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Brightline unveils cool new trains

The Brightline high-speed rail service unveiled its first train set, nicknamed BrightBlue, during an event Wednesday morning in West Palm Beach.

The unveiling took place at Workshop b, its 12-acre railroad operations facility on 15th Street in West Palm Beach, where trains will be repaired, maintained, cleaned and stored.

Inside the cab of the Brightline engine
Inside the cab of the Brightline engine

Construction of Brightline’s train stations in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami is nearing completion with service expected to launch this summer. Eventually, the service is expected to extend to Orlando International Airport.

If your experience has been riding the existing Amtrak or Tri-Rail services in South Florida, the Brightline trains represent a new generation in terms of comfort and amenities. While Amtrak and Tri-Rail are government subsidized, Brightline is notable as it is the nation’s only privately funded passenger rail system.

The first experience many of us will have with Brightline is seeing the distinctive, brightly colored trains whizzing along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks through the downtown areas from West Palm Beach to Miami, with a stop in Fort Lauderdale. BrightPink, BrightRed, BrightOrange and BrightGreen is the name for the other train sets being built by Siemens in California.

If you are riding the trains, the innovations start when you are boarding. A ramp will pop out of train car doors and drop down to platforms to make boarding easy. That will make it easy to roll on luggage, a wheelchair or a stroller. (Forget about those “Mind the Gap” reminders you hear in London.)

A ramp will pop out of train car doors and drop down to platforms to make boarding easy
A ramp will pop out of train car doors and drop down to platforms to make boarding easy

The interior aisles are 32 inches, which Brightline says are wider than any other trains. Doors between the train cars will open and close automatically.

Brightline aisle
The Brightline trains will have 32-inch aisles, which the company says are wider than those found on other trains

Passengers can hang their bikes on the walls. Those with pets can put small carriers under the seats or arrange for bigger carriers elsewhere in the cars.

Train cars will have racks to hang up bikes
Train cars will have racks to hang up bikes
A luggage tower can be used for oversized items
A luggage tower can be used for oversized items
There's enough room under seats for a pet carrier
There’s enough room under seats for a pet carrier

Brightline also gave further explanation of its two types of coaches, Select coach and Smart coach.

Each train will have one Select coach with 21-inch wide seats that recline and three Smart coaches with 19-inch seats. Tables will be included with some seat groupings, so you could have a mini-conference of two or four people with a table between them as you ride the rails. Other seats will have drop-down trays–a small tray can be used alone for a smartphone or glasses and a larger table can be added for items such as laptops, books and food.

Some of the photos provided by Brightline show beverages, but there was no word yet on what’s going to be served. (I’d personally lobby for wine and beer for cocktail hour.)

Some of the seats will have tables and all will have plenty of ways to recharge phones, tablets and laptops
Some of the seats will have tables and all will have plenty of ways to recharge phones, tablets and laptops
A closeup of a pop-up tray for small items
A closeup of a pop-up tray for small items
Select Seats web
Select seats will be 21-inches wide

Brightline is offering complimentary, powerful Wi-Fi, powered by multiple antennas on every train and a lot of power outlets and USB connections. I think this could be a big productivity selling point vs. being stuck in traffic on I-95.

There are overhead luggage racks, under seat storage for small items and luggage towers for big items.

Each coach has an ADA compliant restroom with toilets that flush with a wave of the hand. (They also flush when the door is opened if you forget to flush.) Dyson fixtures dispense water and then dries your hands. That’s smart because it will minimize water dripping on the floors and creating a mess.

Riders will be able to reserve specific seats through Brightline’s mobile application, website or station kiosks and choose from an array of amenities and pricing. They will also be able to book parking or ground transportation to make their journey more seamless.

Brightline says 120 workers at Workshop b will keep the trains running. A 500-foot long maintenance pit will let them climb under trains to do service work and daily inspections.

About 70 Siemens employees will provide the service and maintenance for the trains.

 

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Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.