Brightline Florida update

[crescent-zephyr]

If the Silver Palm was still running, I think I might prefer riding it over whatever Brightline runs from Miami to Tampa...from what I have read, the Amfleet II's are more comfortable...

Are brightline 1st class seats the same as coach?

 

[McIntyre2K7]

Are brightline 1st class seats the same as coach?

They might be made out of the same material but the 1st class seats are 21 inches wide vs 19 in coach.

 

[Tlcooper93]

They might be made out of the same material but the 1st class seats are 21 inches wide vs 19 in coach.

Yeah. Definitely worth paying up for those 2 inches rather than slumming it up in smart class…

A lot of things complain about with Amtrak, but seat comfort is never among them.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Yeah. Definitely worth paying up for those 2 inches rather than slumming it up in smart class…

A lot of things complain about with Amtrak, but seat comfort is never among them.

Except in AM1s( no Footrest or Curtains) and Superliner Coaches.( no Armrests)

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Except in AM1s( no Footrest or Curtains) and Superliner Coaches.( no Armrests)

And Ventures.
Haven’t some complained about the new Talgos as well?

 

[joelkfla]

Yeah. Definitely worth paying up for those 2 inches rather than slumming it up in smart class…

A lot of things complain about with Amtrak, but seat comfort is never among them.

You're paying for 2+1 seating and hopefully a quieter, less crowded cabin -- basically same as BC on Amtrak; that may be particularly valuable if you're leaving Miami after a sporting event. But you're guaranteed a single seat if one's available, since seat selection occurs at booking.

In addition, you get snacks & beverages, including alcoholic ones, both on the train and in the station. Station snacks may not be up to the level of Moynihan, but they're far superior to other Amtrak lounges.

 

[MARC Rider]

Station snacks may not be up to the level of Moynihan, but they're far superior to other Amtrak lounges.

And the vast majority of Amtrak stations don't have any lounge at all.

 

[Brian_tampa]

You're paying for 2+1 seating and hopefully a quieter, less crowded cabin -- basically same as BC on Amtrak; that may be particularly valuable if you're leaving Miami after a sporting event. But you're guaranteed a single seat if one's available, since seat selection occurs at booking.

In addition, you get snacks & beverages, including alcoholic ones, both on the train and in the station. Station snacks may not be up to the level of Moynihan, but they're far superior to other Amtrak lounges.

Well the Miami station does have the food hall, which I hear is pretty good along with the bar there named after Flagler's two wives, Mary and Mary.

Food hall opens at Brightline Miami station: Travel Weekly

 

[jis]

Well the Miami station does have the food hall, which I hear is pretty good along with the bar there named after Flagler's two wives, Mary and Mary.

Food hall opens at Brightline Miami station: Travel Weekly

The food offerings at Miami Central were actually quite good when I visited it last.

 

[daybeers]

A lot of things complain about with Amtrak, but seat comfort is never among them.

I disagree. They're ergonomically terrible, often have things broken, and the tray tables are a bit of a joke. I understand Amtrak's long distance coach is some of the most comfortable hard coach product on a train in the world, but it doesn't make up for any of the other Amtrak shortcomings.

I haven't tried Brightline's offering, but when I do, I know it'll blow away anything Amtrak has to offer, including Acela First.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I haven't tried Brightline's offering, but when I do, I know it'll blow away anything Amtrak has to offer, including Acela First.

Uhhh definitely reset your expectations.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Disney World announced that there will no longer be a brightline stop at Disney Property.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...-disney-world-brightline-station.html?ana=twt

 

[VentureForth]

I wasn't comfortable.

In other news, anyone hear anything about Disney pulling the plug on the Disney Springs Station?

 

[Tlcooper93]

I disagree. They're ergonomically terrible, often have things broken, and the tray tables are a bit of a joke. I understand Amtrak's long distance coach is some of the most comfortable hard coach product on a train in the world, but it doesn't make up for any of the other Amtrak shortcomings.

I haven't tried Brightline's offering, but when I do, I know it'll blow away anything Amtrak has to offer, including Acela First.

The seats in Venture coaches are not as comfortable as your average Amfleet seats.
Maybe its just my luck, but I really have no idea what you're talking about with tray tables. Even in domestic business class on airlines, the tray tables suck, so perhaps I just have low standards.

You say it doesn't make up for the other shortcomings, but I have a feeling if you tried Venture seats for a LD route, you'd change your tune real quick...
Acela first seats are better than Brightline Select; not really a contest there.

 

[VentureForth]

Disney World announced that there will no longer be a brightline stop at Disney Property.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...-disney-world-brightline-station.html?ana=twt

Well, dang, you hit that before I finished my post.

Unreal. This is Disney calling sour grapes. The 528 corridor actuality has a BETTER approach into Disney Springs.

This is Disney's Harry Potter moment all over again.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Well, dang, you hit that before I finished my post.

Unreal. This is Disney calling sour grapes. The 528 corridor actuality has a BETTER approach into Disney Springs.

This is Disney's Harry Potter moment all over again.

I agree. A very foolish decision. :-(

 

[joelkfla]

Disney World announced that there will no longer be a brightline stop at Disney Property.

https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando...-disney-world-brightline-station.html?ana=twt

I must subscribe for $4 a month to read.

But I've been saying this might happen, and everyone said "Nah, Disney isn't that stupid." Well, apparently they are.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

I must subscribe for $4 a month to read.

But I've been saying this might happen, and everyone said "Nah, Disney isn't that stupid." Well, apparently they are.

From the article:

“As many people who are involved in this project are aware, the new route configuration does not support a Disney Springs station and as a result, we don’t anticipate being part of this project," Disney spokesperson Avery Maehrer told Orlando Business Journal.




Does anyone know how much a two 10 car trainsets from Siemens would cost? I could see Disney buying two trains. With one route bypassing the Orlando Convention Center.

Disney 1: Tampa/Lakeland/Disney
Disney 2: Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach/MCO/Disney

 

[VentureForth]

From the article:

“As many people who are involved in this project are aware, the new route configuration does not support a Disney Springs station and as a result, we don’t anticipate being part of this project," Disney spokesperson Avery Maehrer told Orlando Business Journal.




Does anyone know how much a two 10 car trainsets from Siemens would cost? I could see Disney buying two trains. With one route bypassing the Orlando Convention Center.

Disney 1: Tampa/Lakeland/Disney
Disney 2: Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/West Palm Beach/MCO/Disney

Not on Brightline's tracks.

 

[McIntyre2K7]

Not on Brightline's tracks.

Disney can throw money at Brightline. I don't think Brightline is going to run trains 24 hours a day. Also in this case you would just 1 round trip each day. One train leaves Miami for Orlando at 6am (vs the first Brightline Train leaving Miami just before 9am). The return trips to Orlando and Tampa would be 45 minutes after the park closes. They can run an hourly train between MCO and their station as well. This way there is no competition with Brightline. I going to assume that Disney would have owned the station anyways.

 

[west point]

Maybe back to Sun Rail? Guess Disey is going to take their crayons and go hide.

 

[cirdan]

I must subscribe for $4 a month to read.

But I've been saying this might happen, and everyone said "Nah, Disney isn't that stupid." Well, apparently they are.

Much as I want Brightline to have the greatest possible success and largest possible customer base, I can see Disney's logic here. If the train is not going to be an airport shuttle but is going to be for people coming in from further afield, then what percentage of Disney's customer base is going to be coming from Miami and stops between, and what proportion of those will be coming by rail? In the bigger picture it's going to be insignificant.

 

[VentureForth]

Much as I want Brightline to have the greatest possible success and largest possible customer base, I can see Disney's logic here. If the train is not going to be an airport shuttle but is going to be for people coming in from further afield, then what percentage of Disney's customer base is going to be coming from Miami and stops between, and what proportion of those will be coming by rail? In the bigger picture it's going to be insignificant.

It wasn't just that, though. Sure, Brightline could bring folks from Broward/Dade counties and Tampa and drop them off at Disney's doorstep. But the big sell was SUNRAIL providing local service between MCO, Convention Center/Universal/Sea World and Disney Springs on the shared ROW. This decision could probably matter less to Brightline than it will to the City trying to figure out how to increase revenue on Sunrail. Without a stop at DS, operations between MCO and South I-Drive won't be enough.

 

[chrsjrcj]

They did the exact same thing when the Florida High Speed Rail project from 10+ Years ago was also going to serve the Convention Center. Disney said they wouldn’t direct guests from the airport to use the train unless they chose the 417 route that skipped the Convention Center. When the Universal station was announced I was waiting for this shoe to drop.

 

[VentureForth]

They did the exact same thing when the Florida High Speed Rail project from 10+ Years ago was also going to serve the Convention Center. Disney said they wouldn’t direct guests from the airport to use the train unless they chose the 417 route that skipped the Convention Center. When the Universal station was announced I was waiting for this shoe to drop.

Disney being petty? Disney being all about keeping everyone inside the Magic Bubble? Say it ain't so.

I don't think they are done here. The fact that the City and the Railroad were not available for comment seems to indicate they were taken by a bit of surprise by all this. Again. Chapek's Folly. FWIW, Disney stock is falling about 5x the rate of the Dow right now. Their decision making process over the last several months seem to be lacking.