America is finally getting a World-Class Passenger Train - Brightline

[@SimplyRailway]

Recorded today, live on KZbin! It was such a race against time on this one. Massive thanks to Gable on this one! Enjoy the video... and welcome to the 21st century Florida ✌🏻

[@MaartenvanderVeeke]

lets go. Hope the USA will invest more in intercity rail. This is a step in the right direction of creating an possible rail network

[@daveandrobertminer4293]

Cool

[@JimBones1990]

Spotted Danny Harmon at 18:25ish, His KZbin channel is Distant Signal. Great guy.

[@garywilson9640]

Congrats to you all for getting this up so quickly! A gorgeous system for sure

[@kai_m6367]

I’m glad I got to see you in person for this

[@maaviationtrainselevators8787]

Weird to think that one of the best lounges at MCO isn’t an Airline lounge but instead a Railway lounge 😂

[@ncard00]

You should’ve done a wifi speed test, cause since the last time you rode Brightline, they’ve upgraded their wifi with satelitte based technology called starlink from spaceX, so now, speeds can exceed 100mbit/s download, even if upload is still pretty slow, but with much better stability too. Brightline is the first, and only, rail operator in the world to implement this technology, and I’ve also seen people using it in their private homes, people who live out in the middle of nowhere, same incredible results.

[@robpittstop1797]

@@ncard00 my friend who lives in Missouri didn't have good experience with starlink. He got spectrum instead as of Feb of 2023. Spectrum finally set the service in his remote area.

[@wildmatts]

Absolutely amazing to see the final product. Even more amazing is knowing this will be the catalyst for a new era of passenger rail in the US. Thanks for capturing this historic event!

[@tompastian3447]

Personally, I wouldn't want to be in anything traveling across South Florida at 125 MPH. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eGiyoaqGZslgr9E

[@ricardbernad2916]

A train with only four cars is a bad idea... it will never be profitable or functional.

[@wildmatts]

⁠@@ricardbernad2916 Interesting comment. The south segment alone was profitable even before the extension. Additional rail cars are already on order with Siemens. And trains can be expanded based on demand… that’s how trains work.

[@graciasthanks4771]

@@ricardbernad2916the train sets have capacity for more passenger cars to accommodate increased demand. Anyhow, the profitability is a complex business model with important components that impact the equation substantially. Probably the most relevant is Real Estate. Brightline’s model includes heavy investments in real estate projects, mainly near their stations. I remind you they have important stops in highly desirable places like Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca, and West Palm Beach, where the proximity to stations is expected to increase desirability and value of those projects.

[@Blaze6432]

​@fredm.7145 75 averages in the south, but its northern tracks will go faster.

[@Robbi496]

This is an amazing experience! Back in the days prior to and just after WWII railroad companies did similar ceremonies, but they were nothing like this!

[@ncard00]

If Brightline should have capacity for all of the one way trips made between Miami and Orlando annually, 40 million, let’s just say 1 person per trip to be simple, then they would need full trains running 24/7/365 every 3 mins in each direction with 114 seats, or every 15 min with 570 seats, just gives an idea of the existing demand, but it’s also about creating demand, like the budget airlines have done, and Brightline is also doing exactly that, so even if they double tracked all the way, and had 10 car trains running every 15 min or so all day long, they’d still not be able to capture all of the existing and future demand, and for Brightline West between LA and Vegas, demand is even higher.

[@tim19962]

@@ncard00 It all looks kinda underbuild. Like sure your going to make money but can u really scale this with short platforms from what i saw. Electrification would also need to happen to make long term profits a thing dmus are expensive to run.

[@ronylouis0]

​@@tim19962If expansion is truly needed, they will grade separate and electrify. this would mean you can run EMUs, so two more carriages, at much faster speeds, much more frequently. I think things are fine for the next 30 years :)

[@equal___]

@@ronylouis0 i feel like they need to start grade separation now, it looked like a lot of crossings that they'll need to change, would make sense to do it when there's less demand

[@virgilhilts3924]

Well, when you have unlimited taxPAYer funds to piss away...

[@joermnyc]

Really nice how every door has a little ramp to make the train fully accessible without needing a portable ramp either on board or at every station.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

The cars likely have no steps or trap doors for low platform use.

[@toaster98]

@@centredoorplugsthornton4112 the trains and platforms are purpose built for each other. There will be no low platforms.

[@ncard00]

Brightline needs to make it easier to walk and cycle to and from their stations!

[@joermnyc]

@@ncard00 I think the Miami end is near a few metro stations, and they want to connect it to that station Amtrak shares with tri-county rail Unfortunately the airport station is in the middle of the airport… there’s plans for at least one station in Orlando, either near something universal is building or in the vicinity of Disney World (thought that’s a huge property so the station isn’t going to be convenient to everything)

[@critiqueofthegothgf]

brightline doesnt do urban planning. take that up with city planners and NIMBYs@@ncard00

[@commodoresbank]

I really can't believe I watched so many vids seeing the new Orlando line go up from start to finish in a matter of years. It was really fun watching all of the activity and seeing it finally finish up until now. Congrats to Brightline for making HSR in Florida possible, and hopes to their future successes to their upcoming Tampa, and Las Vegas lines.

[@__Dude_]

3:38 hours for a 380 km stretch is not exactly high speed, I would say. Just for comparison: Berlin to Hamburg is 300 km, the travel time is 1:45.

[@DavidKnowles0]

110 mph to 125 isn't high speed, that normal speed for trains across the world.

[@SarahRenz59]

Gable did a terrific job on the video. I believe Brightline intends to eventually expand the line to Tampa; I hope they can get that underway soon. $179 one way is a bit rich for my blood; I understand that regular fare is $79.

[@machintrucGaming]

179 is a steal. Man I wish we had such prices in Europe !

[@romanrat5613]

Isn't it 149 for first class?

[@1GTASANANDREASCJ]

@@machintrucGaming If you take the ICE, you can easily pay 200+€ in the 2nd (standard) class for a 4 hours ride.

[@machintrucGaming]

@@1GTASANANDREASCJ Yeah, hence 179 for first class is dirt cheap

[@robpittstop1797]

@@machintrucGaming In 1994 or 1995, three plane rides between Cleveland and Columbus was at 70 dollars EACH roundtrip, isn't 15 minutes trip a big steal from Greyhound - 2 hours for 75.00 roundtrip? I did that one because my car broke down or no longer was travelworthy. At the final flight, this one so fking beautiful!!!! I never forget that one! Rainy outside, but saw really beautiful clouds with sun rising (departing columbus for cleveland at 530 am in March or April)

[@jewchini6261]

The only cherry that could top this cake is electrifying the rail

[@ayakaham1041]

And the speed limit of the sidings are too low

[@lexburen5932]

since the tracks are mostly shared with the FEC electrification on this line wont be happening. Brightline west will be electrified with 25 KV AC 50 HERTZ

[@gottawatch1932]

A true experience video. Thank you for this. We are hoping Brightline comes to Texas. We are suffering from highway road rage, long drives between the metros, and boredom of car travel. We need intercity passenger rail here in Texas so bad. I rode the train from Miami to West Palm Back in 1998. And that intercity passenger rail back then spark my advocacy for passenger rail service . Thanks again for showcasing how this project is helping to advance intercity passenger mobility with rail.

[@jonathankleinow2073]

It's a shame Southwest Airlines worked so hard to scuttle the first attempt to build high-speed rail in Texas in the early 90s.

[@97nelsn]

@@jonathankleinow2073 if they were smart, they should’ve advocated for HSR in Texas and have them operate the trains (Southwest Trains).

[@PRANAV737]

Thanks to Mr Dwight Eisenhower😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@crowmob-yo6ry]

The evil NIMBY Cara Mendelsohn and her cronies in the Dallas city council take bribes from oil billionaires to block passenger rail projects. I hate Mendelsohn!!

[@ce1834]

Although high speed networks like in Europe are faster and electrified, the quality of the customer facing experience here is really on another level, from the ticket machines, the trains, and the lounges - looks great 👏 👏 , the beginning of a renaissance in rail travel in America hopefully!

[@JermaniBurroughs]

& that renaissance is slowly Happening.

[@Ven100]

6:46 I love how the Brightline president casually walks off the train. Also, not sure why but it sounds like that lead engine needs to get it's wheels checked. It was definitely making a continuous thump.

[@sentinel76]

Definitely a flat spot on the wheel.

[@rakkatoie1]

First passenger car (the Premium Car) has the flat spot on the wheel. I was hearing it when he was in the Premium car. It must have happen during the trip. I didn't hear it at the first time at speed around 8:00, but you can start hearing it around the 14:00 mark.

[@charlesbaran1106]

Thanks for taking us along on the first day of service. I wish Brightline great success, and I hope it inspires other freight railroads around the country to consider a similar passenger train business plan.

[@anitrain]

Great job on the video. I'm so glad this extension has finally opened. I got to ride Brightline a couple years ago and it was by far the nicest train I've ever been on. Thank you for also pointing out how important the frequency is... I feel a lot of people have been missing that point. This train runs often enough that it is actually usable. I wish Amtrak ran frequencies like Brightline - it would be a major improvement even if they are slower.

[@samtrak1204]

The special livery blocks the view. I've read there were passenger complaints so Brightline is removing it.

[@i.o.wen.d.travels]

This is actually the first HrSR line in America that takes more time to drive than to take the train, a good sign that the US could be on a good path with HSR. Very excited about this project. Hopefully Amtrak will take note

[@i_alam]

That’s not true it takes roughly 4-5 hours to drive between NYC and DC compared to the 3-3.5 hours on Amtrak

[@i.o.wen.d.travels]

@@i_alam Acela is HSR, not HrSR

[@TheRailwayDrone]

You clearly have not been on the Northeast corridor, otherwise you would realize your first statement is absolutely false. Amtrak Northeast regional travels from DC to NYC in about 3.5 hours whereas driving takes 4 to 6 hours depending on traffic.

[@i.o.wen.d.travels]

@@TheRailwayDrone no need to get hostile, I live in DC, and have taken the train before, while yes its faster to take the train, its also less reliable as I said, its also supposed to be actual HSR and its not, Brightline is the first HrSR corridor that is truely making a big step.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

@@i.o.wen.d.travels No one is getting hostile, and as someone who lives in DC and has taken the train before, your statement is even more surprising that when I initially read it. Your entire point was the length of time it takes on each train compared to driving. I simply corrected you on your false statement. Take it or leave it.

[@richardpeters781]

The window treatments have to go. Part of the fun in traveling by rail is being to see the scenery that you can’t see when you’re driving or flying.

[@wetasspaddington]

considering it goes down the middle of an ugly highway theres not really much to see sadly

[@jerseykevin27]

@@wetasspaddington there's a lot to look at outside, bridges water. The trails criss cross some very very nice scenery... The windows suck

[@s125ish]

Unfortunately nowadays people are glued to their phones

[@kurtsalm2155]

The window treatments are there to moderate the heat buildup from the Florida sunshine. Or would you rather sit in 120 degree heat for 3+ hours? Sit back and enjoy the quite, comfortable ride. The other public alternative is being treated like cattle shoved into a tin can by the airlines.

[@TheNobleFive]

Seems like you can see outside well enough.

[@williammerry4746]

Great work, Gable. Wonderful report. Hope to see more of you.

[@erichchan3]

Can't wait for Brightline to make the LA to Vegas high speed rail train. Been looking for an alternative other than driving or flying from LA.

[@italorossid]

people FLY from LA to Las Vegas? what's that, like... 30min in the air? plus the traffic going to LAX, security, etc... sad. I hope you guys get a rail-based solution soon. or ever.

[@erichchan3]

@@italorossid yes people fly from LA to Vegas. I guess u are not from LA and have not driven to Vegas before with the traffic at certain stops along the way.

[@italorossid]

@@erichchan3 yeah, I'm not from the area. it's just baffling how saturated the car-centric model is so flying a more convenient option. that's why I said I hope you get a rail solution for such a short distance.

[@beazrich2.017]

@@italorossidEven as someone who is a New Jerseyite, I don’t understand how people fly from LA to Vegas? They’re only 225 miles apart from each other. In my view anything that is less than 400 miles away from my location is going to be by car. It honestly should be prohibited to fly by plane if where you’re going is less than 400 miles away in distance. Ride a train or drive your car there. In my case even driving up to say Portland Maine is going be by car before plane. Traveling by car is cheaper also. And the Northeast U.S is more densely populated than the pacific northwest or the west coast in general. I only take a flight if my destination is 400-500 miles at minimum. Heck, I wouldn’t even consider taking flight in any place in the Northeast U.S at all. Adirondacks? Thats only a 4-6 hour drive depending on where in New Jersey you live. For example, Philly and NYC are much closer to Toronto and Niagara falls Canada than they’re to Releigh NC.

[@People_of_the_Mouse]

it’s surreal seeing you in the US riding an almost high speed train.

[@TommyTom21]

*Outside of the northeast corridor

[@mitzy123]

It's far from being high speed

[@CreatorPolar]

@@mitzy123 +/- 25mph, not too bad, but sadly the 125mph section is only like 20-30 miles long

[@almerindaromeira8352]

Newly built HSR has to be 300kmh+. The 250kmh definition only applies to upgraded track

[@CreatorPolar]

@@almerindaromeira8352 200km/h for upgraded track and 250km/h for new track is the minimum. It was endorsed by the UIC

[@ProfTydrim]

The security checks are odd to say the least. I'm used to arriving at the platform and just jump on a highspeed train without any checks at all in less than 30 seconds, but I guess it's not too bad cosidering the procedure looked quite efficient at least. A maximum speed of 200 km/h also reminds me more of a regional train, but I guess that's still a step up for america. I hope it is a resounding success and america can slowly catch up to the rest of the world!

[@almerindaromeira8352]

Exactly my thoughts. I found it weird that they have baggage drop off areas, airport style.

[@peterrobinson6872]

The 200km/h part is quite short (32km). Most of the journey is at 175 and 125km/h (rounded).

[@alexverdigris9939]

"Murrika"

[@owenscrain]

Def security theater

[@szm-qf4lp]

I think security is the worst aspect of this service, even amtrak acela which is faster than brightline does not have any security check.

[@radagastwiz]

Love the new Seimens trainsets. They're being rolled out here in Canada on Via Rail; they've started in the Montreal end of the corridor, hopefully we get some around Toronto soon.

[@Desmaad]

Correction: first private intercity service *in decades*. The US used to have a plethora of private companies doing rail service until Amtrak was created to take them over.

[@RailFireProductions]

People also seem to forget about the Auto-Train Corporation, the original operator of the auto-train that ceased operations in 1981 (it was founded in 1971).

[@Desmaad]

@@RailFireProductions It was taken over by Amtrak, who still run the service.

[@traingirl09]

@@Desmaad , Amtrak did not "take it over." They bought it out after the original company, Auto-Train Corporation, had ceased operations for a few years in 1981, which @RailFireProductions is correct. Auto-Train Corporation went bankrupt in 1981 which is why they stopped operating the line. Amtrak would not begin operating the Auto Train until 1983. By the way, Amtrak was created because major railroads didn't want the burden of running their passenger services anymore since they were money-pits.

[@theexcaliburone5933]

@@traingirl09and they only became money pits because the federal government decided to kill them in favor of air travel and roads

[@theexcaliburone5933]

@fredm.7145 but it was only in decline because basically all levels of North American government decided to prioritize air and road travel over rail. Had they not done that we would have a Japan-like situation now. Amtrak wasn't put in place to save passenger rail, it was originally meant to usher in its demise; it's only because of the sheer superiority of rail travel over everything else that Amtrak has survived to this day, and manages to be as close to profitable as it is.

[@adrianamontes6369]

I am thrilled about this train. The best thing that ever happened to beautiful Florida. Congratulations Florida🎉😊

[@cumbriaavgeek]

Brilliant! I did wonder why your accent had changed Thibault! 😂

[@WaiferThyme]

Hahaha i wondered that too!

[@Z20900]

Amazing trip report, thank you! I like how Brightline finds the balance between being very bold in terms of branding, yet also smart interior without overdoing it & keeping the announcements unique but simple: "Have a bright day!", love that!

[@yetmings]

The wheels are also vibrating. Found this happens almost for all the Venture cars, both Amtrak and Brightline, even they are very new.

[@chefchaudard3580]

The car where Gable travels has a flat wheel… strange for new trains with anti blocking systems. Maybe they did some braking tests before the opening?

[@JoJo-cs7be]

That was an amazing experience! I hope to see Brightline trains make it to as far north as Washington DC sometime within the next twenty years. Wow, that would be very ambitious and smart! Thank you, Gabe, for this wonderful opportunity to experience this inaugrial trip to Miami Florida!🎉🎉❤📣📣👍

[@ricardbernad2916]

A train with only four cars is a bad idea... it will never be profitable or functional.

[@ncard00]

​@@ricardbernad2916It was profitable without orlando by february this year, check facts, and more cars will be added later.

[@praxyi5926]

We already have Amtrak in DC to Boston... and even then there's more Amtrak service down south towards VA. Why would we need Brightline?

[@roadforrunner]

And they SHOULD BE PROUD OF THEMSELVES,WAY TO GO BRIGHTLINE!

[@iamthestig1]

Gable did a great job on this trip. He could be @SimplyRailway's special correspondent. Also, Brightline managed to get a high speed rail line built quickly and, possibly, within budget. The British Gov't could learn a thing or two...

[@LonestarTrips]

Fantastic video as always! Thanks for the shoutout, and I hope we can work together sometime soon!

[@jimpern]

I rode Brightline some years ago when it was only open between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, trying a different class each way, and I was impressed. I felt they needed another station in between, and they added Boca Raton. Now they need to add a couple of stations between Orlando and West Palm Beach; I'd suggest one in Cocoa and one in Fort Pierce. Thanks for the report, and I look forward for trying the whole line myself.

[@lmay1466]

LWB

[@highnoon9333]

my parents and grandparents live in Boca and years ago we drove up to West Palm to take it down to Miami. So glad that there's an intermediate station now, and it's right near where I'm temporarily staying. I got my ticket for Wednesday up to Orlando. Looking forward to it.

[@josephr9551]

Congratulations Brightline. I look forward to boarding you.

[@zhuangdavid5037]

until you see.more pedestrians got killed

[@edbrook7088]

If you are ever in England I can wholeheartedly recommend the Severn Valley Railway from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth and back. It is a heritage railway running steam trains and classic 1920s/30s carriages through some great scenery. They have a few stops on the way including one at a museum with some more steam trains including an armoured carriage used by the royal family during WW2

[@RFurneyJr]

Very well done! It was a great trip, and we really enjoyed meeting and hanging out with Gable!!

[@julesvelo]

On my visit in Florida back in January, I rode my road bike from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm then on the way back took Brightline with my bike on board. Found it very convenient. With this service to Orlando, next visit with my bike on board will be from FLL to Orlando for a day trip.

[@Sayitlikitiz101]

That rattling sound is unnerving! 😳 It sounded like the whole train was vibrating.

[@genethebean7597]

Although the very minimal price difference between smart and premium is very enticing on routes like West Palm Miami, $12 vs $18 for example, the $70 price difference for this route may be less easy to justify. Considering that a $150 ticket would get you from Chicago to New York with Amtrak, the mere 3.5 hour journey is perhaps more justified at $79. The free everything on the train and at the lounge is great, but the benefits seen at boarding plus those freebies is maybe $50 at the absolute most

[@DrMJT]

It is One-Way Mesh covering the outside of windows. 1. It greatly reduces the amount of energy required for air conditioning. 2. It is 'interior' privacy. Those outside can not see who is doing what 'inside'... 3. It is to reduce Graffiti and 'carving in the glass' tagging protective covering of windows. It peels off and fresh is applied in a matter of minutes. 4. They can be easily changed and will (if copy Europe) will have Product Placement Branding Advertising sold... think of each DMU trainset as a moving billboard.

[@robertgambling502]

For taking photos through a wrapped window, try setting the lens to infinity so as not to have the auto-focus go crazy hunting itself on the wrapper grid.

[@aleksandarbrzic8351]

Window wrap would kill it for me. I totally agree with you that they should remove them ASAP! Great service, I hope they survive commercially!

[@GojiMet86]

Looks a helluva lot more professional than 95% of Amtrak. I do wish that Florida and Brightline had the balls to tell car owners to F-off and grade-separate the whole line down to Miami.

[@cestmoi1262]

@GojiMet86 With people like you on the train I am sure I'd prefer my F-car.

[@dontlookatmypants]

​@@cestmoi1262good. You're part of the issue . Stay off the tracks bozo

[@draveed]

It's beyond baffling that you think people driving cars don't want train tracks grade separated.

[@GojiMet86]

@@draveed Really? Because people tried blocking the recent LIRR grade separation project after it was announced. People really will fight tooth-and-nail against projects with short-term pain but substanial long-term benefits.

[@cestmoi1262]

@@draveed If you are talking to me I wonder what train grade separation has to do with me while I am in a car. I made no comment on that.

[@aliciapatterson2642]

What a great video and railway experience. Wow! They thought of everything! Aesthetics that match the look and feel of Florida , a place to make calls, healthy food . . .my favorite was how they have the Thomas the Tank Engine play stations for kids! What a great idea! Growing the next generation of train lovers. :)

[@bossco2001]

Looking forward to Brightline West in a few years out here in the Victorville area.

[@richardsmith4187]

You will be blown away when you see Brightline operating, I feel sorry for the California high speed building process as its so over budget and may never be completed or at least in our lifetime LOL If you come to Florida make sure you check out Brightline.

[@g10101010101]

I've never been on brightline. I did had tickets last weekend from west palm to Orlando on 9/15/23 then back Orlando to west palm on 9/17/23 unfortunately brightline canceled. Thank you so much for the video how it's like.

[@billyfran1]

As you mention, the aisle is wide! The narrow aisle is one of my many beefs about today's airplanes. Well done Brightline!

[@stevetalkstoomuch]

That's for ADA compliance.

[@hazelrodgers4896]

oh we really missed a trick in UK opting for the standard gauge rail system rather than Brunel's broad gauge. Now for ever and ever ( Amen?) we have cramped carriages, small seats and narrow centre aisles. Not nearly enough luggage space - need to fight for the few bike spaces. Sigh. Hindsight is a wonderful thing 😭

[@stephhugnis]

@@hazelrodgers4896 Rail gauge isn't what limits rail car width. Width is limited by loading gauge which depends on station platforms, tunnels, and catenary. France for example infamously ordered new train sets that were too wide for their stations despite being standard gauge.

[@TheFoxyb]

This looks great, having driven the same route I eould certainly consider it another time, very impressed!

[@timnewman1172]

In the U.S. we are too focused on true "high speed" service when we need many more shorter & intermediate trains like Brightline... There are several city pairs not currently being served by passenger service that would greatly benefit from this type of connection!

[@sciencecw]

We need way more intercity and regional rail

[@andrewc5476]

I hope they continue to see progress. Would love to see brightline expand to more parts of the US

[@jlelliotton]

Looking forward to taking this from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale next month

[@PaulCashman]

Great job recording this, Gable! We've been watching on Virtual Railfan's live-feed camera in Cocoa FL and waiting for Brightline for quite a while!

[@traindriverdan]

Great to see a service like this in the USA, very long overdue and definitely need more like this! My only complaint about this line is that it's not electrified. I think with a brand new rail line like this it should be, but still great to see and it still looks like a great experience.

[@jonpetter8921]

Is it on diesel ?

[@damcoentertainment3956]

@@jonpetter8921 Yes

[@freetorobandloot]

​@@jonpetter8921one step forward and two steps backwards. That is how the usa moves forward. Lol

[@jonpetter8921]

@@freetorobandloot They need to do the opposite

[@awesomedude4428]

It's like 2 steps forward one backwards. Progress is progress. @@freetorobandloot

[@holygooff]

Omg Florida is the most bright place I've ever seen. It looks like a video game. I couldn't walk around there without sunglasses :o Nice train! Great to see that even a southern state now has good rail service.

[@Caesar233996]

I'll be honest, the reason I think Brightline's going to work very well is because it has a European railway station vibe about it (Especially in that Premier Lounge). This is now on my bucket list for when I visit the States!

[@alexverdigris9939]

Shame about the not so European security check and luggage drop off

[@williamnorris2449]

What's European about that? In Europe there's no need for a lounge, for security, for boarding, you can turn up 5 mins before and walk on.

[@Caesar233996]

@@williamnorris2449 First Class Lounges (Yeah the security is excessive) and tbh, if you're turning up 5 mins before you board, the anxiety you give yourself isn't worth it. Just from my perspective, not yours.

[@awesomedude4428]

True@@Caesar233996

[@machendave]

Virtual Railfan has a camera at Cocoa streaming live on KZbin. Nice to see the trains rush past

[@richardsmith4187]

Brightline, is this any way to run a railway ? You bet it is and Brightline is a game changer in rail passenger service from the stations to the trainsets. Everything is new and beautiful and service is amazing. Brightline was well thought out from construction to operating the trains both north and south. I look forward to expansion to Tampa as this will be a great way to head south and spend a few days each month without driving on clogged roadways. Thank you Brightline for forward thinking and implementing the best rail service in the United States !!

[@loganbrown8282]

you wrote this with chat gpt didnt you

[@Racko.]

This looks AI scripted

[@cooper7031]

What is the compartment that has yellow metal bars that are zigzag? That's reality, not crazy! I like that there are eye catching colors on the train and the panoramic view windows! I like Miami's elevated station.

[@AlekseySh1982]

I'm a racefan and visited Indiana (Indianapolis) and Florida (Orlando&Daytona) for Indy 500 and Daytona 500. Looks like Florida a lot smarter with a public transportation than Indy, way more.

[@dommy456]

yeah indy sucks but northern indiana and southern Michigan has lots of commuting options. The red line BRT is okay but the city banned light rail so its the best we will get

[@daniellewis1789]

Florida proposed, started, then cancelled this project, then Brightline/FEC/Fortress picked up the concept later. This could have been operating for years if Florida the state had been interested.

[@AlekseySh1982]

@@daniellewis1789 It's not budget friendly.

[@daniellewis1789]

@@AlekseySh1982 And? It's private. Florida could have built TriSun High Speed Rail if they wanted to make sure it was affordable. They let the private sector do it. Also, $99 one way is still cheaper than same day airfare on non-budget carriers, and the experience is better too.

[@RealConstructor]

@@AlekseySh1982Highways and roads are payed for by the government, be it state, county or municipal. Airports are payed for by the government. Why should rail infrastructure be private and be an exception?

[@CJbrinkman602]

Wow you got this out fast!

[@Celluloidwatcher]

Thank you for the grand tour of Brightline passenger service. Florida should be fortunate to have such a system. I wish this country would have the courage to modernize its current miles of tracks to accommodate high speed rail like those in Europe and Asia. Granted it would take billions of dollars to do this, and politicians are forever divided on the issue. But there is nothing wrong with better ideas to help move people faster on the ground. I can't wait to hear of expansion with Brightline.

[@homefastfundinginc.777]

riding it next week. can't wait!

[@Diederik07]

I don’t understand why there is 1. A lounge 2. A security checkpoint and 3. Baggage drop off. Like the point of a train is that you can hop on and off very quickly without having to arrive an hour before it leaves to go through all these formalities. Just hop on with your luggage and that’s it. The lounge experience should be ON the train imo.

[@williamnorris2449]

Absolutely. I guess to a European it feels like they're mimicking all the inconveniences of air travel. But maybe to an American not used to travel those things are reassuring and familiar? Still odd in my opinion. The whole point of a train is that you don't need a lounge, you can turn up minutes before the train goes!

[@TheNobleFive]

​@@williamnorris2449As much as we hate airport security and waiting I think a lot of us Americans are scared about public safety on public transit and need stuff like this to have that alleviated and increase the perception of quality.

[@Adumzzinthehouse]

I don’t think Europe has more guns than people

[@MatthewDeGuzman512]

In addition to this, I saw other's videos abt the Brightline Orlando extension and some of the local news coverage, this is a BOLD STEP FOWARD for intercity rail in North America. In addition to the next gen Amtrak fleet and the new Ventures for VIA Rail Canada, I also hope that Brightline bring more prosperity for passenger rail in NA with the new highspeed line between LA and Vegas, the future is looking bright (pun intended) for railways in the US and Canada.

[@leeoldershaw956]

It sounded like some of the track was not welded rail.

[@lunican]

Sounds like that car has a flat wheel! They need to fix that!

[@selfproclaimedintrovert5676]

This was really cool to watch. I cant believe how quiet that train is on the inside. I live in Vero Beach and watched the tracks being built and now see the trains passing through. Its a shame that they did not put a stop in the area as I would really love to use this. I love taking Amtrak when I can and I really hope that this succeeds and does well.

[@Robert8455]

Super nice that there is something like this now in the USA and hopefully many more passenger lines will come into play because we sure need it. I hope they continue to improve it and bring it to Swiss quality levels. I detected a lot of thumping on the rails, some vibration, things you just don't experience on a Swiss train, too bad its not a maglev but its a great start. Hopefully no wheeled traffic crossings. No mention of wifi, something some commuters might like. I wish them great success.

[@dynasty0019]

Good news, Wi-Fi is free on Brightline and it’s very fast too.

[@rakkatoie1]

The Premium car somehow got a flat spot on the wheel during the trip, braking too hard?

[@kenwbrenner]

Gable - very nicely done! I'm thankful to see Brightline expanding. Hoping it will initiate more such efforts, both independent and with Amtrak.

[@DDELE7]

I never thought I’d see the day a train outside of the Northeast Corridor hauls it at 125mph. Congratulations to Brightline. Onwards to Tampa! And hey if they remove some of the most troublesome grade crossings (since some Floridians seem to not understand how they work) they could improve their timetable and knock a few minutes off their schedules.

[@scottyerkes1867]

Excellent video. Brightline has created a great rail network. Thank you Thibault. 💚💚👌

[@Madridme3]

Ah yes, love bugs all over the windshield. An April and September phenomenon.

[@guy1524]

Baby steps, but making an airport like experience for boarding a train takes away a considerable amount of the appeal of riding train in the first place.

[@WaiferThyme]

What a lovely, modern train and so very clean! It will be interesting to see if they expand cross country with sleeper cars. It will sure give clunky old Amtrak a run for their money!

[@redenginner]

To be fair if we gave Amtrak the funding they need to expand service and stop having to share rails with Precision Scheduled Railroading gigatrains they’d be a lot more dependable.

[@MrJimheeren]

You clearly don’t understand how American railroads work

[@SoloTravelPOV]

IT’S FINALLY HERE! Thanks for posting and here’s to more rail lines coming to the US soon 🇺🇸🚝

[@Love2Cruise]

Ugh... That unbalanced axle/wheel thumping for 3.5 hours will drive me crazy. Otherwise, can't wait to ride this train next time I'm in Orlando!

[@lunican]

It's ridiculous. The car already has a flat spot on the wheel I guess. Needs to be fixed!

[@joelk4751]

@@lunican And they made a big deal about the fancy, high-priced wheel turning machine installed in Orlando. Shame!

[@tobymildon1981]

I love how the doors seem to be step free, which is amazing for wheelchair users not requiring any assistance or an additional ramp - giving disabled travellers independence. And the wheelchair spaces look to be extraordinarily large and providing lots of space for movement.

[@helynlockyer4529]

I live in Brevard County and wish they had a station. I am definitely going to take a trip on it

[@schmitty8225]

Get rid of the fucktard randy fine and you might be able to get one.

[@lawrencewestby9229]

I believe a site in Cocoa, just south of Rt. 528 / A1A is being considered for a stop. I'm in Martin County and certainly would like to see one here.

[@tofulynn]

Hope they continue with more stops around FL in the future. This would be great for international travelers.

[@PNMAWVR777RailfanInfo]

Can you do the Japan Railway or JR's Sunrise Express Over Night Train From Tokyo To Izumo

[@Phasing86]

this train just looks so sleek and modern. can't wait to ride it to miami. i will going to the US soon and will be there at least until end of the year.

[@gdrriley420]

They've got 2 more coaches per train coming soon. slightly odd to me West Palm beach to Maimi isn't at least 90mph given the minimal work to do so.

[@williamerazo3921]

Hmm grade crossing

[@gdrriley420]

​@@williamerazo3921 90mph can be done with standard crossing gates and likely just slightly modified timings. Florida drivers are just special

[@nenblom]

It’s about time our country gets something like this. Nice!

[@mikemancini313]

Rest in peace to the person who died on the railroad tracks on Brightline's route today ❤

[@andrewweitzman4006]

There's a reason why I call it, somewhat morbidly, the "Darwin Express". I admit I let loose a horrified laugh when I read about that fatality on opening day of HSR service to Orlando.

[@mikemancini313]

@@andrewweitzman4006 I don't think that's something to laugh about. That person likely committed suicide. I can't think of many other reasons why a person would be on the middle of railroad tracks in broad daylight. It's really sad because Brightline doesn't deserve to have these deaths linked with them or the reception that comes with it considering they've focused so much on safety.

[@andrewweitzman4006]

@@mikemancini313 I admit to havung a dark sense of humour. The news that there was a fatality right before the start of the Orlando service combined with Brightline's unfortunate issue with people not realizing that train tracks are dangerous tore it out of me with the absurdity of it.

[@mikemancini313]

@@andrewweitzman4006 Yeah. It's extremely stupid that people have the nerve to use the railroad tracks as a path or for suicide. It's rather dumb that this happens honestly.

[@paradoxparade1]

​@@mikemancini313When you get to that point in your life, you don't care about anything anymore. You feel nothing. Until you jump.

[@ck4426]

Oh my goodness Thomas the Tank Engine in the children’s waiting lounge is this a dream? This is too good to be true!!!!!!!! What a wonderful trip!!!!!!! Thank you so much for bringing it to us!!!!!!!

[@samtrak1204]

Brightline/Sunrail Connection Brightline must connect with SUNRAIL commuter trains at Orlando International Airport to serve passengers headed to and from downtown Orlando and heavily populated Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. I doubt if either railroad will survive or thrive without this strategic connection which would be a no brainer in Europe, Japan and the rest of the world which promotes efficient intermodal transportation. What are Florida politicians waiting for?😲✌

[@theobrattinga500]

Great video !!

[@Vektab]

Is this true high speed rail? No. Is it electrified? No. Is it double-tracked throughout? No. But it’s a GOOD start, considering the state of rail in the US. I wish Brightline plenty of success and hope they keep expanding, in FL and other states. As with any idea or project: you gotta start somewhere!

[@Adumzzinthehouse]

The frequency isn’t high enough for them to need double tracks everyone since it’s their own dedicated tracks

[@BAKU2K2]

Diesel high speed rail has been done before so it's nothing new, for example: The Union Pacific M-10000, The Pioneer Zephyr, and Flying Yankee just to name a few. There was also steam HSR such as the LNER A4 (same class as Mallard, who holds the record for the fastest steam locomotive), PRR T1 (believed to have broken Mallard's record but is not confirmed), and the Milwaukee Road Class A used on the Hiawatha.

[@Vektab]

@@Adumzzinthehouse A small segment of the route is theirs, from Coco to Orlando if I’m not mistaken. The rest of the route is shared with private freight rail companies. They will need double tracks eventually, especially if their service grows to higher levels as they expect it to. It may be more expensive to have double tracks then. Might as well do it today.

[@Adumzzinthehouse]

@@Vektab Brightline and FEC Freight Railway are both owned in the same company

[@bboneworld4u]

I really liked this video, great job Gable, lots of info. Can't wait for the next video.

[@calvinallan2208]

Amazing but its too slow. If they can lower it to 3 hours I think more people will be interested

[@dynasty0019]

Brightline will introduce Miami Orlando non-stop once they get more trains in the future. Trip time will be just under 3 hours.

[@timnewman1172]

Great job Gable, Thibault made a great choice in assigning you the job!

[@97nelsn]

I want Brightline to do the impossible and run service on the Northeast Corridor.

[@daniellewis1789]

How about push to Jacksonville and then north to Atlanta and Charlotte to tie into the national network?

[@done-ahhh578]

Great video I imagine as this develops and catches on they will be upgrading from four coach sets to eight coach down the line

[@bradfordtownley9363]

All that expenditure...and not electrified. Missed opportunity.

[@KevinMichelsen]

It's because the tracks in between coco and Miami are shared with freight trains. Brightline west will be fully electric

[@lexburen5932]

OK " expert "

[@drew32904]

So happy you did a video today. This train runs about a mile from my house through Melbourne, I can’t wait to ride! Loved that you said what up to the CEO! 😂

[@maxart3392]

It's certainly a step in the right direction, but there's still a lot to do to get closer to European railways. The line should be electrified (also allowing higher speed on the new section), the problem of the level crossings should be addressed and above all: with Orlando airport as the terminal station of the line, it connects Miami on one end but doesn't reach the populated area of Orlando on the other, thus losing almost half of the advantage in comparison to flying on the same route. And the prices seem to be on a high side too.

[@danandtab7463]

I hope they get successful enough and make a an extension north to Jacksonville. I'd love to ride a train all the way to Miami from there. I know the current planned expansion is Tampa, which is cool too.

[@basstrip73]

Hmm...the Brightline trains are nice, undoubtedly, but it's very hard to build a convenient and comprehensive nationwide rail network piecemeal style with scattered private operators and Amtrak operating independently of each other with no integrated scheduling system. Without such a system and regular fast intercity trains between major population centers long-distance rail travel in America will remain largely a niche market for rail enthusiasts and holidaymakers.

[@maximemm7768]

During the entire video I told myself "damn, it so cool" and it is! Thanks for the video :)

[@WBTravels]

NOTE: BRIGHTLINE ONLY SERVES ORLANDO AIRPORT NOT THE CITY! However SunRail Orlando's absolutely brilliant commuter rail line operates every 30 minutes to downtown, and the journey takes 36 minutes. so Downtown Miami-Downtown Orlando in 4 hours. Amazing Also the fact that Florida now has a train between its 2 largest cities that takes less than 4 hours, and is almost entirely above 110 MPH operation when 96% of train the the country top out at 79 MPH its absolutely awesome!

[@Ven100]

The next stop in Orlando will be at the convention center via the Sunshine Corridor.

[@CreatorPolar]

How does the connection from Sun rail to brightline work? Looking at maps Sun rail doesn’t even serve the airport and it recommends a bus into downtown instead

[@WBTravels]

apparently, and rather hilariously, SUNRAIL was supposed to open its Orlando Airport extension at the same time as Brightline, it has been delayed now, and is expected to open their Orlando airport extension sometime in the next few months. (an opening date is not currently public.) when it opens it will have half hourly frequencies connecting Downtown Orlando & Orlando airport in just 46 Minutes. (note-I think Brightline will also use their right of way and their station in Orlando, so when the extension for Sunrail opens-Brightline will (I think) serve downtown Orlando too. @@CreatorPolar

[@CreatorPolar]

@@WBTravels 46 minutes? That’s pretty slow, wouldn’t it be better to have an hourly stopper and then an hourly express service that is timed with brightline arrivals?

[@WBTravels]

considering how far the airport is from the city & also that this is the U.S where no transit agency is hell knows how to create an express service because they dont actually care enough. 40 minutes is pretty fast.@@CreatorPolar

[@juliendefreyne]

Beau trains à grandes vitesse ils est très magnifique ce brightline j'adore ❤ l'intérieur

[@大善-k9y]

ディーゼルエレクトリックで200ｋｍ/h出すとは、やっぱり日本とは基準が違うなぁ （ラッピングが窓を覆い尽くすのも） しかし駅で鉄道会社社長と出くわせるのはずいぶんな幸運ｗ

[@armyavi8tor]

I rode the return ride of your train from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando with the cool Orlando wrap. Very comfy ride with great amenities, Amtrak take note! I work in Miami and live in Orlando and it’s certainly a nice alternate option to flying and driving, a bit pricey but more tolerable with our corporate rate we have with Brightline. I enjoyed it and surely will do it again. The window wrap doesn’t bother me, helps keep the sun out and keep the cars cool. Glad to see it finally came to fruition and hope for its success.