terms of individual trains. None have come forward so far with a credible plan. Amtrak also retains the special disposition to gain trackage rights on the railroads (or their successor railroads) for passenger service. This is the reason why the Hoosier State deal involving Iowa Pacific was structured in a way such that Amtrak trackage access rights continued to be used. IP just provided equipment and OBS staff.
RM is a different type of passenger railroad operation - it is not destination oriented for travel between cities.
You can add the Rock Island to that list. The Rock wanted to join, but could not afford the entrance fee. Their two remaining passenger trains went on for several years before they finally could drop them.
