Brightline Train opening soon

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

We took Amtrak from the Orlando area to FLL for a cruise a few years ago. It was slow but more entertaining for the kids (and less stressful for the grownups) than driving. It doesn’t sound like brightline will be any better (and could be more expensive?!) than Amtrak?

 

[Capt_BJ]

many folks have questioned BL's business model from the beginning
- for the north south leg it is NOT high speed. At best it is higher speed (these terms have legal and engineering difference). Only the east west leg has the physical access controls and no 'grade crossings' to permit 'high speed'
- as noted estimated travel time is NOT faster then driving.
- every added station will slow things down more.
- there are regular flights between Miami and Orlando that cost less and get there MUCH faster.
- today's local paper mentions a call by U.S. Rep Brian Mast to pause work due to yet another fatal accident. BL is per mile the deadliest railroad in the US while BL insists it is not their fault . . . NTSB is investigation the accident . .

 

[lucas]

We live in Boca Raton in South Florida. We've taken Brightline from the Boca station to the West Palm Beach station and back. It was really enjoyable! (Plus they had special $10 one-way rates.) Cannot wait for it to continue on from Boca to Orlando!!

 

[princesscinderella]

many folks have questioned BL's business model from the beginning
- for the north south leg it is NOT high speed. At best it is higher speed (these terms have legal and engineering difference). Only the east west leg has the physical access controls and no 'grade crossings' to permit 'high speed'
- as noted estimated travel time is NOT faster then driving.
- every added station will slow things down more.
- there are regular flights between Miami and Orlando that cost less and get there MUCH faster.
- today's local paper mentions a call by U.S. Rep Brian Mast to pause work due to yet another fatal accident. BL is per mile the deadliest railroad in the US while BL insists it is not their fault . . . NTSB is investigation the accident . .

I’m convinced SoFla has some of the worst drivers in the country and the most impatient. Most of the time it’s people who think they can beat the train while the arm is coming down that get hit. They have had to slow it down on purpose and put warning signs of a high speed train crossing because of so many people getting hit. It hasn’t stopped the accidents though.

 

[Sykes]

On one hand I appreciate that they've accomplished the nearly impossible task of launching new intercity rail service in the US; however, anyone who ever looked at the plan knew that having that many grade crossings is a terrible idea and severely limits the safety and utility of the service. Sure, drivers and trespassers bear a lot of the blame, but we have decades of data that show that grade crossings on high-frequency rail lines in urban areas don't work well.

 

[soniam]

It’s hard to have high speed rail in the US due to various safety requirements and complaints from local communities. I don’t blame them, but the US just isn’t used to them like other places.

 

[happycamper47]

It’s hard to have high speed rail in the US due to various safety requirements and complaints from local communities. I don’t blame them, but the US just isn’t used to them like other places.

We weren't far from it in the 50"s and 60's. My first train ride was from Ohio to Texas and it took just about a day with an overnight stop in St. Louis.

RIght from the web:
The trains don't travel as fast as they did during the "Golden Age" of the 1950s. Some specific trains of the pre- 1971 era traveled at speeds in excess of 100 mph,

 

[Kwami]

Hey, we still have the Acela trains in the northeast. Even the Northeast Regional trains get up to more than 100 mph for some parts of the trip. In Texas, a company is building an actual Shinkansen to connect Dallas with Houston.

So, high-speed rail is definitely possible in the US. It just takes money and some political courage.

 

[soniam]

Hey, we still have the Acela trains in the northeast. Even the Northeast Regional trains get up to more than 100 mph for some parts of the trip. In Texas, a company is building an actual Shinkansen to connect Dallas with Houston.

So, high-speed rail is definitely possible in the US. It just takes money and some political courage.

They have been talking about the high speed train between Houston and Dallas for over 30 years. I'll believe it when i can buy a ticket. They haven't even remotely began construction, and I don't think they even own/have the right-of-way yet.

 

[Kwami]

They have been talking about the high speed train between Houston and Dallas for over 30 years. I'll believe it when i can buy a ticket. They haven't even remotely began construction, and I don't think they even own/have the right-of-way yet.

No, but they did win the eminent domain case, so they'll have the land soon enough. And it looks like they have some decent funding, too. We'll see.

 

[winterwhite]

I don’t know how many of you have driven in the Miami area lately, but south Florida has become so congested since everyone moved here post-covid that if you can get from Orlando to Miami in 3 hours by car, I’ll eat my shirt. Unless you’re doing that drive at 3am, you are looking at more like 5 hours with traffic pretty much any day of the week.

 

[aliceinvunderland]

As someone who lives in the northeast, we have found that taking Amtrak to NYC or DC is always more expensive, but usually much more convenient than driving and always faster than flying once you factor in the drive to the airport, parking, check-in, flight, baggage claim, etc. Unfortunately, train travel in the US will never be inexpensive, but sometimes it might be worth it to pay for the convenience.

 

[OKW Lover]

I don’t know how many of you have driven in the Miami area lately, but south Florida has become so congested since everyone moved here post-covid that if you can get from Orlando to Miami in 3 hours by car, I’ll eat my shirt. Unless you’re doing that drive at 3am, you are looking at more like 5 hours with traffic pretty much any day of the week.

I live right next to the parks and made the drive to FLL on a Friday in 3.5 hours.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[pjacobi]

High-speed trains are easy to build. Upgrading the tracks to support the high-speed trains is far, far more difficult! This includes upgrading all crossings and over-passes. Often it is easier to simply build a complete new set of tracks.

Until new infrastructure is available, train speeds remain at a fraction of their potential because it is like running an Indy car on a dirt road.


-Paul

 

[lucas]

I live right next to the parks and made the drive to FLL on a Friday in 3.5 hours.

But going all the way down to Miami is a whole different thing. A lot more traffic and accidents. I hate, hate driving from Boca to Miami. Now that we have Brightline from Boca to Miami, I will consider cruising out of Miami.

 

[DCLMP]

Considering the cost of renting a car these days it may make going from FLL to MCO cheaper. At least on a train you can relax.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

KMCO is the FAA identifier since McCoy was the air base that was there prior to the airport being developed. OIA is what the airport officially uses.

This is incorrect. MCO is the recognized FAA airport code for Orlando International airport.

 

[Kwami]

Unfortunately, train travel in the US will never be inexpensive, but sometimes it might be worth it to pay for the convenience.

It's not really cheap anywhere that I've been, unless you're a foreign tourist who gets special passes.

Still, I can take the Acela from Boston to DC for about $75. That's a business class seat since Acela doesn't have coach. Brightline is charging more than that for a slower, shorter route. Maybe it's still worth it to avoid the traffic, but I don't know.

 

[MillauFr]

This is incorrect. MCO is the recognized FAA airport code for Orlando International airport.

I always have to use KMCO on Flightaware.