Brightline, the only provider of modern, eco-friendly high-speed rail, and Siemens Mobility, on September 28, celebrated the completion of Brightline’s newest trainsets, which will roll off the assembly line at the Siemens Mobility North American manufacturing headquarters and prepare to begin passenger operations. In the upcoming days, the newest train will depart the factory on a cross-country excursion to West Palm Beach, FL where it will be stationed in preparation for Brightline’s high-speed rail corridor expansion, set to connect Orlando to Brightline’s current route from Miami to West Palm Beach.
At the event, executives from Brightline and Siemens Mobility were joined by California Treasurer Fiona Ma to unveil the new passenger coaches and locomotives, part of the Venture trainset that is the driver of next-generation inter-city rail service in the U.S. Manufactured at Siemens Mobility solar-powered plant in Sacramento, the Venture trainsets for Brightline consist of two Charger Diesel-electric locomotives, one on each end, and four passenger coaches. The Charger Diesel-electric locomotives fulfill the EPA’s stringent Tier 4 emissions standards.
The stainless-steel coaches are made with components from more than 160 suppliers across 27 states. They are designed for luxury and comfort, featuring special ergonomic seating, contemporary communication systems and enhanced Wi-Fi. Thanks to wide aisles, wheelchair storage and fully accessible restrooms, the Venture trainset exceeds ADA requirements from end to end.
Construction on Brightline’s forthcoming 170-mile service extension from West Palm Beach to the Orlando International Airport is more than 60 percent complete and is on track for completion in late 2022. The project has been an economic boom for the state of Florida. In partnership with Siemens Mobility, the newest trainsets represent Brightline’s commitment to invest billions in American infrastructure, creating the country’s first and only private high-speed rail network. Brightline Florida employs more than 1,300 daily construction workers and will create more than 10,000 jobs over the construction period and the first few years of operations. In total, Brightline will generate more than $6.4 billion in economic impact in the state of Florida.
Brightline will resume its operations between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in November. Stations in Boca Raton and Aventura are expected to open in the second half of 2022, and discussions are underway with local stakeholders regarding expansions to Disney Springs and Tampa.
-via Press Release