Brightline Trains Florida discussion

[Brian_tampa]

Download is from the Bloomberg News article which is free to access on a per month article basis:

Fortress-Backed Brightline Rail Sells $770 Million of Debt at Steep Yields

It appears Brightline will be able to complete phase 2 on schedule as this will give them enough money now, per their largest private investor as quoted in the news report.

 

[danasgoodstuff]

Brightline Announces Boca Raton Station Will Open In 2022, Station Now Topped Off from NARP

 

[VentureForth]

Brightline Announces Boca Raton Station Will Open In 2022, Station Now Topped Off from NARP

I presume all trains all stops? Even harder to keep that 1 hr Miami-West Palm goal.

 

[Brian_tampa]

Edit: this was my first trip along SR528 since Brightline began construction several years ago.

I took a trip to Cocoa Beach on Tuesday, August 16 and can report the following:

Approximately 50 or more Herzog hopper cars are stored on one of the tracks north of the Orlando station. It was a mix of loads and empties.

There was a fully loaded rail train near the OUC railroad connecting track. The train actually began west of the switch near the Monument Parkway bridge.

There is a short section of ROW without ties and rail between just west of the St John's River Bridge and the junction of SR528 and SR407 (the point where you can go to Titusville or Cocoa).

The wildlife crossing just west of the St John's River Bridge has been fenced off on both sides of the crossing bridge. Not sure why. It seems that wildlife can't pass under the bridge if there are fences on either side. I need to ask Brightline why this is.

Not many workers seen along the 528 stretch on this particular day. Most were working on the east end just west of the I-95 bridge.

A lot of ballast tamping has yet to be done on the recently ballasted track sections west of the St John's River bridge.

Installation of trackside signals appears to be complete. Unknown if the fiber optic connections linking them all together are done.

One observation that struck me is how steep the approach grades are to all the rail bridges along SR528. I have never seen a heavy rail line with such grades! Only on light rail lines have I seen these kinds of grades.

Another obsevation is how weird it looks to see a rail line this close to a major highway and at the same elevation. I'm referring to the section of SR528 that is owned by FDOT. I can't recall another highway like this where the track is maybe 50 ft at most from the pavement edge.

 

[VentureForth]

With regards to the wildlife crossing, it's fenced of because there is no passage under 528 yet. They will have to raise 528, then they can unfence the crossing.

Pass by here weekly and I can't wait to see that last mile or so of rail put in place!

 

[Anderson]

Edit: this was my first trip along SR528 since Brightline began construction several years ago.

I took a trip to Cocoa Beach on Tuesday, August 16 and can report the following:

Approximately 50 or more Herzog hopper cars are stored on one of the tracks north of the Orlando station. It was a mix of loads and empties.

There was a fully loaded rail train near the OUC railroad connecting track. The train actually began west of the switch near the Monument Parkway bridge.

There is a short section of ROW without ties and rail between just west of the St John's River Bridge and the junction of SR528 and SR407 (the point where you can go to Titusville or Cocoa).

The wildlife crossing just west of the St John's River Bridge has been fenced off on both sides of the crossing bridge. Not sure why. It seems that wildlife can't pass under the bridge if there are fences on either side. I need to ask Brightline why this is.

Not many workers seen along the 528 stretch on this particular day. Most were working on the east end just west of the I-95 bridge.

A lot of ballast tamping has yet to be done on the recently ballasted track sections west of the St John's River bridge.

Installation of trackside signals appears to be complete. Unknown if the fiber optic connections linking them all together are done.

One observation that struck me is how steep the approach grades are to all the rail bridges along SR528. I have never seen a heavy rail line with such grades! Only on light rail lines have I seen these kinds of grades.

Another obsevation is how weird it looks to see a rail line this close to a major highway and at the same elevation. I'm referring to the section of SR528 that is owned by FDOT. I can't recall another highway like this where the track is maybe 50 ft at most from the pavement edge.

I think I-64 and the CSX Peninsula Subdivision have similar spacing for a bit. There's also a chunk of the A-Line along I-95 in South Carolina, and there's one point where the A-Line runs right down the middle of I-195 in Richmond.

[Not to mention, the NS mainline parallels US-460 for like 50 miles.]

 

[Brian_tampa]

I think I-64 and the CSX Peninsula Subdivision have similar spacing for a bit. There's also a chunk of the A-Line along I-95 in South Carolina, and there's one point where the A-Line runs right down the middle of I-195 in Richmond.

[Not to mention, the NS mainline parallels US-460 for like 50 miles.]

I forgot about I-195 in Richmond as I have been on the Silver Palm/Palmetto from Tampa back in 1998 and 2002. Where in South Carolina does the A-Line parallel I-95?

I guess what makes the railroad next to SR528 so jarring visually is that I have always experienced that drive with just vegetation along the highway. Trust me, it is strange to see new signal gantries and modern concrete ties and 136lb rail right next to the highway!

I should clarify that the Herzog ballast hoppers at MCO were located near the existing airport terminals A & B and stretched for some distance along the northbound lanes of John Fuqua Blvd that runs through the airport.

One interesting feature is that the fencing along the CFX owned portion is the black coated fencing material whereas the FDOT portion further east which is close to the highway is the standard galvanized material. As well, all of the concrete walls are painted yellowish with some green sections along the CFX portion whereas the FDOT portion is bare concrete wall sections. I suppose Brightline had to spend extra money to abide by the CFX specifications! LOL

 

[Qapla]

With regards to the wildlife crossing, it's fenced of because there is no passage under 528 yet. They will have to raise 528, then they can unfence the crossing.

Pass by here weekly and I can't wait to see that last mile or so of rail put in place!

A number of years back, just south of Gainesville, along US 441 at Paynes Prairie, there was a problem with alligators being on the highway while crossing from one side to the other. They decided to put some "openings" under the road so the alligators could cross under the road and alleviate the issue of car-vs-gator that had caused several accidents.

Only thing was, no one had told the alligators to use the new passages and they kept crossing on the road.

The solution was to fence the area along the road on both sides. It worked! The gators soon learned the new passages and have been using them ever since.

I'm sure, once they build a way for animals to cross under 528 that the animals will soon learn how to use it - however, they may need to leave the fences in place to force them to use the passages ... left to their own, they will continue to cross in traffic

 

[Brian_tampa]

A number of years back, just south of Gainesville, along US 441 at Paynes Prairie, there was a problem with alligators being on the highway while crossing from one side to the other. They decided to put some "openings" under the road so the alligators could cross under the road and alleviate the issue of car-vs-gator that had caused several accidents.

Only thing was, no one had told the alligators to use the new passages and they kept crossing on the road.

The solution was to fence the area along the road on both sides. It worked! The gators soon learned the new passages and have been using them ever since.

I'm sure, once they build a way for animals to cross under 528 that the animals will soon learn how to use it - however, they may need to leave the fences in place to force them to use the passages ... left to their own, they will continue to cross in traffic

That reminds me of a drive back home to Tampa from Ft Pierce about 15-20 years ago a few miles east of the Kissimmee River bridge on SR60. I had the misfortune of driving across a baby alligator that was maybe 3 or 4 feet long going across the two lane highway. There was oncoming traffic and thankfully it was not at night!

I have also encountered loose cattle on rural highway ROW's on very dark roads in interior SW Florida as well at night...

Any other AU members from Florida have similar wildlife stories while driving around the state?

 

[west point]

Many years ago driving a 15 passenger window van. Never saw deer hit left rear quarter panel. Passenger did. Only evidence was 3 deer hair stuck in the metal trim. Took van to insurance agent next day to document. Cost insurance $2200.00

 

[VentureForth]

Any other AU members from Florida have similar wildlife stories while driving around the state?

When we first moved to Melbourne I saw a black bear roadkill followed by an alligator roadkill on US-192 just west of I-95.

So you also mentioned the black fencing at MCO. I believe this is to mask the trains headlights from blinding oncoming traffic taking the 528 exit from Jeff Fuqua.

 

[Brian_tampa]

So you also mentioned the black fencing at MCO. I believe this is to mask the trains headlights from blinding oncoming traffic taking the 528 exit from Jeff FuFuqua.

The black chainlink fencing was everywhere even miles east of the airport, which makes me believe it is a CFX design specification. Honestly, I do not recall the type fencing on that particular curve exiting the airport. I do think the bottom part of the barrier along the tracks was a low concrete wall. I have attached a Google maps streetview image showing a special kind of fencing installed at that curve. Note the painted concrete wall.

A similar, but broader, curve east of the St John's River bridge (on the FDOT owned section) where the eastbound lanes of SR528 curve to right with the tracks on the right has no special fencing installed.

 

[joelkfla]

The black chainlink fencing was everywhere even miles east of the airport, which makes me believe it is a CFX design specification. Honestly, I do not recall the type fencing on that particular curve exiting the airport. I do think the bottom part of the barrier along the tracks was a low concrete wall. I have attached a Google maps streetview image showing a special kind of fencing installed at that curve. Note the painted concrete wall.

A similar, but broader, curve east of the St John's River bridge (on the FDOT owned section) where the eastbound lanes of SR528 curve to right with the tracks on the right has no special fencing installed.

The wall is not just painted; it has a horizontal stripe molded in. Yes, that does look typical of CFX design.

 

[MARC Rider]

Any other AU members from Florida have similar wildlife stories while driving around the state?

Hey, it's not just Florida with this problem. My mother-in-law once had a collision with a deer in suburban Maryland that totaled her car. I had a number of roadrunners in West Texas fly right into the front of my car while I was driving along at 75 mph in the dark.

And if you're on the NEC, if you're heading north out of the BWI rail station at the right time in the very early evening, it's like a safari ride through deer habitat if you look out the right side of the train.

 

[joelkfla]

I had a number of roadrunners in West Texas fly right into the front of my car while I was driving along at 75 mph in the dark.

Was it an Acme Motors car? <meep meep>

 

[Anderson]

I forgot about I-195 in Richmond as I have been on the Silver Palm/Palmetto from Tampa back in 1998 and 2002. Where in South Carolina does the A-Line parallel I-95?

I guess what makes the railroad next to SR528 so jarring visually is that I have always experienced that drive with just vegetation along the highway. Trust me, it is strange to see new signal gantries and modern concrete ties and 136lb rail right next to the highway!

I should clarify that the Herzog ballast hoppers at MCO were located near the existing airport terminals A & B and stretched for some distance along the northbound lanes of John Fuqua Blvd that runs through the airport.

One interesting feature is that the fencing along the CFX owned portion is the black coated fencing material whereas the FDOT portion further east which is close to the highway is the standard galvanized material. As well, all of the concrete walls are painted yellowish with some green sections along the CFX portion whereas the FDOT portion is bare concrete wall sections. I suppose Brightline had to spend extra money to abide by the CFX specifications! LOL

Between Ridgeland and Coosawhatchie

 

[Bob Dylan]

Hey, it's not just Florida with this problem. My mother-in-law once had a collision with a deer in suburban Maryland that totaled her car. I had a number of roadrunners in West Texas fly right into the front of my car while I was driving along at 75 mph in the dark.

And if you're on the NEC, if you're heading north out of the BWI rail station at the right time in the very early evening, it's like a safari ride through deer habitat if you look out the right side of the train.

Other Wildlife to avoid on Texas Roads are Buzzards,Vultures and Armadillos!( Old Texas Political Saying: " The only thing in the Middle of the Road are Yellow Lines and Dead Armadillos!")

 

[Caesar La Rock]

Quite a few times I've seen Sandhill Cranes crossing the middle of the roads. Very pleasant to see them especially when I'm walking about. To the credit of motorists here, they actually stop to let the birds cross. Too bad they won't stop for humans crossing at a crosswalk. I haven't seen any roadkill involving those birds as far as I can remember and I've been living in this state for a while (too long).

 

[Qapla]

This Brightline construction update looks at the final rail train required for Brightline’s Orlando expansion.. This was the 26th rail train total, of that 20 were used for the double tracking of the Florida East Coast Railway corridor and 6 were for the new Orlando line. The rail from this train will complete the final few miles left of the Orlando line. This train had 50 pieces of rail that are each 1600ft long

 

[Caesar La Rock]

I know a few years isn't a lot of time, but its incredible how quickly the second phase to Orlando has progressed. After all the remaining construction wraps up the testing phase will begin. Glad we're all here to see this.

 

[cirdan]

I know a few years isn't a lot of time, but its incredible how quickly the second phase to Orlando has progressed. After all the remaining construction wraps up the testing phase will begin. Glad we're all here to see this.

I agree.

To their advantage though, they were working almost entirely on unbuilt land owned by, AFAIK, very few different owners, who furthermore, were cooperative.

On the Tampa extension, I expect this process to get a lot more complicated. I just hope it won't run into Texas Central style nimbyism.

 

[Ziv]

This Brightline construction update looks at the final rail train required for Brightline’s Orlando expansion.. This was the 26th rail train total, of that 20 were used for the double tracking of the Florida East Coast Railway corridor and 6 were for the new Orlando line. The rail from this train will complete the final few miles left of the Orlando line. This train had 50 pieces of rail that are each 1600ft long

What kind of stress would that put on the rail bed and the bogeys as this train goes around curves? I know steel flexes but this must push it pretty hard!
I have to admit that i am confused by this.

 

[Qapla]

Here is a video showing a rail train in action

 

[cirdan]

What kind of stress would that put on the rail bed and the bogeys as this train goes around curves? I know steel flexes but this must push it pretty hard!
I have to admit that i am confused by this.

The curvature looks crazy in the pictures but actually it's quite moderate if you take into account how it is spread over a great length of rail.

Rail itself is that flexible.

This is why, when it's put down, it needs so many ties, and the ties are embedded in ballast. Without those ties, the rail wouldn't stay put for very long,

 

[west point]

We may see testing Cocoa <> Orlando as soon as all rail is laid, tamped, and aligned. Slow speed testing can go on as stablization of the track is completed. Note the signal system is already in place and will just requirement to connect to rails. The slow testing will find some gliches. The FRA will of course supervise the overall testing up to its 125 MPH max speed Cocoa <> Orlando airport. Now will Palm Beach <> Cocoa 110 MPH testing be complete? Unknown?