My Premium Brightline Ride - May 2023

This was my first ride aboard Brightline. I rode the "Smart" service from Boca Raton down to Miami, then on their "premium" service back to Boca. Let go!

[@NorthCountryTrains]

Thanks for taking us along on America’s HOTTEST new passenger service!

[@newbryford]

Brightline isn't that new... I rode it in the first week it opened in January 2018 (on vacation from the UK). As for speeds - my local trains regularly hit 75mph on a 35 mile journey that includes about 9 stops. And that's in a 2-car DMU - never mind a bloated 8000hp on 5 cars on Brightline.

[@NorthCountryTrains]

@@newbryford For a nation that progresses passenger rail in measures of decades, I would say it’s pretty new.

[@birdsofafeather8368]

I feel like this is a Stefan reference…

[@ohutchie]

@@newbryford Remember that these trains will also be used for the up-to-125 mph service to Orlando and later Tampa. The UK has plenty of similar 125 mph diesel intercity services.

[@BN3140]

@@ohutchie This is like America's HST moment. We've finally caught up to the UK circa 1975.

[@garykuipers2696]

I hope that the different transit agencies in the Northeast take notice of Brightline Rail. I'm a retired conductor from NJ Transit and would like to see these improvements on NJT territory. Excellent coverage and your narration is smooth and professional. I noticed that most crossings on the Brightline route are quad gates and horn free zones. I certainly hope the riding public respects this wonderful rail equipment.

[@jickmccivy6327]

We all have hopes and dreams but the southern end runs down the middle of Dixie Hwy and people love to short cut across the tracks and the train is fast and Spooky quite.

[@galigiri]

No. We have weekly accidents. Only non-Floridians like Brightline. It’s an unaffordable, inconvenient POS that worsens traffics

[@brandons2199]

these would be a hit in this area of the country

[@kevinkevinkevin1909]

Rebadged Chinese train made by Qindao, located Tangshan China. Not riding on that low quality train of embarrassment with shabby business deals with US politicians allowing communist Chinese to build important US infrastructures. Not safe.

[@markydee48]

In case anyone was curious to know, Brightline increased train lengths to 5 cars from 4. Hence the lone coach that's a different color from the rest of the train. Ridership has gone up a lot this year.

[@richardsmith4187]

I hope to see the day when Brightline trains will have 8-10 passenger cars. I think rail service is really going to catch on with Floridians and visitors alike.

[@jcspotter7322]

​@richardsmith4187 the stations are made to handle up to 7 passenger cars (I believe)

[@jonathanaina7754]

No wonder I see a blue in a bright orange set in Aventura

[@wayneyadams]

@@richardsmith4187 I don't. All that will happen is more traffic at the stations, and more people to contend with in the stations. Bigger is not always better.

[@timeimp]

It's so amazing to see regional passenger rail returning to the United States. Hopefully another Golden Age is right around the corner!

[@Lilith218]

I really really hope so, fingers crossed!

[@NVRAMboi]

Great video Danny and thanks for taking us along. I am very hopeful for the future of Brightline. They seem to be committed to making the line an attractive/safe/clean/fast way to go. They're killing all of the decades long criticisms of rail travel in the USA. God bless the FEC.

[@wainber1]

Hopefully Brightline won’t take the maintenance of whatever signals whose maintenance it’s responsible for for granted because as last week’s fatal train crash in the eastern Indian state of Odisha made clear, failure to properly maintain signals can lead to disaster.

[@danielcobbins8861]

There are two tracks, here in Ft. Pierce, and FEC uses both. I thought only one was for FEC use only, And Brightline had its own exclusive track.

[@BBT609]

To answer some questions you had, and to add some more knowledge for ya: The Brightline station was built next to the bus terminal in Fort Lauderdale as an interchange point. Smart move! The Orlando section has no railroad crossings. The now southernmost searchlight are now Bayard siding, the first siding heading south on the FEC and the last one heading north. all of the old signals including Palm Bay South and North are now gone. I have pictures of Palm Bay South and North as well as Pineda South. Pineda South I got pictures of ONE WEEK before they were removed and I didn’t even know it! EXCELLENT VIDEO DH!!

[@distantsignal]

Thanks Brylon!

[@BBT609]

@@distantsignalalways! For the doll arm, I saw that signal back in February and it stunned me too, I’m guessing with the FEC it’s means this small signal is for the track next to it, or if anything no use at all.

[@Ronprower]

So glad to see commuter rail expanding in the US. Train travel is so relaxing and easy and I hope it keeps growing!

[@hounddog946]

Flying sucks

[@agems56]

The more planes we remove from the skies that are nothing more than a fancy commuter taxi when used domestically the better! Each jet uses 3 to 4 gallons per engine per second of fuel at takeoff!

[@wayneyadams]

Rail is more relaxing, but it is also so much more expensive for trips of any great length, not to mention the time. If I want to travel from Miami to anywhere in the mid-west or west, I have to geo way out of the way taking at least two trains and spending a couple of thousand dollars or more for some kind of sleeper for the three or four day trip.

[@wayneyadams]

@@agems56 Passenger service is generally a money losing business for railroads which is why it had to be nationalized into Amtrak. Freight is where the money is to be made.

[@mikec2012]

​@@agems56it's all about choice... I'd rather have a balance of all 3 and more competition than banning one to boost another.

[@Goldeneye48]

Thank you for sharing your Brightline experience. I wish Amtrak can upgrade to this level of service network wide and give the airline industry a run for it's money.

[@daniellewis1789]

It takes, apparently, 10b$ for hourly service along a 200 mile stretch. Compare the upcoming 5 trips a day from Raleigh to Charlotte for around $700m (Piedmont and Carolinian).

[@robertolebron2296]

@@daniellewis1789 aren’t Brightline still making profit regardless of that $10B dollars per hour of operation

[@daniellewis1789]

@@robertolebron2296 They're making an operational profit, not an overall profit. That is, daily track use fees and fuel and electricity and staffing and all that stuff are covered by tickets, but the build cost isn't considered for that sort of "profitable". Transit should generally not need to make a profit, though adequate cost recovery is important. Brightline wouldn't run a lot of Amtrak services because they can't make money on station-adjacent real estate.

[@Shadowbass]

Loved your show for years. I have learned more about modern railroads from your show than I have learned anywhere else. That Brightline is passenger rail done right!

[@kevinkevinkevin1909]

Rebadged Chinese train made by Qindao, located Tangshan China. Not riding on that low quality train of embarrassment with shabby business deals with US politicians allowing communist Chinese to build important US infrastructures. Not safe.

[@CarsSimplified]

Dang, Miami is growing fast! Seems like all of Florida is growing quickly. Brightline definitely has some great branding/style! Definitely good advice from your IT friend! I never use any public connection that is designed specifically to handle data.

[@JonManProductions]

All of FL is growing rapidly, so much faster than anytime I've seen in all my life living here, governmental "shenanigans" aside... new homes and apartments are growing like grass, highway infrastructure is getting redone everywhere for the better and of course a slow but sure growth of new life for passenger high speed regional rail... I hope one day I can ride a train from Tampa to Miami if Brightline can keep the growth up. :)

[@Blaze6432]

​@JonManProductions I know! I live in the Tampa are but I like to travel not only within the state but internationally as well. Having Brightline would give me such a a convenient way to access the airports in Miami and Orlando.

[@luislaplume8261]

Wait til my old hometown of NYC goes bankrupt and both the New York Stock Exchange and the New York Bond Exchange moves to Miami. It will be like the roaring 1920s and 1960s put together! 😁

[@wayneyadams]

You are correct, we are growing at a crazy fast rate. People who yearn to be free of the tyranny of Democrat run states and big cities emigrate here by the thousands and tens of thousands.

[@wayneyadams]

@@luislaplume8261 Do you think the will rename themselves the Miami Stock Exchange (MSE) and Miami Bond Exchange? LOL

[@BNSFTrains10]

16:50 The Amtrak Logo was called the Pointless Arrow and it was seen on engines like the F and E Units and the SDP40F the logo would appear on Stations but many of those logos were replaced with the Travel mark logo in the 2000s and 2010s.

[@royreynolds108]

Nice. I have been following The Roaming Railfan on his channel. The No 32 turnout is all-welded and the frog has a moveable point with two switch motors. If Brightline doesn't use his videos or get him to combine his videos into a construction documentary, they are plain crazy; his videos are in that class.

[@richardsmith4187]

He needs to get a lifetime free pass on Brightline as he has done a fantastic job in documenting the whole process. And your right I hope a full length construction video could be produced.

[@ericbaier]

"Keep your foot hard on that pedal, and never mind them brakes" A well placed lyric.

[@merlijnwiersma7801]

In The Netherlands a first class one way ticket for an hour long train ride will set you back about $34. For that money, you get a seat. So that $54 for a premium ticket with complementary lounge and snacks seems reasonable...

[@vrmntthb]

No shortage of workers for such an endeavor down there… from the track laying to the engineers running the consists…. Great stuff as usual Dan and we thank you…

[@CoffeeTech]

Lol great stuff? It’s privately owned and operated. Dan didn’t have shit to do with it

[@johnpurdum8126]

That Bright line train looks nice. They're building a line from the high desert out by Los Angeles to Las Vegas in next few years. Construction is supposed to start later this year.

[@D.O.T.D.]

This is the closest I'll ever get to Premium Class Seems like the golden age of Passenger Rail Transport is coming back to the US since the 1900s! Great video as always, Danny. Edit: What are your tips of filming in a public coach? I sometimes try to make B-Roll in some Trains, but I don't want to make other people uncomfortable.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

I’m not a KZbinr but I’d say if you do any close-ups instead of just crowd scenes then to blur out the faces of the people and tell them that you’re doing that if they ask and feel uncomfortable. In Europe, I believe it’s the law to blur the faces unless it’s a big crowd scene

[@dkbmaestrorules]

​@@enjoyslearningandtravel7957 varies by country, but there certainly are European countries where that's true.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

@@dkbmaestrorules yes I’m sure it varies by country in Europe since there’s so many different countries,in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Central, Europe, etc. and, of course, the law would not be all the same.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

@@dkbmaestrorules I’m just giving the man who asked for suggestions about how to film if people were uncomfortable with that. There may be people that film anyway even if people don’t like it, or they may be a different suggestion, that might be better that I haven’t thought of.

[@paveloleynikov4715]

You really managed to catch that "golden era rail promotion film" vibe this time

[@cinthb]

Thanks Danny. I'm hoping to visit Orlando this year via Amtrak Silver Star and make my way to the new Brightline airport terminus once it opens for travel. It's great to have this available for across state travel. We know the next expansion will be our home Tampa route, but like you, I'm not waiting to experience the new line.

[@richardsmith4187]

I also can't wait until Brightline gets here to Tampa !!!!! I will be riding every weekend headed south for weekend get aways. I think they could put a station near downtown Tampa but anywhere they put it will be fine with me. " Have Train Will Travel " LOL

[@robertolebron2296]

When does it open for travel? Gonna plan to head to Orlando on the 4th of July weekend

[@rich_rich90]

As UK resident who often watches your vids, it's great to see certain areas of the US re-embracing rail passenger travel. For short-middle distances it's a brilliant alternative to air travel & puts you right in the centre of urban areas. The ultimate goal would be Brightline to fully electrify & go for Siemens high speed locomotives.

[@kens.3729]

You just Know it’s going to be a Great Day when you get a Notification from Danny Harmon on the Distant Signal KZbin Channel. Great job as Always. 👍🙏

[@rherman9085]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@kens.3729]

@@rherman9085 Great Minds Think Alike! 😬👍

[@VirtualRailfan]

Sounds like a great trip, and another great video!

[@distantsignal]

Many thanks!

[@Honestware]

Great as usual... A couple of notes. Yes, you were riding on a promotional weekend, but the premium fares are rarely if ever discounted. The hand dryer that you displayed in the station are the same ones that are also onboard the train. Actually, you don't have to tap it, the entire restroom is touchless. If you just put your hand under the dryer the dryer will start.

[@koot421]

Haha, thank you. Saw that and thought the same thing, "Doesn't make sense to touch something after watching your hands." Also a quick tip...avoid using the hand dryer if the sink still has water/suds in it. Otherwise you risk having it blow back on you.

[@RCAvhstape]

That bit about the free taxi rides might be the key to reviving rail travel. One of the biggest problems with Amtrak is the "last mile problem", where passengers get to their destination city but then need to find a way to get from the station to wherever they are going. A lot of train stations don't have taxi stands or car rentals nearby. If you build a taxi ride into the price of the ticket, say, one ride from your house to the origin station, and another from the destination station to the final goal, that makes it easier to ride.

[@dickdaley9059]

Danny, I can sense your joy and amazement experiencing what Brightline has accomplished. Just thrilled to see quality passenger service restored to the riding public. Maybe our Amtrak friends can take a few notes.

[@jovetj]

I just hope it STAYS quality. It's easy to be all gung ho at the start, but eventually the spray paint will move in, the trash and dirt will pile up, and it will be the same garbage we're used to.

[@bwcbiz]

Brightline isn't beholden to congress. If you ever wonder why Amtrak services stop in some very "out of the way" places and it isn't at least a hundred miles from the next stop in either direction, it's probably because they needed to get a funding vote from a particular congress-critter. OTOH, for rural US on the long-distance routes, a lot of these stops are the only transport that's there...riding Amtrak to get to the closest city with a decent airport is often the best option.

[@alexnorfolksouthernmedia]

Hi Danny! This video makes me wanna go there just to ride the train. I hope Brightline can keep those nice shiny cars clean and spotless!

[@mendyedson1825]

Great video. I am glad to see railroads growing. Brightline looks like an excellent ride.

[@MakeItWithCalvin]

I looked up the rates for a ticket on their site for Boca > Miami in late July and rates vary depending on the travel time slot you chose. The cheapest for Smart tickets appears to be the off-peak hours, 6:00 AM departure gets you a $12.50 ticket, while a 7:00 AM departure bumps to $29.50! Also, if you get a Premium off-peak it is $37 for a 6:00 AM departure and $52 for a 7:00 AM departure. In my opinion, the Premium ticket seems worth it if you intend to use some of the station amenities such as the snack bar/drinks as those add up FAST! That said if you just need to get from A to B in a hurry, stick with Smart. If I ever make it out that way, riding that is on my to-do list! Thanks for putting this together as always Danny.

[@RealizniguhNit]

Not much more than gas depending on what your driving considering the traffic in soflo

[@rickn501s]

Thanks for making this video. While it's not high speed rail, it is a step in the right direction. I wish we had Brightline service here (Palm Springs, CA) at any speed. There's no passenger service to speak of between here and Los Angeles, or Phoenix to the East. Brightline is building rail service between San Bernardino (LA) and Las Vegas. That should take away our Indian casino crowd when it's finished. What a hard way to learn a lesson. Way to go, Brightline!

[@LtKernelPanic]

I've been spoiled by European trains on the couple vacations I've taken there and will almost always take a train over flying when possible. Honestly I quite enjoyed taking the train from Berlin to London last month even though I could have flown in a little over half the time. Glad to see Brightline having success there. Maybe it'll spur interest in other parts of the country.

[@mikewikman5164]

Danny, great to hear from you. I never miss any of your videos. all of them great. I am an 89 year old retired Road foreman of engine from the DL&W,EL CNJ MP Amtrak. Love the industry always have 62 years on the Railroad..

[@scot5177]

I am so looking forward to Brightline West. If we are lucky they will break ground this latter in 2023. Thank you for this ride!

[@bryant3825]

Its awesome you got to review Brightline, Dan. I live in South Florida well Miami, but I have ridden on Brightline a couple of times since its introduction and I got to say its quality service. Not only that they are planning to run from Miami to Orlando trains every hour which is fantastic it does feel like an airline on the ground but in a very good way. Even though I am going for the Aerospace Industry (Space Sector more specifically). I think Brightline has the potential of providing us Floridians another way of traveling besides car and airplane. I hope they consider extensions to Jacksonville and a stop at Cocoa, since with that I can go to Cape Canaveral and to NASA easily. Anyways great coverage Dan, and that taco place looks great, I should check it out when I get free time. I like that we are getting another way to get to Orlando that is not of a car, bus or airplane. I hope Brightline will be implanted to more places in the United States.

[@jameseubanks1509]

Great video, Danny! Siemens must think that between this kind of operation and the Amtrak upgrades, the east coast is going to grow. Siemens Mobility recently chose Lexington, NC, as their new home to a new $220+ million advanced manufacturing and rail services facility. This is just east of Charlotte, NC on the main north-south line. That's 500 new jobs!

[@Wordchipper]

Wow....first look at Brightline rail - excellent job by the host, the videography and editing. Well done!

[@wayneyadams]

I want to do a Brightline premium ride just for the fun of it, like you did. Mine will be a little more involved. I have a Tri-Rail station not too far away, so I am going to ride Tri-Rail to Metro-Rail then take the Metro Mover (free) to the Miami Brightline Station. I am going to ride on four different systems. The hardest part is getting the timing right on the outbound ride, so I don't miss the Brightline. The cool thing about the ride is that the tracks pass right behind the last school I taught at in Miami before retiring. In fact, shortly after i retired, the faculty parking lot was taken over by the railroad to add the second track.

[@nigelprice3929]

Greetings from the UK Danny. Just wanted to say how interesting this video it was comparing your experience to travel here in the UK. Most of our inter city trains look like the train you travelled on. Many miss the concept of a standalone loco and passenger carriages but those are now heritage or specials only. One massive difference is freight. Our freight trains are a fraction of the length of yours but frequency is much more often. In the UK we have the concept of spotting. Less popular than it was. The idea being to record the numbers of all the locos you see. Books are published every year with a list of all locos and the idea is to try to see them all. Do you have such a concept in the US ? All the best

[@acidhelm]

Wow, those trains are really posh! They sure beat the dingy old Gallery and Bombardier cars that I have to ride for my commute.

[@EL-nc1cs]

Thanks Danny, Great Ride experience YES 5 Stars!!! Appreciate sharing your positive BL experience !! Last Sunday my woman and my youngest enjoyed the day riding premium up to Palm Beach from Fort Lauderdale. We enjoyed every moment, clean stations, very personable Bright Line staff and comfortable ride. At the Palm Beach station you can catch the free golf cart taxi's out front and hang out at City Place (Now called The square) for lunch and shopping. We're now planning a long weekend on BL up to Orlando this fall. GO BRIGHT LINE!!!!!!!!

[@ronw59]

You looked like a kid that had just gotten a new toy, Dan! Thanks for sharing your 'discovery ride' on Florida's new system. Always great to see a new video of yours. Take care & stay healthy. From one of your ardent Canuck viewers.

[@rockercover]

The $50.00 (+or-) fare for a 1-2 hour business class ride on Amtrak, in at least one area of the country, seems to be a *fair-market* price. 😊 Bright-line is shiner / newer and the lounge looks 😳. I do remember you saying you received a good price for your return premium-class ticket. Thanks for taking us along. First time riding along on Bright-line.

[@joeevans6921]

Brightline is G R E A T !! We're in Weeki Wachee, Fl and took Amtrak from Tampa to West Palm Beach to get on Brightline to go to Miami. What a difference between trains. Love Brightline. The one thing you forgot to mention is on Brightline, after each stop, the cart lady also has free spirits with soda in premium seating!!! Can't wait to do Orlando to Miami & Tampa will be coming on line soon. Love you channel. Joe

[@lobsterman5786]

Great Update! Your love of trains is very apparent, lots of great info! Thanks😊

[@isaacishere6034]

It’s so nice to see more people using the service. Hopefully when Orlando opens there will be packed trains and stations signaling a desire for more rail service🤞🏼

[@jdmills4370]

8:20 nice nod to Jerry Reed….. “Let it all hang out ‘cause we got a run to make”

[@RABSTRAINS]

OUTSTANDING! I hope they expand all over the country. We need a passenger rail system in Cincinnati. We needs this in our country. Honestly Amtrak is the pits.

[@keithmoore5306]

Danny in thermite welding the magnesium starts the reaction by heating the mixture to the point of ignition then the powdered aluminum strips the oxygen from the iron oxide to sustain it's combustion which basically smelts the iron like in a steel mill and it runs molten into the form around the rail ends to be welded!

[@douglaspierce8480]

I'm really glad to see that someone is advancing passenger rail.

[@steveneff7223]

Really enjoy your Videos. I've been a railfan Since I was a kid living in Northeast Ohio growing up in Cuyahoga Falls north of Akron where a busy CSX main line double track still operates through downtown, a park & Munroe Falls just east. I could hear the trains from my house less than 2 miles from 3 crossings in the area sometimes every 5-10 minutes apart! I also go to a park & siding at downtown Kent, same CSX line just east of the Falls where I take phone videos myself of the trains here. Thanks for the great stories & Videos. Steve N. Akron-Kent, Ohio

[@explorer914]

By the way. Termite welding also involves melting a metal powder charge that flows in to a space that has been made between the two rails. A worker puts a ceramic form aroud the rail ends and then preheat the ends. So one could say it's a casting method.

[@shortconcert]

My old stomping grounds! Met my wife at the Revolution concert venue right across from where you had lunch. We had our first date just a few doors down at Fat Cat's bar. Thanks for the great content!

[@aphill2208]

I have always loved trains! I have ridden the Amtrak about 3 times, but this is so futureristic, I wish this service much success and I hope it spreads around the states, I can't believe I had not heard of it, in advertising 😮

[@Pensyfan19]

Thanks for covering America's greatest passenger railroad! I too feel Brightline's privately funded passenger model is the key to bringing forth more passenger service in the U.S. in a quick, efficient and high quality manner.

[@kingdza]

You got a very good voice, sounds like a radio man, love it! Hope to ride the train from Miami to Orlando when the station opens

[@coolhotlantan]

Another great video Danny! I was offered a job as an Engineer at Brightline when I was at SCFE but being only a few years from retirement, I declined. I always enjoy your videos because they are so well done!

[@geoffreybradford]

Ft Lauderdale! My Happy Place for 24 years until I left to start a new job in another city. That New River railroad bridge location was one of my favorite hangout spots. Thanks for another great video !

[@distantsignal]

Many thanks, Geoff!

[@andross51]

Thanks Danny for taking us on this amazing premium bright line ride for all of us to enjoy! Your videos continue to amaze me! Keep them coming! :)

[@shawnpowell5876]

Great video and tutorial as well as taking us along on the new Brightline Rail System! Definitely a 1st Class ride with the amenities to boot! That FEC GEEP was rolling through with those Stone Cars! Thanks again Danny for sharing this video with us along with your PRICELESS time and effort! Cheers from Laurel, Delaware USA.

[@HyperActive7]

What sold me was the beer on tap in the lounge to go with your view of Downtown Miami.

[@itsnotme07]

Love what Brightline is doing and it seems that everyone who rides on it agrees. Hopefully they can pull off everything to MCO and beyond and even the high speed rail between Las Vegas and LA. Great review!

[@JonathanCLacy]

By far the BEST video I've seen about the Blightline. Thank you!

[@joshuahill6153]

Auckland, New Zealand is a great example of how a system similar to Brightline with a small start can go to an expansive oasis. It went from 1950s GE locomotives in a push-pull configuration running at 20-30 minute intervals on archaic single line infranstructure to electric trains going 100km/h within 10 years.

[@ARP_GA]

Awesome video Danny! Thanks for taking us all along on this amazing trip

[@pattieb8214]

This is the best explanation of Brightline I have seen. Very professional without being boring. Also, you have a fantastic voice!

[@distantsignal]

That's a very nice compliment. Many thanks!

[@noahzunker]

This is the best train video I’ve ever watched. This feels like a callback to the best history channel shows I watched as a kid. Fantastic

[@curtdunlap6818]

Certainly a colorful buggy, and what a great way to thumb your nose to the airlines! Thanks for the trip!

[@andresbraud]

Excellent presentation and well spoken! Thank you!

[@southmassrailfan]

Brightline is an absolutely awesome, modern, passenger service.

[@CentralPennRailProductions]

Good report, thank you Danny! Now waiting for the rest of the country to catch up with commendable service like this. Also thanks for taking the time to get some last minute search light documentation in before it's too late!

[@Flyby-1000]

I really, really, really, really, really hope that the Brightline extension to Tamp happens... Right now I commute weekly to MCO for work from St. Pete... I rent a room near the airport to stay during my work week.... We were thinking about moving to the Orlando area for my work, but it's too expensive there and we love where we live now... If Brightline gets moving forward with the TPA extension, I'd be able to come home every night because the train will be a hell of a lot faster than driving 2 hours for a lousy 100 miles on I-4.....

[@redmountainstation6551]

Well Done, comprehensive, inclusive and informative. Great narration dialog, Thank you.

[@Qrail]

Looks like a first class operation. Thanks for showing it off, Danny.

[@tpajay]

In 2018, we took Brightline roundtrip between West Palm & Miami in the premium car both ways. At the time, it was $26.00 each way & nice service. In September 2023, I'm flying into Orlando & taking Brightline to West Palm because the flights to Orlando were more convenient than to West Palm. I booked the one way fare in premium for $189.00 on my train. Looking forward to the service but they are having 16 daily trains between Orlando & Miami in EACH direction. It will interesting to see if the demand for that many trains will be met. I noticed that coach between Orlando & West Palm was $79.00 & you have to pay $25.00 for the 1st bag, $50.00 for the 2nd but it jumps to $125.00 for 3 bags.

[@chief1b]

I had a chance to ride Brightline twice and give it high marks for service. They are Great. Thanks Danny another outstanding video. Cheers!

[@michaelgallo9173]

I commute from south Brevard every workday and have observed the construction of the tracks since they fell the first trees in the right of way. Looking forward to my round trip premium ride from Orlando to Miami. Thanks Danny for all your videos!

[@jamesrobinson4769]

I love the roaming rail, fan videos on bright line trains his videos are awesome. He keeps up-to-date on what’s happening bright line.

[@AustinWirl]

i rode brightline a year back from miami to wpb and absolutely loved it, america needs more rail

[@MikeInPlano]

Great video. Good to hear Brightline is living up to what it was purported to be. My wife and I just got back from Italy. We rode trains several times, and that experience is much like what you describe here. Clean, comfortable cars in great condition (with restrooms of the same quality). A car cleaning porter equipped with a vacuum cleaner passed by multiple times on each of our trips, We rode Business Class, one level below Premium, and higher that two other levels. Got a "welcome aboard" package upon departure that featured several tasty snacks. Complimentary beverages, too. Trains arrive and depart promptly on schedule, typically with just 10 minutes to board or de-board at terminal stops. Much less at intermediate stops. Trains are popular transportation over automobiles due to cost of fuel, and offer frequent, reliable service between just about every major and secondary city in the country, with ongoing service across the border into the rest of Europe. Trains we rode were just about full every time. And absolutely no at-grade crossings. Also very low grades, if at all. Hills were handled with cuts or tunnels. Speed often reach 150 mph for long stretches. Sounds and looks like Brightline is trying to emulate the European experience, and doing very well at it. I live in Dallas, and hold out hope that Texas Central, the private high speed rail venture, won't die on the vine due to the NIMBY forces at work. Brightline is proof that the concept works when properly designed and implemented.

[@christopherfederici2776]

Aww this is amazing! I love to see successful rail in these United States.

[@sjenkins1972]

Hey Danny! My father works at the locomotive shop in Huntington West Virginia! Huntington, Ironton Ohio, and Ashland Kentucky are great places for railfanning!

[@zackman86]

I was not expecting a Smokey and The Bandit reference, but that was awesome

[@LordHeadcheez]

The west Brightline between Vegas and L.A. is just starting construction. Can't wait to be able to ride it!

[@roypreuninger4516]

Thank you! Thank you! Can't get enough, but I appreciate all the hours you put into your productions. BrightLine couldn't buy a better promotional video.

[@potatohead5910]

I was in the Miami area for a couple weeks during Thanksgiving of 2022, and I took the Brightline up to West Palm Beach for a little day out. Love the train!

[@gazbag78]

I think i was about 13 years old when amtrack first started service and that sign you just received was the original logo of amtrack. the folloing year we took the zepher cross country and i fell in love with train travel.... Happy trails on polished rails my friend.

[@Whitesmoke8080]

I absolutly love your videos sir. I too have been a railfan since a little child. To this day when I visit my mother in wellington, KS. Im just two blocks from a double track BNSF main from K.C. to Amarillo. Cool thing is 1 mile east of the crossing is their yard which is a stopping point for wb trains to do a crew change. Oh I love watching them leave as thay get up to yrack speed when they pass by. I have a few videos on my channel showing the crossing.

[@gregbowen617]

Great video Danny, it’s terrific to see investment in passenger rail infrastructure in the USA! Let’s hope it spreads across the country… cheers from Melbourne Australia 🇦🇺!

[@happyhome41]

What a wonderful report - railroading by a railroad man - how refreshing. Particularly appreciate the "spice" of the thermite application in practice. Thank you.

[@MrDomb101]

Thank you Danny for giving an update of what’s going on in Palm Bay I miss watching fec trains

[@nathankramer1306]

Thanks for the video. I’m a Floridian in Europe right now and getting very used to train transit. Can’t wait to use this when I get home.

[@BlazeDuskdreamer]

I was just thinking I need something upbeat to watch and you go an provide it. This was an interesting change of pace and my but those trains do look stupendous, very sleek and luxurious. Nice.

[@sentinel76]

Hey, something I can comment on! Thermite chemistry is actually very simple: aluminium has a higher affinity for oxygen than iron. As you said, the crucible is filled with finely-powdered aluminium metal and iron oxide. When the aluminium metal is lit with a magnesium strip or sparkler, it burns and below the surface, the only available oxygen is in the iron oxide. So the aluminium strips the oxygen off the iron oxide, leaving iron metal behind: Fe2O3 + 2Al -> 2Fe + Al2O3 The reaction takes place well above the melting point of iron (1538ºC, 2800ºF). This liquid iron is then available to pour into the moulds around the rail. Aluminium's higher affinity for oxygen is also exploited in general steelmaking. When the steelmaking process is completed - either in a basic oxygen furnace or an electric arc furnace - the steel usually has a really high oxygen content, between 500ppm and 1000ppm, depending on the grade being made. That's too much oxygen for casting solid steel (it can lead to holes in the slabs or blooms) so the steel needs to be deoxidised, and aluminium is one of the two main deoxidising elements used (the other is silicon). However, careful control of the chemistry is then required, because aluminium oxide is solid at steel casting temperatures, forms spiky inclusions in the steel and can lead to clogging of the nozzles during the casting process. Usually calcium is added to form a less-spiky oxide inclusion that has a lower melting point.

[@dalelinton7716]

Absolutely great video! They should reimburse your expenses for this quality promotion of an exciting new train service.

[@toddb8479]

Another quality video Danny. I liked the paraphrased lyric from EB&D (Smokey and the Bandit).

[@distantsignal]

Thanks! I'm glad someone caught that.

[@jimwilloughby]

Danny, I hope you plan to do another ride, this time from Orlando all the way to Boca. It would be a great addition to this video which was fantastic.

[@elcastorgrande]

Thanks Danny, glad you're back.

[@johnpontin9276]

Danny..your videos are simply the best. Thx so much. Regards, John

[@super_zeus1548]

Loving that Smokey and the bandit reference.

[@lorenzosevidal]

First video I watched from you- became an instant fan! Commentary and videography were top-notch.

[@distantsignal]

Many thanks! Please check out the rest of the channel.

[@roelofvenema6500]

Great good video, mr Danny Harmon. This looks good for Florida. Nice trains clean, nice fresh colors. Top👍👌. Greet from Zandvoort the Netherlands.

[@saleendriver]

I'm sure you know of the channel The Roaming Railfan.....he's been doing weekly updates of the Brightline construction project. And yes, from Cocoa to Orlando International there are no at grade crossings. 125mph shot from the Cocoa Tunnel the OIA. Should be fun.

[@davidsimmons9763]

He gives a shout out to The Roaming Railfan at the end!