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!
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
@@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.
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!!
@@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.
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!
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.
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.
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..
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🤞🏼
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.
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 $54 for a premium ticket with complementary lounge and snacks seems reasonable...
Thank you for sharing your Brightline experience. I wish Amtrak can upgrade to this level of service network wide and give the airline industry a run for it's money.
It takes, apparently, 10b$ 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 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.
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.
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
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!
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.
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.
this is my favorite railfanning channel in all of uniform. Not only do you get to see great views of trains, but you always come away learning something new.
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!
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.
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. :)
@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.
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! 😁
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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…
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
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.
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.
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.
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!!!!!!!!
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.
I’m not a RU-vidr 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 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.
@@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.
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 😮
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.
Thank you so much for an enlightening view of the new Brightline, i love the Florida area and hope i can visit some time, you have so much knowledge that is being shared and there are many of us that will learn from your experience, we look forward to your future videos.
What a wonderful report - railroading by a railroad man - how refreshing. Particularly appreciate the "spice" of the thermite application in practice. Thank you.
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 !
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
Absolute gem of an video of the new brightline track! Keep up the great work, so happy to see rail picking up steam in the U.S. also, with a lot of rail love from Europe!
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!
