Orlando - Friday September 22, 2023: Brightline today celebrated the official start of high speed passenger rail service between Miami and Orlando.
The first train, Bright Pink, arrived in Orlando at 11:05 a.m. It was greeted by more than 500 elected officials, business leaders, community partners and company leaders from across the state.
A decade in the making, Brightline’s passenger rail service introduces a new transportation option for Florida residents and visitors. The private rail carrier also believes it offers offers a new "blueprint" to connect similar city pairs across the U.S. "that are too short to fly and too far to drive."
The service launch was celebrated at the Brightline Orlando station by Brightline’s Founder Wes Edens, CEO Mike Reininger and President Patrick Goddard, and many prominent business and elected leaders.
Upon the train's arrival, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer greeted guests on the platform and presented the Key to the City to Edens who was joined by Reininger. Officials from the Federal Railroad Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Central Florida Expressway Authority and more, were present to greet the first train.
Brightline launched operations in South Florida in 2018, connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura opened last year. Construction on its 170 mile extension from West Palm Beach to Orlando began in 2019. The $6 billion project has generated substantial economic benefits in Florida creating 10,000 jobs and approximately $6.4 billion in direct economic impact to the region. Construction teams worked more than seven million hours over the course of four years to complete the project.
Brightline covers 235 miles between Miami and Orlando and the new route takes between 3 and 3.5 hours depending on South Florida station stops.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BRIGHTLINE ORLANDO EXTENSION
The Orlando expansion project included 56 bridges, including 18 new bridges, three underpasses, drainage installations, track and signalization installation and 60 track miles of new rail. Over the four years of construction, upgrades and improvements were made to three underpasses and 156 railroad crossings. Engineering of double track under active airport taxiways and tug roads and a new 35-mile rail alignment along the Beachline Expressway/SR 528, were also made.
The expansion to Orlando also included the development of Basecamp, a $100 million state-of-the-art train maintenance facility situated on 62-acres south of Orlando International Airport (MCO). The facility operates 24/7, servicing trains with skilled engineers, conductors, technicians and inspectors.