Brightline ready to expand rail system to Tampa

[bl8jaxnative]

Spoke at length to my bro in law in Boca over the weekend. He is now consulting PR for a real estate company. He says the real play, the big money, and the big bet, is on the Orlando to Miami route, not the commuter rail. That's part of it, but the hope is tourist's will flood the trains from Orlando to Miami and back.  Millions of them every year.  Domestic and International.  So we aren't going to know if it's truly successful for a while. As noted the construction of the Miami-Orlando line is going full tilt.

Abusiness traveller is just going to hope a plane for 40 minutes and get it done.  Tourist... eh, water cruise, land cruise.... we're just in it for the fun.  Time isn't as important.

Not surprised that the ultra short haul stuff isn't there to make money.  Good to have that clarified.  Gracias.

As for success, we'll know it soon enough.  If they're not making a profit, it won't be successful.    Those loans and bonds gotta be paid.

[marcuscnelson]

Some updates on the Brightline expansion.

https://www.thenextmiami.com/brightline-says-miami-to-orlando-rail-line-construction-is-now-50-complete-on-schedule/

Brightline’s construction project to build a rail line between Miami and Orlando is now about halfway complete.

Here’s an exact timeline of when the company expects service to begin or resume:

Miami to West Palm Beach – Third quarter of 2021
Aventura – Third quarter of 2021
PortMiami – First quarter of 2022
Boca Raton – First quarter of 2022
Extension to Orlando – Fourth Quarter of 2022
Station at Disney Springs – Fourth Quarter of 2023

https://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/2021/01/08-new-brightline-details-included-in-$950-million-bond-sale/

That said, the memorandum reveals a number of details about Brightline’s operations and plans not previously disclosed. Among them:

— The original five Siemens 4-car trainsets with Charger locomotives at each end cost $264 million.

— Five additional, similarly-configured trainsets, plus an additional locomotive, are being acquired for $162 million. Brightline expects delivery of the first new trainsets in September of this year, with the fifth in early 2023, after service to Orlando is slated to begin at the end of 2022.

— Adding a cafe car to the consist is not mentioned, but a Brightline source tells Trains News Wire that the company has an option to add them for the longer journey

— Service to the Disney Springs station is set to begin in “the second half of 2023, subject to right-of-way acquisition, permitting, final design, and engineering” and is expected to add 800,000 passengers by 2024.

— The Disney extension is estimated to cost $300 million, with two-thirds financed by the bonds

— Including Disney and the three new stations planned south of West Palm Beach at Boca Raton, Aventura, and PortMiami (but not the contemplated Miami commuter operations), total ridership in 2024 is pegged at 3.1 million, with an average fare of $102.

[jaxlongtimer]

Here is another story that will possibly impact Brightline.  Disney will be eliminating its "Magical Expresss" service from the Orlando Airport to Disney's properties in 2022.  It mentions that, at some point, Brightline may be a replacement option for some travelers.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/walt-disney-world-is-eliminating-these-popular-perks-for-hotel-guests-11610397073?siteid=yhoof2

Starting in 2022, Disney will no longer offer the “Magical Express” — a free shuttle bus that brought guests staying at Walt Disney World hotels to and from Orlando International Airport.

As part of the service, guests could even skip waiting for their luggage at baggage claim by putting special tags on their suitcases. Disney would collect the belongings and then bring them directly to people’s hotels. The luggage-related part of the service was suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“As consumer needs and preferences change, we will no longer offer Disney’s Magical Express service starting with arrivals in 2022,” a Walt Disney World spokeswoman said. “At the same time, we’re also introducing new ways for guests to enjoy their visits, including early theme park entry for Disney Resort hotel guests.”

In a blog post, Disney noted that the change was made in light of the growing popularity of ride-share services from companies like Uber and Lyft. The blog posted noted that these services “save time and offer more flexibility” to resort guests. Disney will continue to offer transportation within its Walt Disney World complex, including the monorail, buses and the Skyliner gondola service.

Additionally, Brightline, an inter-city rail system in Florida, has announced plans to expand service to Orlando, including stops at the airport and Disney Springs, a shopping center located at the Walt Disney World resort. When completed, the Brightline train service could serve as another option for guests to get to Disney property.....

[CityLife]

Here is another story that will possibly impact Brightline.  Disney will be eliminating its "Magical Expresss" service from the Orlando Airport to Disney's properties in 2022.  It mentions that, at some point, Brightline may be a replacement option for some travelers.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/walt-disney-world-is-eliminating-these-popular-perks-for-hotel-guests-11610397073?siteid=yhoof2

Starting in 2022, Disney will no longer offer the “Magical Express” — a free shuttle bus that brought guests staying at Walt Disney World hotels to and from Orlando International Airport.

As part of the service, guests could even skip waiting for their luggage at baggage claim by putting special tags on their suitcases. Disney would collect the belongings and then bring them directly to people’s hotels. The luggage-related part of the service was suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

“As consumer needs and preferences change, we will no longer offer Disney’s Magical Express service starting with arrivals in 2022,” a Walt Disney World spokeswoman said. “At the same time, we’re also introducing new ways for guests to enjoy their visits, including early theme park entry for Disney Resort hotel guests.”

In a blog post, Disney noted that the change was made in light of the growing popularity of ride-share services from companies like Uber and Lyft. The blog posted noted that these services “save time and offer more flexibility” to resort guests. Disney will continue to offer transportation within its Walt Disney World complex, including the monorail, buses and the Skyliner gondola service.

Additionally, Brightline, an inter-city rail system in Florida, has announced plans to expand service to Orlando, including stops at the airport and Disney Springs, a shopping center located at the Walt Disney World resort. When completed, the Brightline train service could serve as another option for guests to get to Disney property.....

This isn’t common knowledge, but Disney is exploring either relocating a significant number of employees from its Cali offices or completely relocating its entire corporate HQ to the Lake Nona area (close to Brightline). If that happens, their existing offices near Disney Springs will be linked by Brightline to their new offices.

[thelakelander]

Makes sense. Back when the Florida High Speed Rail project was proposed, a part of the plan being considered was to replace the Magical Express with a one ride rail stop between the airport and Disney. Brightline is basically copying that old plan.

[Pottsburg]

I haven’t heard that news on Disney but it sounds great for Florida.

[marcuscnelson]

I assume they're still keeping the buses between Disney World and Port Canaveral?

This isn’t common knowledge, but Disney is exploring either relocating a significant number of employees from its Cali offices or completely relocating its entire corporate HQ to the Lake Nona area (close to Brightline). If that happens, their existing offices near Disney Springs will be linked by Brightline to their new offices.

What a coup for Florida if that happens. C'mon Bob…

[Pottsburg]

https://www.thenextmiami.com/investors-cant-get-enough-brightline-bonds-company-says-it-will-pursue-new-real-estate-development-at-miamicentral/?fbclid=IwAR2p4LukxMnAmQcO_n2EpO3zOndLQ4TN3TPAkoVL5Ggdo04AKqFXsrvKlMo

  Like I’ve said before, they still aren’t finished on the first section of the original project. Hopefully the second phase won’t run into these same issues.  What I’ve been told is that the original plans done by Archer Western had a bunch of technology that a sales person told them they could use as PTC. They installed all of It and the FRA came in and said ummm no this doesn’t work, so they had to go back through and change all the software on every crossing and test each individual one. This is what they are doing right now. They need to build the towers, because that’s where the money is.