First private US passenger rail line in 100 years is about to link Miami and Orlando at high speed

TERRY SPENCER and DANIEL KOZIN
Updated Thu, September 21, 2023 





  

A Brightline train approaches the Fort Lauderdale station on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The first big test of whether privately owned high-speed passenger train service can prosper in the United States will launch Friday, Sept. 22, when Florida's Brightline begins running trains between Miami and Orlando, reaching speeds of 125 mph (200 kph). 

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

MIAMI (AP) — The first big test of whether privately owned high-speed passenger train service can prosper in the United States will launch Friday when Florida's Brightline begins running trains between Miami and Orlando, reaching speeds of 125 mph (200 kph).

It's a $5 billion bet Brightline's owner, Fortress Investment Group, is making, believing that eventually 8 million people annually will take the 3.5-hour, 235-mile (378-kilometer) trip between the state's biggest tourist hubs — about 30 minutes less than the average drive between the two cities. The company is charging single riders $158 round-trip for business class and $298 for first-class, with families and groups able to buy four round-trip tickets for $398. Thirty-two trains will run daily.

Brightline, which began running its neon-yellow trains the 70 miles (112 kilometers) between Miami and West Palm Beach in 2018, is the first private intercity passenger service to begin U.S. operations in a century. It's also building a line connecting Southern California and Las Vegas that it hopes to open in 2027 with trains that will reach 190 mph (305 kph). The only other U.S. high-speed line is Amtrak's Acela service between Boston and Washington, D.C., which began in 2000. Amtrak is owned by the federal government.

“This is a pretty important moment, whether you’re thinking about it in the context of the state of Florida or what it might mean for these kinds of products as they develop elsewhere in the United States," Brightline CEO Mike Reininger said in a recent interview. “The idea that my car is the only way for me to get where I need to go is being challenged by a new product. A new product that’s safer, that’s greener, that is a great value proposition (and) it’s fun.”

The Florida trains, which run on biodiesel, will travel up to 79 mph (127 kph) in urban areas, 110 mph (177 kph) in less-populated regions and 125 mph (200 kph) through central Florida’s farmland. Brightline plans possible extensions to Tampa and Jacksonville.

John Renne, director of Florida Atlantic University's Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions, said the Miami-Orlando corridor is a perfect spot for high-speed rail — about 40 million Floridians and visitors make the trip annually, with more than 90% of them driving.

If Brightline succeeds that could lead to more high-speed lines between major cities 200 to 300 miles (320 to 480 kilometers) apart, both by Brightline and competitors, he said.

“It is quite exciting for South Florida to kind of be a test bed for what could be seen as a new paradigm for transportation, particularly high-speed rail transportation, in the United States,” Renne said.

Because Brightline is privately owned and seeking a profit, it was more sensitive to getting the project completed quickly to save money. On the government side, Renne pointed to California’s effort to build a high-speed rail system. Approved by voters in 2008, it isn’t near fruition, has already cost billions more than expected and its prospects for completion are uncertain as finding a route through mountains is proving difficult and politicians added dubious side projects. Brightline began planning in 2012.

Brightline's development has suffered setbacks, though. COVID-19 shut down the Miami-West Palm Beach line for 17 months. A 2018 partnership with Richard Branson's Virgin Group to rebrand Brightline as Virgin Trains USA quickly soured. Brightline terminated the partnership in 2020 and Virgin sued in London. According to the lawsuit, Brightline says Virgin “ceased to constitute a brand of international high repute, largely because of matters related to the pandemic." That case is pending.

Then there is the question of safety for residents near the tracks.

Brightline trains have the highest death rate in the U.S., fatally striking 98 people since Miami-West Palm operations began — about one death for every 32,000 miles (51,500 kilometers) its trains travel, according to an ongoing Associated Press analysis of federal data that began in 2019. The next-worst major railroad has a fatality every 130,000 miles (209,200 kilometers).

None of the deaths have been found to be Brightline's fault — most have been suicides, drivers who go around crossing gates or pedestrians running across tracks. The company hasn’t had a fatality since June, its longest stretch except during the pandemic shutdown.

Still, the company's fatality rate concerns officials in the extension area.

Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said a Brightline official seemed callous during a recent meeting, saying he seemed more worried about explaining Brightline’s procedure for getting passengers to their destination after an accident than how it deals with deaths.

“They don’t seem to have any empathy for our community. We’re just in their way,” said Flowers, whose county includes Vero Beach. “It’s a cost of doing business for them that they’re going to run some people over.”

Brightline has taken steps its leaders believe enhance safety, including adding closed-circuit cameras near tracks, installing better crossing gates and pedestrian barriers and posting signage that includes the suicide prevention hotline.

“We have invested heavily in the infrastructure so that we have a safe corridor,” Reininger said. “We continue to operate literally every day with safety at top of mind.”

Reininger said most of Brightline’s Miami-Orlando passengers will come from those who drive the route regularly and others who stay home because they hate the drive. Prime targets are families headed to Orlando’s theme parks and travelers to South Florida’s nightlife, concerts, sports and cruises.

The drive between Miami and Orlando takes about four hours each way on Florida’s Turnpike with round-trip tolls costing between $40 and $60. Gas costs between $50 and $80, plus wear and tear on the vehicle.

Reininger said his company’s challenge is to convince travelers that its trains’ amenities make any extra cost worthwhile.

“It’s the value of your time,” Reininger said. The train “gives you the ability to use your time that you are dedicating to travel in any number of ways that you can’t do when you are behind the wheel.”

Robert Barr, who lives near Miami and publishes guides on rum and South Florida locales, has taken Brightline to West Palm Beach and looks forward to traveling the line to Orlando. He said Brightline’s accommodations “compare really well to some of the best trains” he’s taken in Europe, where high-speed rail between cities is common.

“You’ve got comfortable seats and a relatively quiet ride. It feels very modern,” said Barr.

Miami-Orlando Brightline route is ready to roll. What to know about taking the train

Devoun Cetoute
Fri, September 22, 2023 

Taking a train ride from Miami to Orlando is no longer just talk. Brightline’s new higher-speed rail connection is starting after more than four years in the making.

On Friday, Sept. 22, the inaugural trip was scheduled to leave the downtown Miami station at 6:41 a.m. for a 3-1/2 journey to the recently finished station at Orlando International Airport.

This is Brightline’s sixth stop, and the first outside of South Florida. Trains already run between Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach.


Brightline unveils new station at Orlando International Airport on Thursday along with ticket prices and an opening date coming this summer.

Work on the Orlando route got started in June 2019, with station construction starting in January 2022. Leading up to the Orlando route debut, Brightline made history as the fastest train in the Southeast earlier this year, reaching speeds of 130 mph in a test run.

“This is a pretty important moment, whether you’re thinking about it in the context of the state of Florida or what it might mean for these kinds of products as they develop elsewhere in the United States,” Brightline CEO Mike Reininger said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “The idea that my car is the only way for me to get where I need to go is being challenged by a new product. A new product that’s safer, that’s greener, that is a great value proposition,” and “it’s fun.”

TAKE A LOOK: Brightline unveils new Orlando station. Here’s when you can grab tickets

Here’s what to know Brightline’s newest route:
Where can I buy tickets?

▪ Tickets can be purchased through Brightline’s website (gobrightline.com) and the company’s app. Tickets are available for train rides to Orlando between September and March.

▪ One-way standard tickets, or SMART fares, to Orlando start at $79 for adults and are $39 for kids ages 2 to 12. Round-trip tickets will are available.

▪ Groups of four or more people traveling together can get savings of up to 25% on their fares, according to Brightline.

▪ One-way first-class tickets, called premium fares, start at $149. These tickets come with use of a lounge, priority boarding, and complimentary snacks and beverages.
How long is the Miami to Orlando Brightline trip?

▪ The 235-mile trip from Miami to Orlando takes about 3 1/2 hours, with the train reaching speeds of up to 125 mph.

▪ Brightline earlier this year said it planned to have 16 daily round trips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando.

▪ The Orlando service also will stop at existing stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and West Palm Beach, according to the private train company. Brightline says dedicated trains will continue to serve commuters and tourists in South Florida from Miami to West Palm Beach and back again. The only other passenger train service that connects South Florida to other parts of the state is the federally run Amtrak.

Brightline unveiled its new station at Orlando International Airport Thursday along with ticket prices and an opening date sometime in the summer.

How do Brightline passengers get to theme parks?

▪ Brightline offers “first-last mile” connections at Orlando International Airport to help passengers get to Central Florida’s main attractions, about 30 minutes from the station.

▪ Mears Transportation has partnered with Brightline to offer “shared connect shuttles” and “luxury private rides” to certain locations, which can be booked on Brightline’s mobile app and website. The shared connect shuttles run 24/7 and will take passengers to Walt Disney World Resort and 25 other resorts. Fares are $16 one-way for adults and $13 for children. Those 3 and under ride free.

▪ Luxury private rides function like a ride-share. Starting price is $63, and these riders can be taken to wherever passengers want to go.

▪ Brightline passengers are at the airport when they get off the train, which means Orlando International’s sizable ride-share area is available. Access to Uber and Lyft hubs are nearby.

▪ Car rental companies, including Hertz and Enterprise, have hubs at the airport.

▪ Certain hotels in the Orlando area also offer shuttle services from the airport and can be used by booked Brightline passengers.
What’s at the Orlando Brightline station?

▪ Brightline passengers arriving at the Orlando train station will be next to Orlando International Airport’s Terminal C. It connects to one of the airport’s parking garages with spaces reserved for Brightline travelers. Passengers also can reach airport Terminals A and B in under five minutes.

▪ The Orlando station offers self-service kiosks, luggage checks, turnstiles and ticket purchasing.

▪ Food and drink options at the Orlando train station include a sit-down bar called Mary Mary Bar serving cocktails and light food. A store called MRKT PLACE sells gifts and refreshments.

▪ A children’s play area is inside a lounge for travelers that has charging stations, TVs and Wi-Fi.

Comparing transportation options to Orlando

▪ The price of an airline ticket from Miami to Orlando can be unpredictable — all depending on the airline, dates and seating, which can all drop or increase the price of a ticket. Airline tickets usually run between just under $100 all the way to near $300 between Florida’s largest airports (Miami International to Orlando International).

▪ Driving from Miami to Orlando could take 3/12 to 4 hours hours and cost about $30 to $40 for gas.

What to know about Brightline

▪ Brightline, a private company, began South Florida service in 2018 with stations in downtown Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Stations in Aventura and Boca Raton opened in December 2022. The train stopped running for a year and a half during the height of the pandemic before resuming service and adding stations.

▪ The trains travel on tracks east of the separate Tri-Rail tracks, which run along the I-95 corridor between Miami airport and West Palm Beach.

▪ The trains go faster than Tri-Rail and freight trains, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. That has led to safety issues at rail crossings, and dozens of crashes, many involving drivers that try to beat the train signals and don’t make it across in time as the faster yellow trains approach.

PRIVATE HS RAIL IN DESANTISLAND
Brightline Train Hits, Kills Pedestrian On First Day Of Expanded Service

Owen Bellwood
Fri, September 22, 2023 

A photo of a Brightline train crossing a road.

A Brightline train operating in Delray Beach killed a pedestrian this morning.

New train day should be a positive one filled with stories about happy commuters that are finally able to leave their cars at home and ride to work. But today, the day Brightline began the first high-speed rail link between Miami and Orlando, isn’t one of those days. That’s because America’s deadliest rail line has struck and killed another pedestrian.

This morning, amid much fanfare, Brightline kicked off its first service from Miami to Orlando in Florida. The inaugural service was sold out, according to local news, and makes the journey from Miami to Orlando in around three and a half hours thanks to a top speed of up to 125 mph.


While there was a barrier across the road at the intersection between the Brightline tracks and Southeast Second Avenue, the rail line uses old FEC Railway tracks that have “have few barriers to pedestrians walking along them or crossing them.”

It’s this infrastructure along the rail line that has earned Brightline the title of deadliest railway in America. In the past year alone, trains on the line have hit a car transporter and SUV and a car that was lost on its tracks.

While I’ll always come out in favor of more trains, that can only happen when governments and private companies are prepared to invest in safety measures that protect rail riders and those who live and travel around the tracks.

Jalopnik

How fast are Brightline's higher-speed trains? You'll see beginning Friday
Wicker Perlis, Treasure Coast Newspapers
Updated Thu, September 21, 2023 

The first Brightline trains will begin traveling Friday morning with passengers from South Florida to Orlando, completing a massive expansion project that cost the company $6 billion and took four years to complete.

Brightline trains have been speeding through the Treasure Coast at previously unseen speeds for weeks, but on Friday those trains will be carrying something new: passengers.

Their frequency also will increase, as test runs turn into a regular service schedule of up to 32 trains per day.

Top speeds will reach 110 mph in the journey through the Treasure Coast, Brightline corporate affairs senior vice president Ben Porritt said in an email.

More: Brightline train schedule shows how many trains will pass through Treasure Coast and when

While detailed speed zones were not provided by Brightline, the company estimates a total travel time between Miami and Orlando of about 3½ hours for Friday's trains, according to its ticketing website. Along the 235-mile corridor, 3½-hour journey would mean the train would average about 67 mph.

Brightline has said its trains — which already run at up to 79 mph south of West Palm Beach — will travel up to 110 mph from West Palm Beach to Cocoa and then 125 mph between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport. Brightline has said trains will slow to cross the St. Lucie River bridge in Stuart.

The 110 mph speed would put Brightline in the same track class as the Amtrak Northeast Corridor between New York and Washington, D.C. Speeds will be even higher between Cocoa Beach and Orlando, when trains will operate on a higher class track. In that stretch there will be an upper limit of 125 mph, said Federal Railroad Administration spokesperson Warren Flatau. That puts it in line with the rest of the Amtrak Northeast Corridor.

More: Brightline opposition on Treasure Coast began almost as soon as the trains were proposed

The maximum authorized speeds will generally increase as the route moves northward, Flatau said, but trains cannot always operate at the maximum speed.

"Keep in mind these speeds are the maximum authorized, but there are various speed changes along each segment due to topography, track geometry, and other operational factors," Flatau said in an email.

More: Video shows Brightline train go through intersection while bars up; officials explain why

One reason for slowing down is the approach to and departure from stations. That said, Brightline trains, for now, will not be stopping on the Treasure Coast. In a 2018 lawsuit settlement, the railroad did agree to build a station somewhere in St. Lucie or Martin County within five years of the beginning of regular scheduled service ... which means Friday. Still, no plans for a station have been announced by Brightline. The city of Fort Pierce, though, has begun independent design work for a station.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: What to know about Brightline train speeds before Friday's launch

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BRIGHTLINE 

High-speed train from Las Vegas to Los Angeles in the works after Brightline reaches agreement with unions on $10 billion project

Aaron McDade
Sat, March 4, 2023 

Brightline announced a deal with a group of rail unions to build its Brightline West project connecting Las Vegas to Southern California.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Brightline announced a deal with rail unions to build a 218-mile, high-speed line from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.


The company plans to connect Las Vegas to Southern California via rail capable of traveling 200 mph.


Brightline hopes to break ground this year, and finish the system by the end of 2027.

Rail company Brightline announced an agreement last week with a group of rail worker unions to build a $10 billion, high-speed train connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles.

Brightline's agreement — made with the High Speed Rail Labor Coalition, a collective of 13 rail unions that represent over 160,000 railroad workers across freight and passenger rail — greenlit the development of a 218-mile rail line between the two cities, according to the company's announcement.


"Our nation's first high-speed rail system will be operated and maintained by union labor, a statement of the strength of the American workforce," Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline Holdings, said in a statement.

Reininger continued: "As the most shovel-ready high-speed rail project in the United States, we are one step closer to leveling the playing field against transit and infrastructure projects around the world, and we are proud to be using America's most skilled workers to get there."

Brightline estimates the "Brightline West" project will have an economic impact of about $10 billion on the area, creating about 35,000 construction jobs, as well as 1,000 permanent jobs at stops along the line in Southern California.

The company also estimates the Brightline West project could attract about 12 million of the 50 million one-way trips taken annually between Las Vegas and Los Angeles annually, 85% of which are taken by bus or car.

Brightline said it believes the draw away from car and bus trips will result in about 400,000 fewer tons of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas, from being put into the atmosphere per year.

A Brightline executive told SFGate the company expects to break ground this year, and hopes to finish construction in 2027.

The train will eventually be capable of traveling around 200 miles per hour, meaning a trip across the whole 218-mile line would take a little over an hour. A Las Vegas tourism website estimates that a trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas by car takes an average of four hours, depending on traffic conditions.

The rail line is set to run from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, according to the company's website. The press release said the rail line will have stops in Rancho Cucamonga, Apple Valley, and Hesperia, California.

Brightline currently operates a rail service that has several stations throughout Florida, and is also set to open an extension this year connecting Disney World in Orlando with its existing stations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, among others.

Read the original article on Business Insider

DESANTISLAND KILLER CHOO CHOO

NTSB Investigating 2 Brightline High Speed Train Crashes That Killed 3 People in Florida This Week

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate two crashes involving Florida’s Brightline train that killed three people at the same railroad crossing on the high speed train’s route between Miami and Orlando

The three deaths in Melbourne this week mark at least 108 since it began operations in July 2017. 

By Associated Press
Jan. 13, 2024

A Brightline train approaches the Fort Lauderdale station on Sept. 8, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024 it will investigate two crashes involving Florida's Brightline train that killed three people at the same railroad crossing on the high speed train's route between Miami and Orlando.

(AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, file)

FORT LAUDERDALE Fla. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board said Saturday it will investigate two crashes involving Florida’s Brightline train that killed three people at the same railroad crossing on the high speed train’s route between Miami and Orlando.

The crashes happened Wednesday and Friday at a crossing along the U.S. 1 corridor in Melbourne, on Florida’s Atlantic coast, where the high speed train passes through on its daily routes to and from South Florida. Since Brightline launched the 160-mile extension that links South Florida and Orlando in September, there have been five deaths, according to an Associated Press database.

Friday’s crash killed driver Lisa Ann Batchelder, 52, and passenger Michael Anthony Degasperi, 54, both of Melbourne. On Wednesday, 62-year-old Charles Julian Phillips was killed when the vehicle he was driving was hit by the train. Three passengers in that vehicle were injured, according to Melbourne police.

Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey told reporters at the scene that the SUV triedto outrun the train. He said he’s spoken to Brightline officials about doing another public safety campaign to warn drivers not to go around railroad crossings because the train is traveling at higher speeds.

“I start by saying if the arm is down don’t go around,” Alfrey told Orlando television station WKMG. “There’s no good outcome with a train. This is an unfortunate situation. We have the loss of life again. There’s safety precautions for a reason, and people need to adhere them.”

The bright, neon yellow trains travel at speeds up to 125 mph (201 kph) in some locations. The 3.5-hour, 235-mile (378-kilometer) trip between Miami and Orlando takes about 30 minutes less than the average drive.

The NTSB team was expected to at the scene for several days, beginning Saturday.

“Investigators will work to better understand the safety issues at this crossing and will examine opportunities to prevent or mitigate these crashes in the future,” NTSB spokeswoman Sarah Taylor Sulick told The Associated Press.

She said a preliminary report will be released within 30 days, and a final report will be issued in 12 to 24 months.

Brightline did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, but the company has placed warning signs near crossings to alert drivers to the fast-moving trains.


The three deaths in Melbourne this week mark at least 108 since it began operations in July 2017. That’s one death for approximately every 38,000 miles (61,000 kilometers) its trains travel, the worst death rate among the nation’s more than 800 railroads, an ongoing Associated Press analysis that began in 2019 shows. Among U.S. railroads that log at least 100,000 train-miles a year, the next-worst rate since 2017 belongs to California’s Caltrain commuter line. Caltrain has averaged one death for every 125,000 miles (201,000 kilometers) traveled during that period.

None of Brightline’s previous deaths have been found to be the railroad’s fault. Most have been suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of the train or drivers who maneuvered around crossing gates rather than wait.

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'Transformative' California-Las Vegas high-speed rail project applauded by IE officials
Alexa Mae Asperin
Thu, December 14, 2023 

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. - The highly-anticipated Brightline West bullet train that will take travelers from Southern California to Las Vegas in under three hours is being hailed as a "game-changer for the Inland Empire."

City officials applauded the federal government awarding the private company a $3 billion grant in funding - a critical step officials said will help push the project to the start of construction, which could begin by early 2024.

During a press conference earlier this week, city officials noted the impact the Brightline West project would have on the region, with construction alone supporting more than 11,000 jobs each year and bringing in $5 billion in spending to San Bernardino County, with $300 million of that going to Rancho Cucamonga.

"We are thrilled to witness the realization of this transformative project that connects our dynamic regions," said Rancho Cucamonga Mayor L. Dennis Michael. "This strategic investment in cutting-edge infrastructure not only opens doors to jobs, economic growth, tourism, and commercial ventures but also enhances Southern California’s global connectivity."

RELATED COVERAGE:

Vegas-California bullet train project gets $3 billion federal grant


California to Las Vegas bullet train advances key step


California to Las Vegas bullet train passes another major hurdle

Officials said plans are also underway to redevelop the Cucamonga Station as "a state-of-the-art multimodal transportation center" aiming to serve as many as 11 million passengers per year by using the high-speed rail service.

"The arrival of Brightline West and the new Cucamonga Station underscore how the Inland Empire and western San Bernardino County have become a transportation hub and economic driver for Southern California and beyond," said Atif Elkadi, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority.

Brightline West aims to start construction in the upcoming year, with the goal of having trains between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga running by summer 2028, just in time for the Olympics.

Photo courtesy Brightline West

According to Brightline, the expected travel time between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is approximately 2.5 hours. The zero-emission electric trains could carry 500 passengers at speeds of nearly 200 mph.

Approximately 50 million one-way trips are made annually between these two destinations with 85% of them by car or bus, the company said. At full operations, Brightline expects to attract approximately 12 million one-way trips each year.

Amenities for travelers include free onboard WiFi, ADA accessibility from station to train, a wide selection of food and drinks, checked luggage, and hotel check-in services.

Construction was originally set to begin in 2020, but was halted when the company postponed a planned $2.4 billion bond sale to finance initial tracks and stations for the $8 billion project. The company blamed the delay on market instability because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.


Other places where high-speed trains have been proposed include the 500-mile system linking Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The Rancho Cucamonga station will connect to Metrolink’s regional rail network, which includes stations in Los Angeles, Riverside, Orange, San Diego, and Ventura counties.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


State’s game-changing high-speed rail offers glimpse into nationwide convenient travel: ‘I’m all for it’

Leo Collis
Fri, December 15, 2023 



Rail travel in the United States took a significant step forward in September with the arrival of a new Brightline service in Florida: a fast train between Miami and Orlando.

According to the Associated Press, it is the first privately owned inter-city passenger rail service to open in the country for a century, and project deliverer Fortress Investment Group is hoping the line will transport eight million people every year between the state’s major tourist cities.

The journey between the two locations takes three-and-a-half hours, with the train reaching speeds of up to 125 miles per hour on the 235-mile stretch.



Trying the new brightline route today. Pretty comfortable experience.

I'm glad the US is making some progress in public transportation. pic.twitter.com/8yPZz2KHBB

— Simon Yu (@SimonYuSEA) October 20, 2023

Brightline has previously outlined its commitment to sustainability. The company says its trains that run on the Miami to West Palm Beach line that opened in 2018 are the most environmentally friendly models in service, with the biodiesel electric trains said to cut equivalent pollution on the journey in personal vehicles by 75% per passenger per mile.

It is the first train company to receive the WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management for its trains and stations, and it’s said the Miami-Palm Beach route can remove three million cars a year from roads in the area.

The opening of the new line has caught the imagination of Redditors, with a number of people sharing their thoughts on Brightline’s latest operation and the state of rail travel in the country.

“If more 110mph trains are going to be built around the country then I’m all for it,” one user said.

“[The government] should be building both [high-speed rail] and [non-high-speed-rail] so that trains can compete against both road and air travel,” added another. “Cars and planes are both terrible for the environment so we should be trying to get people off these and onto greener transport instead.”

Brightline’s trains don’t quite fit in the “high-speed rail” category, but the service between Orlando and Miami reduces travel time when compared to cars by around 30 minutes.

It’s safe to say the United States is lagging a bit when it comes to high-speed mass transportation by rail, with China among the world leaders in this field.

Meanwhile, Brightline CEO Mike Reininger heralded the possibilities that train travel provides, allowing passengers time to do other things they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do behind the wheel.

“The idea that my car is the only way for me to get where I need to go is being challenged by a new product,” he told the AP. “A new product that’s safer, that’s greener, that is a great value proposition (and) it’s fun.”

California Is Getting ‘World-Class’ High-Speed Trains

Jessica Puckett
Thu, December 14, 2023 



Courtesy Central California

America's rail system has long paled in comparison to the bullet trains of Japan and France's Train à Grande Vitesse. But now, historic new federal funding could finally bring high-speed train travel to the US.

In December, the Biden administration announced $8.2 billion in funds will be allotted to 10 passenger rail projects across the US. Two of the projects receiving the largest investments are new high-speed trains in the West that will be among the “first world-class high-speed rail projects in our country’s history,” the White House says.


With top speeds of 200 and 220 miles per hour, the two lines would be the fastest passenger trains in the country, far outpacing the current fastest train in America—the Amtrak Acela. That train, which runs between Boston and Washington DC, currently reaches top speeds of 150 miles per hour (Amtrak's next generation Acela trains, which begin rolling out in 2024, will reach slightly faster speeds of up to 160 miles per hour).

The new projects would bring passenger trains in the US one step closer to high-speed rail systems in Europe and Asia. “When I ran for president, I made a commitment to build a world-class, high-speed rail worthy of the United States of America,” President Biden said in remarks announcing the funding. “To put our nation back on track with the fastest, safest, and greenest railways in the world. And at long last, we’re building the first high-speed rail project in our nation’s history.”

Not only will the new trains slash travel times compared to driving and help reduce traffic on some of the nation's busiest roadways—they'll be cleaner too. The two train lines coming to California will be electric, making them an environmentally friendly alternative to flying or driving, the White House says.

“The tide has turned for high-speed rail in America,” Andy Kunz, president and CEO of US High-Speed Rail said in a statement. “Electrified bullet trains will transform the nation’s transportation system—reducing congestion, helping end our dependency on fossil fuels and advancing the fight against climate change. ”

Here’s what travelers should know about the two high-speed rail projects coming to the western US later this decade: Brightline West and California Inaugural High-Speed Rail Service.

Brightline West trains will travel between California and Nevada, reaching speeds of up to 200 miles per hour.

Brightline’s new California to Nevada high-speed train will receive up to $3 billion in government funding to help build an intercity passenger rail system between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California (a city in San Bernardino County about 37 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles). Brightline says its station in Rancho Cucamonga will be located right next to the city’s Metrolink commuter rail station, allowing for connections into the heart of Los Angeles.

Reaching speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, the new train will take just two hours—nearly half the time it takes to drive between the two cities. Most of the 218 miles of tracks will run in the median of Interstate 15.

Like Brightline's first trains in Florida, which run at maximum speeds of 125 miles per hour between Miami and Tampa, Brightline West will prioritize a comfortable passenger experience both on and off the train. The company is known for building modern rail stations complete with bars, passenger lounges, free Wi-Fi, grab-and-go food for purchase, and quick security checkpoints. On board, there will be free Wi-Fi and power outlets at each seat, as well as a snack and beverage service.

Because the trains will run on electricity, the new project will avert about 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and remove millions of cars from the road each year, according to the White House. The rail line is expected to serve 11 million passengers annually.

Brightline West is expected to break ground in 2024, and the project will take an estimated four years to complete construction, putting the train’s debut in 2028 (at the earliest).

The California Inaugural High-Speed Rail Service Project's will eventually link Los Angeles and San Francisco with electrified trains traveling up to 220 miles per hour.

Another passenger rail project, called the California Inaugural High-Speed Rail Service Project, will receive up to $3.07 billion in government funding to bring high-speed rail service to California’s Central Valley. Tracks will stretch 171 miles from Bakersfield to Merced, stopping in Madera, Fresno, and Kings/Tulare along the way. The goal of the rail corridor is to connect smaller towns in the middle of the state with bigger cities in Northern and Southern California.

Eventually, the larger train project will link Los Angeles and San Francisco (and the cities in between), offering a high-speed rail journey that would take under three hours.

The trains will reach speeds of up to 220 miles per hour, and they’ll be all-electric, powered by 100% renewable energy, according to the White House. “These bullet trains will make travel quicker and easier, bring housing closer, create new jobs and economic opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach, secure cleaner air for our children and help save our planet,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who represents California’s 11th Congressional District that includes San Francisco, said in a statement.

Construction on the high-speed line has been happening in fits and starts since 2015, but travelers will have to wait several more years before exploring the Golden State by bullet train: Test runs on the Central Valley portion of the rail line aren't expected to start until at least 2028.

Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler



Opinion
Joe Matthews’ ‘modest’ proposal: Give high-speed rail to homeless Californians

Joe Mathews
Sat, December 16, 2023

California is spending billions to house its increasing population of unhoused people. But it hasn’t come close to its ambitious goal of ending homelessness. And many Californians have lost hope that it ever will.

California is spending billions to construct a high-speed rail system. But it hasn’t come close to completing an actual line. And many Californians have lost hope that it ever will.

In the face of such failures, what is to be done? One option would be to surrender, concluding that mega-projects are too challenging here.

Or we could steel ourselves and embrace the wisdom of Dwight Eisenhower, who advised: “If a problem cannot be solved, enlarge it.”

In Ike’s spirit, I suggest we combine the big problems of homeless housing and high-speed rail into something larger.

Opinion

I hereby propose — very modestly — Homeless High-Speed Rail.

You read that right. Finding permanent lodging for unhoused people would become the new, urgent mission of our high-speed rail authority.

Under Homeless High-Speed Rail, the state’s unhoused people would no longer have to live in cars, shelters or encampments. Instead, everyone would have the option of a sleeping-car berth on a brand-new bullet train.

Sure, this fusion might create some challenges. But might it solve even more problems?

For example: Advocates have long criticized California for its mishmash of competing homelessness initiatives, and for insufficient funding for local solutions. My proposal solves all that by consolidating every single state and local homeless housing program under one single state agency: the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

Now, some cynics might call that combination crazy — a mere merger of two giant dysfunctional money pits. And they wouldn’t be entirely wrong. The state has spent more than $20 billion on housing and homelessness since 2019 — but the number of unhoused Californians has grown by one-third. Meanwhile, the high-speed rail project has secured $25 billion — but is still $10 billion short of the $35 billion required to complete its first Central Valley segment from Merced to Bakersfield.

But, instead of spending massively on the land, labor, and permitting for homeless housing — Los Angeles pays $800,000 for some units — California could spend that money on rail cars that provide housing, leaving more funding to build rail. That’s a win-win!

An artist’s rendering depicts a high-speed rail train rolling through the southern San Joaquin Valley.

Combining homeless housing and high-speed rail also could answer objections that dog both programs.

For example, cities often can’t build homeless housing because of opposition from neighborhoods. But NIMBYs would lose their backyard objections when housing for the homeless zooms past at 200 mph.

Meanwhile, hosting homeless Californians answers persistent questions about whether there would be enough riders to support the project. In a Homeless High-Speed Rail project, unhoused individuals would provide a large and steady ridership base.

Strange as my proposal may seem, almost nothing about it is new.

Keeping homeless people constantly on the move sounds cruel, but this is already established policy across California, since communities constantly tear down homeless encampments, forcing unhoused people to keep relocating. And if you board local transit systems in the state, you’ll see that individuals without homes are California’s most dedicated train riders, because of the low-cost shelter they provide.

Of course, there will be some Californians who object to the whole concept, finding it perverse. These misguided moralists, a few of them columnists, will say that California is a rich place that can afford to house all its people and to build the high-speed rail systems that other countries enjoy.

In theory, these skeptical Californians will probably be right. But California doesn’t operate on theory. It operates on unmanageable budget processes, a volatile tax code, and a broken governing system. Since California refuses to fix these systems, it will never have enough housing for the homeless, or a high-speed spine for its transportation networks.

So, before you dismiss my modest proposal, ask yourself: In the face of massive failures, when doing big, essential things is nearly impossible, is any idea too awful to take off the table?

Joe Mathews writes the Connecting California column for Zócalo Public Square .


Joe Mathews
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Passenger trains could help combat climate change — if rail can actually get built
Rachel Frazin

THE HILL
Fri, December 15, 2023 



The Biden administration is investing billions in passenger rail, giving a boost to a potentially important tool for mitigating climate change.

However, significant hurdles could slow efforts to get more rail online.

Last week, President Biden announced $8.2 billion in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding for 10 passenger rail projects, including what the White House described as the “first world-class high-speed rail projects in our country’s history.”

The funded projects include a line connecting California to Las Vegas — which alone is expected to carry 11 million passengers each year and prevent 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere — as well as lines serving California’s Central Valley, North Carolina and a line connecting Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Va.

Experts, the rail industry and environmentalists say that passenger trains could be an important tool for getting people out of cars and planes, thereby helping the planet.

“As long as it helps get people from Point A to Point B, we will see less car trips on the road,” said Rebekah Whilden, deputy director of Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All campaign.

She added that a reduction in travel in personal vehicles is “ultimately what we need to see to see the emissions reductions that we need.”

Nick Little, director of railway education at Michigan State University’s Center For Railway Research and Education, said there is potential to grow more rail in the U.S., but only in “selective” locations.

He said that opportunities exist in the northeastern U.S., as well as to connect the Dallas-Fort Worth area to Houston and Austin in Texas and Chicago to cities including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Mich., and Minneapolis.

However, the future of rail may not look like the ambitious high-speed rail maps that crop up on social media, illustrating fantasies of connecting the entire nation: Such ideas are a “pipe dream,” Little said.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has its own map detailing a strategy for passenger trains.

It identifies parts of the Northeast and California as places for “frequent trains at 125-250+ mph in the nation’s densest and most populous regions” and parts of the Midwest as areas for regional service connecting large and midsize cities as well as “feeder” services to connect communities to the rail network.

Christopher Barkan, professor and director of the Rail Transportation and Engineering Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, said that he expects rail to grow in the years ahead, noting that there’s already significant work underway.

He said he mostly expects it to crop up in corridors between 100 and 400 miles in length.

“It’s a combination of population density and suitable distances where both conventional and high-speed passenger [rail] can be competitive,” Barkan said.

Andy Kunz, president of the U.S. High Speed Rail Association, said “the prognosis is really good” for the future of high-speed rail.

“The really good thing is, the Brightline West one, which will connect Las Vegas and Los Angeles, that one will be up and running in four short years,” Kurz said.

“It’ll make the case much sooner to the American people how great of a transportation mode this actually is,” he added, saying that another California project is expected to take longer to build.

However, he said that building out high-speed rail in the Northeast is “going to be one of the harder ones to build because they’ll have to build a whole new set of tracks” in order to handle the high speeds.

Meanwhile, Little said that he particularly expects to see more frequent trains on existing routes going forward because it’s “an easy thing to do, relatively,” since the trains themselves are the only additional expense.

But for new rail, there are still hurdles to overcome.

Barkan said the nation’s environmental review process — sometimes known as permitting — is one hurdle.

“The initial thing that takes time is the environmental permitting,” he said. “That’s actually one of the things I think the United States needs to improve is to accelerate its environmental permitting process for projects such as this.”

Permitting is also a hot topic on Capitol Hill — where lawmakers have sought to make a deal to speed up energy and other infrastructure projects. As part of a deal to lift the debt ceiling, some changes such as shorter federal environmental reviews were approved earlier this year, but lawmakers do not appear to have moved closer on a broader agreement.

Kunz said that not having enough funding for rail projects is the “No. 1 reason” for delays.

“Not having the money readily available early, the project ends up slowing down or actually stopping and waiting for the money to come in,” he said.

This, in turn, drives up the bill for projects because of inflation and increased costs.

Barkan said the grants announced last week will be “a significant help,” but more is needed.

“We’re not done yet, but it’s a huge step forward.”

Whilden, with the Sierra Club, said the nation’s rail system might be able to get a boost not only from money allocated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, but also through more general climate and pollution grants in the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Municipalities and states can apply for it, and basically the only kind of checkbox is that it has to lower … pollution emissions, and so rail could be seen as being able to be used for that sort of grant,” Whilden said.

The US Is Addicted to Fossil Fuel Cars. Could High-Speed Rail Set It Free?

A private rail company thinks it can.

By Loukia PapadopoulosOct 09, 2021


CHUYN/iStock

Trains have come a long way in the last few years, implementing futuristic technologies that are bound to impress. What they still haven't managed to successfully do is replace automobiles.

Now, one railway company is hoping its trains will help do so. Brightline is investing in five new trains it hopes will put the user experience first and help convert car-lovers.

“We’re trying to get people to think differently about what riding a train is like,” Mike Reininger, CEO of Brightline told Fast Company. “The real objective here is to change people’s behavior."

Brightline is targeting destinations that are “too far to drive, too short to fly,” Reininger said. Therefore, it's building routes between locations that are about 300 miles (482 km) apart.

Its first route is a connection between Miami and West Palm Beach that is about 65 miles (104 km). Brightline's new trains offer many perks like speedy internet, many device chargers, more comfortable seats to sleep in, and larger tables to accommodate laptops but will it be enough to tempt travelers?

Since Brightline is a privately funded company, it needs people to buy seats on its newly developed advanced trains in order to survive. To achieve that goal the company has worked with Siemens over the past decade to develop a new and more optimized user-friendly train design.

Sleeper trains have already been touted as a viable alternative to expensive flights. Could the same be true for Brightline's trains and the automobile?

There are many advantages to using trains for certain destinations such as no need to find parking, avoiding the exhaustion of driving, and even being able to relax and do work while getting to your destination. If Brightline is making trains that make all these options possible they could very well become the future for destinations in their targeted 300 miles mark.

And it seems that Brightline is indeed offering all these added perks and innovations. “We thought about every little detail of the guest experience,” Reininger concluded.

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M; TAX CHEAT

Branson, Virgin Group reputations at centre of $250 million London court clash

Sam Tobin
Mon, July 3, 2023   

 Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, poses for a photograph on board of his new cruise liner, the Scarlet Lady at Dover Port in Dover

LONDON (Reuters) - British billionaire Richard Branson severely damaged Virgin Group's reputation by residing in a tax haven while UK-based airline Virgin Atlantic sought a government bailout during the pandemic, according to internal Virgin emails cited in a $250 million London lawsuit on Monday.

The emails were cited by lawyers for U.S. train operator Brightline, which is being sued by the Virgin Group after cancelling a deal to use the Virgin brand in 2020, just over 18 months after it was signed.

Under the deal Brightline operated a rail line in Florida using the name Virgin Trains USA.

Brightline says it cancelled the deal because the Virgin brand had been hit by negative press coverage of Branson's 2020 claim that Virgin Atlantic would need a bailout from the British government to survive the pandemic.

Brightline's lawyers cited internal Virgin Group emails describing group founder Branson being based in the British Virgin Islands for tax purposes as "a reputation killer", while one email from an external public relations adviser said: "Richard needs to show he's not a ruthless, tax-evading billionaire."

In an April 2020 email, Virgin Group CEO Josh Bayliss referred to Branson's tax residency in relation to the request for a bailout, saying: "Richard cannot escape the criticism. The truth is he has paid as little tax as possible".

Virgin argues its brand was not materially damaged by the group's handling of COVID-19, meaning Brightline was not entitled to cancel the licensing deal without paying an exit fee of up to $200 million. The company is also seeking unpaid royalties.

Virgin's lawyer Daniel Toledano said in court filings that the brand suffered some negative press in Britain in 2020 following Virgin Atlantic's request for government support, but its reputation quickly recovered and was unaffected in the United States.

Brightline's lawyer Nigel Tozzi, however, said the deal had entitled his client to a brand with a high international reputation, like Coca-Cola or leading European soccer teams Real Madrid and Barcelona.

"It is the Beatles, not the Bay City Rollers," he said in court filings.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Susan Fenton)

High-speed rail from Nevada to California breaks ground for planned 2028 opening


U.S. President Joe Biden (R) delivers remarks next to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (L) on protecting consumers in the South Court Auditorium at the White House, May 2023. Buttigieg was in Nevada on Monday to break ground on America's first high-speed railway. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo

April 22 (UPI) -- The Transportation Secretary on Monday was on hand to break ground with other officials on what will be America's next high-speed railway.

"I'm convinced that the first time Americans actually experience American high-speed rail on U.S. soil, there's going to be no going back and people are going to expect and demand it all across the country," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNBC Monday.

Brightline West's railway -- which also has a Florida route -- is expected to be open by 2028 and will be able to reach speeds of 200 miles per hour across its 218-mile-long route which will run from Las Vegas in Nevada to Los Angeles in California.

It is being described as the "first true high-speed rail system" in the United States. Plans call for it to be running in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and will get passengers to their destinations in half the typical time at two hours.

It is funded by President Joe Biden's 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill. In December, Biden had announced $8.2 billion in federal funds for new rail projects, which included the $3 billion to "fast track" the high-speed rail system project between Nevada and California.

But the rest of the project will be privately funded. Brightline said they expect the project to have more than $10 billion in economic effect and will create over 35,000 new jobs during construction between the two states.

Talks of a possible high-speed railway in California date back as far as Obama administration efforts in 2012 to get the idea off the ground. The high-speed line is projected to serve more than 11 million passengers each year, leading to fewer cars on the road and reduced emissions in the region, Biden had said in December.

A Transport Workers Union official praised the groundbreaking day.

"The Transport Workers Union is proud to be here for the unveiling of this critical infrastructure project that will transform the way people travel and provide thousands of good-paying jobs," International President John Samuelsen said in a statement.



"Investments in big infrastructure projects like Brightline West provide more than just a way to get from one place to another, they provide jobs with a pathway to economic security for hardworking Americans," he said.

On Monday morning, Buttigieg called the day "a major milestone in building the future of American rail and the jobs that come with it" on social media.

"For decades, America has not invested in passenger rail the way other countries have," the Transportation Department posted online.

"That changes today, with the start of construction on Brightline West," they wrote.

"This project will support Nevada's tourism economy and create good-paying union jobs," Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, posted on X.

The state's other senator, Catherine Cortez Masto, a fellow Democrat, echoed Rosen's sentiments about boosting Nevada's tourism industry and creating "good-paying union jobs -- and that's what Brightline West will do for our state," she put on social media.
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Nevada's state Assembly speaker, a Democrat, also pointed to union jobs, "reduced traffic and air pollution, and a greatly improved travel experience" Speaker Steve Yeager said in his take on the day, calling the groundbreaking ceremony "a packed house."

 U$A

Federal funding flows for passenger-rail projects

The Nevada DOT received a $3 billion federal grant to help fund Brightline West, a proposed high-speed rail route between Las Vegas and Southern California.

Photo – Brightline West

By Julie Sneider, Senior Editor

The year ended on a very high note for the U.S. passenger-rail industry. Last month, the Federal Railroad Administration announced $8.2 billion in grant awards for projects nationwide and advanced passenger-rail corridor planning activities that will impact every region across the country.

The 10 projects that will receive grant funding under the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program will advance two high-speed rail (HSR) corridors and fund improvements to existing corridors for expanded service and performance, FRA officials said in a press release.

Those projects will:

• help deliver HSR service in California’s Central Valley;
• create a new HSR corridor between Las Vegas and Southern California, serving an estimated 11 million passengers annually;
• make major upgrades to existing conventional rail corridors to better connect northern Virginia and the Southeast with the Northeast Corridor (NEC);
• expand and add frequencies to the Pennsylvania Keystone Corridor between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh;
• extend the Piedmont Corridor in North Carolina as part of a higher-speed connection between Raleigh and Richmond, Virginia;
• invest in Chicago Union Station as an initial step toward future improvements to the critical Midwest corridors hub; and
• improve service in Maine, Montana and Alaska.

Calling out new corridors

Also last month, the FRA announced it selected 69 passenger-rail corridors in 44 states through the new Corridor Identification and Development Program, which was created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) of 2021. The corridors were awarded up to $500,000 for additional study and planning for new or expanded passenger-rail service.

The first round of selections targets upgrades to 15 existing rail routes, service additions or extensions on 47 new routes and the advancement of seven new HSR projects, FRA officials said. The corridors also will help create a pipeline of intercity passenger-rail projects that are ready for development and future funding.

The IIJA “gave us a once-in-a-generation opportunity to think smart and think big about the future of rail in America, and we are taking full advantage of the resources we have to advance world-class passenger-rail services nationwide,” said FRA Administrator Amit Bose.

The grant awards and Corridor ID study funding followed President Biden’s Nov. 6 announcement of $16.4 billion in funding for 25 passenger-rail projects designed to improve critical infrastructure on Amtrak’s NEC. That award included nearly $10 billion for Amtrak to modernize infrastructure, improve stations and support future ridership growth on the NEC.

“I’ve been talking about this for a long time, I know. But finally — finally — we’re getting it done,” said Biden, a longtime Amtrak rider. Biden made the funding announcement after riding an Amtrak train from Washington, D.C., to a train maintenance facility in Delaware.

Among the 12 Amtrak projects that received funding through the Fed-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger-Rail Northeast Corridor Program is the Federick Douglass Tunnel in Baltimore. That project — which received a $4.7 billion grant — calls for replacing the existing 150-year-old B&P Tunnel, a major chokepoint on the NEC network.

Signed into law in 2021, the IIJA called for an unprecedented $66 billion in new funding for Amtrak and passenger-rail systems.

Email questions or comments to julie.sneider@tradepress.com.