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-   -   The Brightline Thread (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=198371)

202_Cyclist Oct 5, 2022 11:28 AM

Brightline to begin testing trains at 110 mph through Martin, St. Lucie counties


By Scott Sutton
WPTV
Oct. 4, 2022

"ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. — Treasure Coast drivers and residents should be aware that Brightline will be testing their trains at high speeds later this month.

Brightline officials said in a Tuesday statement that the trains will be traveling at maximum speeds of 110 mph in both Martin and St. Lucie counties the week of Oct. 17.

This first phase of testing is expected to take place over a six-week period along an 11-mile section of track, spanning nine railroad crossings in Martin and St. Lucie counties..."

https://www.wptv.com/lifestyle/trave...lucie-counties

UrbanImpact Oct 19, 2022 1:03 PM

Aventura station has topped off and is coming along nicely. I don't see it operating this year though.
https://floridayimby.com/2022/10/bri...skybridge.html
https://floridayimby.com/wp-content/...656-scaled.jpg

N830MH Oct 20, 2022 6:06 PM

Yes! Aventura station construction is completed.

Brightline completes critical step towards finishing its Aventura station

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2...ntura-station/

redblock Oct 20, 2022 9:48 PM

Here is the Brightline FB post about the Aventura station. It has an embedded construction video for the installation of the bridge.

https://www.facebook.com/GoBrightlin...PEgc17HP02d8i3

ardecila Oct 21, 2022 3:12 PM

Does anyone know when they do the bridge over Biscayne?

That will be important for this to work as a transit station, since the land use west of Biscayne/FEC tracks drops off quickly to single family homes.

Unfortunately any conceivable pedestrian route to the mall requires going through the west parking garage. Shame they can't do a corridor lined with landscaping and shops like Tysons Corner Center in VA.

UrbanImpact Oct 21, 2022 4:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ardecila (Post 9767827)
Does anyone know when they do the bridge over Biscayne?

That will be important for this to work as a transit station, since the land use west of Biscayne/FEC tracks drops off quickly to single family homes.

Unfortunately any conceivable pedestrian route to the mall requires going through the west parking garage. Shame they can't do a corridor lined with landscaping and shops like Tysons Corner Center in VA.

I believe it is tied into construction of an office building:
https://www.thenextmiami.com/aventur...-by-turnberry/
https://i.imgur.com/AkONMsV.jpg

N830MH Oct 21, 2022 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redblock (Post 9767196)
Here is the Brightline FB post about the Aventura station. It has an embedded construction video for the installation of the bridge.

https://www.facebook.com/GoBrightlin...PEgc17HP02d8i3

Let me get a video from YouTube. Some people who doesn’t have Facebook account. They can’t go on Facebook page.

Video Link

N830MH Oct 22, 2022 7:34 PM

Video Link


Video Link


Video Link

202_Cyclist Oct 26, 2022 2:35 PM

Railway Age has an interesting article about Brightline.

Rolling Into Orlando

Railway Age
By David Lester
Oct. 25, 2022

"Goddard adds, “The base of our model is city pair corridors that are too long to drive and too short to fly. These city pairs are densely populated and connect with very congested highway infrastructure. Plus, when you look at comparable systems around the world, they seek to capture the addressable travel market, which is around 15%, and in some cases, between 30% and 40%. In our case, in the Florida market, we only need about 5% of the addressable travel market to be profitable. In the Los Angeles-Las Vegas market, we need to capture around 15%.” The difference between the addressable travel market in south Florida and L.A.-Vegas is that there are multiple ways to move between city pairs in Florida, while there is essentially only one way to get from L.A. to Vegas along I-15.

From a fare perspective, Brightline only needs to charge about a third of what Acela costs. “So, these things give us the highest degree of confidence in our path to profitability,” said Goddard “We’re operating today only about 20% of what our system will be capable of in terms of capacity and about one-fifth of our fare potential. Our operation thus far has been a proof-of-concept, demonstrating that people will get out of their cars and look at the train as a viable mode of transportation. We’re warming up the Florida market as we prepare to roll into Orlando. At the same time, Orlando is a less populated market; it is, however, much bigger in terms of a domestic and international tourist attraction, making it more significant as a demand generator.” Brightline has about 85% of awareness in the Florida market—i.e., about 85% of the people it wants to know about Brightline do know about it, about half of those people have tried the train, and about half of those people are riding the train frequently..."

Additionally, Brightline is looking at 12 - 15 markets for new service.

"Vanessa Alfonso, a spokesperson for Brightline, told Railway Age that “this is a generational moment for transportation and train travel. Frequent departures, 200-300-mile markets, and higher speed. We believe that Brightline has proven that short legs for high-speed rail are needed, as evidenced by the quick growth we’ve had.” She added that 12-15 other city pairs in the country offer opportunities for Brightline.

In addition to the Miami-Orlando-Tampa and Los Angeles-Las Vegas lines, Brightline says that other potential routes include Atlanta-Charlotte, Washington-New York-Boston, St. Louis-Chicago, a Texas triangle of Dallas-Austin-San Antonio-Houston and Portland-Seattle-Vancouver..."

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger...-into-orlando/

ardecila Oct 26, 2022 3:25 PM

Interesting, but I'm skeptical that they can expand this model. Florida was a special case because FEC is a unique freight operation that is compatible with robust passenger service, and SoCal is a greenfield line through empty desert.

The Cocoa-Orlando and Orlando-Tampa segments are the real test for whether this model can scale, but Cocoa-Orlando is a pretty sparsely built corridor along SR527 and they were able to put in the line before the expressway exits got built up with truck stops, fast food and motels. Orlando-Tampa will be interesting as they are doing a public-private partnership in order to build a better (but more expensive) alignment through developed parts of suburbia. On the West Coast, Victorville-Rancho is another similar segment of built-up suburbia with the added challenge of a mountain pass.

N830MH Nov 1, 2022 9:08 PM

Hi all,

Here's a new video for Aventura and Boca Raton station construction progress. It's really coming along nicely!! This is new video.

Brightline Construction: Aventura and Boca Raton Station Progress - October 23, 2022

Video Link

CrazyCres Nov 2, 2022 1:53 AM

Environmental Report is out

https://railroads.dot.gov/rail-netwo...ass-high-speed

https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/b...tal-assessment

202_Cyclist Nov 3, 2022 12:36 PM

Brightline Releases Environmental Documents for High-Speed Rail from Victorville to Las Vegas

By Damien Newton
Streetsblog
Nov. 2, 2022

"Back in January, the lead investor for the privately funded $8 billion Brightline West high-speed rail proposal that would connect Las Vegas to Southern California declared the project “at the one yard line.” Late last month, Brightline released its draft federal environmental document needed before construction and announced approval of the sale of land in Ranch Cucamonga for the construction of the station at the California terminus.

The interested public can weigh in Brightline’s plans at hearings on Saturday, November 12, and Tuesday November 15.

If it was at the one yard line in January, today the ball is maybe just inches from the goal line. After the final environmental documents are approved, construction could start in 2026. Brightline West already has approvals for construction of a 170-mile portion of the line from Victor Valley, California, into Las Vegas, where a terminus is planned about two miles south of the Strip in Downtown Las Vegas. Operations could begin as soon as 2030. Full funding for the project has not been identified, with Brightline planning to seek both federal and private dollars once the environmental documents are approved..."

https://cal.streetsblog.org/2022/11/...-to-las-vegas/

N830MH Dec 3, 2022 11:43 PM

Hi all,

This is final construction videos for Aventura and Boca Raton stations. It's really coming along nicely!! Schedule to open by the end of 2022. This is new video.

Video Link

Busy Bee Dec 4, 2022 12:39 AM

I like those pavers. Wish they could have used them on the platform. Probably some well meaning but misguided safety regulation preventing it.

N830MH Dec 13, 2022 4:09 AM

Brightline to start Orlando service in late Summer/Fall 2023. You have wait for a little bit longer. Still ongoing construction.

https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightl...ibextid=S66gvF

N830MH Dec 14, 2022 9:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N830MH (Post 9813988)
Brightline to start Orlando service in late Summer/Fall 2023. You have wait for a little bit longer. Still ongoing construction.

https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightl...ibextid=S66gvF

Hold it! They has been deleted. They gave wrong date!

Brightline says it will start Orlando service in January/February 2023.

202_Cyclist Dec 15, 2022 4:00 PM

Unfortunately, this article is paywalled.

With billions in funding now available, Tampa lawmakers prioritize rail service to Orlando

By Henry Queen
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Dec. 14, 2022

"A regional board agreed to add passenger rail service to Orlando to its list of major priority projects for 2023..."

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/...tampa-bay.html

N830MH Dec 15, 2022 6:54 PM

Brightline to open 2 new stations on December 21, 2022. Aventura and Boca Raton stations.

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2...fxRNoZRPeE5_Vo

https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightl...eLcjrhcpKP0mJA

Finally! Long overdue!

N830MH Dec 21, 2022 3:35 AM

So tomorrow Brightline train to set opens Aventura and Boca Raton stations. Starting tomorrow!

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2...pDZVotOsxxws9M

Video Link


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