I've always wondered about the totally lack of security on trains.
I mean, I get that you can't fly trains into a building, but blowing up a train with hazardous material or even just the train, while in a town could cause some serious damage.
As other people have noted, you don't even need to be on a train to cause a disaster. Block the track and you're done. So, putting passengers through airport-style security would only stop suicide bombers.
Yes, certainly not as simple as many may think. There are many areas where passenger & freight are already set up share the same tracks - such as the area where we live near Philadelphia. It makes things tricky for sure, but it can work!
I'm right near the Brightline tracks in Fort Lauderdale. (I can faintly hear the horns from the trains about once an hour in each direction. In fact, I just heard it.) Here, they ended up triple tracking so that the passenger trains could run without affecting the freight trains.
Don't quote me, but I believe because the plan is to have this line dedicated (no freight and probably no street crossings) which means 125mph, maybe higher.
The Miami to West Palm Beach route that currently operating does share tracks with freight lines. But, as I noted above, they did add a parallel track to avoid delays.
I believe that a portion of the West Palm Beach to Orlando route would operate on the existing freight rail line that runs north/south. But, the section from the coast to Orlando is going to be new track. I believe that will run along State Road 528 (Beachline Expressway) to the Orlando International Airport (MCO).
Everything from MCO into the Tampa area would be dedicated track. Educated guess says that the route would share tracks (or at least run parallel to existing tracks) once it reaches Tampa. That would be the most cost-efficient method creating a new right-of-way would be very expensive in any urban area.
If Disney can cut out the ME expense of transport from the airport to onsite and sell it as a benefit guests would be willing to pay for themselves, it will happen.
I don't see this project as becoming a replacement for Disney's Magical Express. I don't think the frequency of trains will be enough. Currently, Brightline runs once per hour between Miami and West Palm Beach. Based on population densities, I would expect fewer trains between MCO and Tampa, not more.
I certainly could see
Disney Cruise Line using the train to transport guests to various cruise ports.
Logistically, I'm not sure switching to train instead of buses is worth it for Disney. They would still need to transport guests from the train station at Disney World to the resorts.
Plus, it would be a pretty annoying experience for guests. Currently, it's a one-seat ride between the main terminal at the airport to the Disney Resort. Using the train makes it a three-seat ride. Guests will need to use the future airport transportation system to get from the main terminal to the intermodal terminal. Next, they'd board the train to get to the Disney station. Then, they'd have to board a bus to finally reach their Disney Resort.
As someone mentioned earlier, sometimes buses are best. Rail (including monorail) works great to move large groups of people between two points. But, when you are going from a hub (the airport) to multiple destinations (all the different Disney Resorts), buses tend to be the most efficient choice.