First Brightline Train Arrives In Orlando, With Project Now Nearly 80% Complete

Brightline completed a test run of a train into its new Orlando station this week for the first time ever.

The company said it is getting closer to launching service between Miami and Orlando, with the project now nearly 80% complete.

Tracks between Cocoa and the Orlando station do not yet appear to be complete. Following this weeks test run, the train was sent to a Brightline maintenance facility near the station at the Orlando Airport, according to Railway Age.

There were approximately 1,149 construction workers actively engaged in Brightline’s build-out of its system to Orlando during March 2022, according to a report to investors released in early May.

Passenger service is expected to begin in early 2023.

A video of the test run can be seen here.

 

(image: Brightline)

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Anonymous
10 months ago

The future of Florida is high speed rail.

Angelina
10 months ago

“high speed rail” well, clearly not with Brightline! Only when Miami Orlando in less than 2h. Come on, only 230 miles.

Anon
10 months ago

It’s coming

Anonymous
10 months ago

I don’t care if the train ride takes more than two hours to get to Orlando and Miami, as long as there are no train wrecks with fatalities, a lot of people don’t giveadamn!

transplant
10 months ago

If they built a track above ground, like the MetroRail, it could get to Orlando in 2 hours. And if they built it extra wide above ground, they might even have space to run commuter services in the Wynwood/Midtown/Design District area.

Anonymous
10 months ago

Yeah man… now go back to sleep.

Anonymous
10 months ago

Do you not understand how much that would cost and the number of complaints and lawsuits they would get while also forgetting that electrification would be needed to travel at higher speeds? Brightline was able to happen because they settled with the counties and promised stations in them, as well as the court realized how hypocritical and selfish the NIMBYs were since no one was losing their homes and upgrades to the track, including new bridges, double-tracking, and broadening curves. This is all because they didn’t wanna have to wait a little longer at level crossings due to a higher frequency of trains on the line.

Living off A1A
10 months ago

The only NIBYs that have a valid complaint are those who bought their home prior to 1884 when the FECR built the tracks with Henry Flagler at the helm! After that? then STFU about it! The Brightline trains are def quieter than the mile-long freight trains!

Edgewater still waiting after a decade of Promises
10 months ago

Brightline is AMAZING! Congratulations!

It’s the county that needs to move on the local commuter train. All they do is approve more buildings so the tax roll can increase for their future rip-off pensions. And we are stuck in the traffic.

Not Anonymous
10 months ago

You’re right! that would be efficient AND cheap! It’s not like it costs close to $1 billion per mile, and it totally won’t make Brightline economically unviable! What a genius idea!

Anonymous
10 months ago

Someone has been drinking.

Data
10 months ago

Better yet, let’s just build a transporter. All we would have to do is say “energize”

ParkingHater
10 months ago

There has been talk of Brightline going to tier two, so you might get your wish

Anonymous
10 months ago

I agree with you, but Brightline is far from high speed rail.
Miami to WPB takes 1Hour and 12 minutes now. It will take longer next year when 2 additional stations are established. The distance is less than 70 miles.
The new leg to Orlando Airport will likely take at least and additional 2 hours and 10 minutes.
It is not a problem to travel from Miami to Disney World in much less than 4 hours.
Using Brightline to Disney will take much longer than 4 hours including multiple transfers.
Paris to Strasbourg (France) has a high speed rail which takes 1hour and 45 min. The distance is much longer than Miami to Disney.

Anonymous
10 months ago

You do realize that they can just add a new service stopping at all stations and an express one stopping at their current stations right?

Truth hurts
10 months ago

What transfers? Where do you people get your math from? At least wait till it’s on the track? People who try to discredit an idea while it’s still one are the kinds of people that kill dreams. Imagine if all the great inventors listened to nobodies like you. We’d still be running around like the flintstones. Progress isn’t instant. Brightline is a start, stop bitching about what it isn’t and and start appreciating what it is. A new alternative in transportation when driving becomes too exhausting.

Anonymous
10 months ago

^
This poster is whining about how long it takes Brightline trains to get to Disney from Miami but he/she didn’t mention a thing about all the train interruptions when some idgit can’t wait for the guardrails to signal him/her that its now safe to proceed across the tracks.

Anonymous
10 months ago

^How do you know that person is a nobody? And if your idea cannot stand the test of constructive criticism then how solid of an idea is it really? You think potential investors in ideas don’t ask tough questions before pouring in their money on a project?

Anonymous
10 months ago

Speed rail starts at 150 mph. In Europe and Asia they go 186 mph to 235 mph.

Melo is sigma and chad
10 months ago

Can’t wait till the tampa station is announced.

Realtalk Reilly
10 months ago

You can tell the difference between that station and the one built in Miami, because when the train pulls in, the back end of it isn’t left outside the station and blocking traffic. They actually measured how long the train was before building the station! What a concept!

Anonymous
10 months ago

This is because it reuses most of the old plans from FHSR, and by the time Rick Scott canceled it, the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority had invested quite a bit into the station, taxiway bridges, and land for a high-speed rail line.

Living off A1A
10 months ago

I-4 was built with the plan for the FHSR to traverse the center median. Now to be utilized by Brightline… in theory!

Anonymous
10 months ago

huh? the Miami Brightline station is like 10 stories above street level

Anonymous
10 months ago

It looks better, too. Imagine if Miami’s looked like it with towers in the same style as opposed to cereal boxes with a giant parking garage in the middle.

Afi K. James
10 months ago

And I can’t wait for this.

Big D
10 months ago

Now all we need, is people away from the tracks!!!

Sean1the1
9 months ago

I can’t wait to take the train across the state

ParkingHater
10 months ago

great, now lets get Amtrak state supported service done to so people have a lower-cost alternative too

Anonymous
10 months ago

Amtrak already runs from Hialeah to Orlando…? Its the Silver Star route

ParkingHater
10 months ago

Yes. That’s not what I’m talking about.

Amtrak got a boat load of cash to work on new routes. They’re looking to run thrice daily shorter (and cheaper) trains from Miami-Orlando-Tampa and Tampa-Orlando-Jacksonville.

Why do you think they recently changed their tune on MIC?

also, apparently considering moving silver service to FEC to cut about 2 hours off.

ParkingHater
10 months ago

I’m not saying Amtrak is better, I freaking love Brightline. But competition is good for everyone.

Joe CARollo
10 months ago

Need more cars and more parking!!

Anonymous
10 months ago

So more idiots can get hit at level crossings? Be my guest! Just goes to show what Florida truly is!

Robert
10 months ago

A place where everyone wants to relocate to. 😉

Not Anonymous
10 months ago

A place where everyone RICH wants to relocate to due to low taxes and good weather, and where thousands die of Covid for no reason, and where transit is blocked by people like you who don’t care about the working class and their role in society.

Anonymous
10 months ago

^^geez who pissed on your hipster sandals?

Anonymous
10 months ago

His boss in one shoe after telling him to return to the office for work, and his trust fund parents in the other for not sending him his allowance this month.

Anonymous
10 months ago

come on man, you pissed off like 80% of TNM posters with that hipster slam. Now, who took my craft beer…..

Anonymous
10 months ago

Read his name, its a meme

Joe CARollo
10 months ago

Car is in the name fools