Passenger Trains > FL: my ride on BrightLine to Miami

First ride on BrightLine south of Fort Lauderdale, liked it a lot. Probably 10 trips between West Palm and Fort Lauderdale. Round trip with my wife and one of her friends. Coach southbound, first class (free booze after 3pm) northbound.

No problem making reservations on line, they assign you seats, you can go to the chart of available seats and change the location if you'd like. I know my wife prefers facing forward, so I made that change online. BrightLine parking in West Palm is free on weekends, so that was a nice treat.

Check in was easy, I elected to use the kiosk. Punched in my confirm and last name, six tickets spit out. The luggage scanner was in use, several bags were being checked, and handbags were examined. All passengers walked through a metal detector. BL's consistent staffing had four people in the greeting area, another one at the scan-in area, and four or five at the weapons check. Florida is a CCW state, and many people pack heat, I don't know what they would do if somebody had an AR-15, Scud missile, etc in their bag or luggage. Two of the security people were armed.

Train was late arriving from the yard, we pushed off at 11.11. The train was probably 90% full leaving West Palm. There were flaggers at every crossing in WPB and Lake Worth, both sides. The train did a consistent 20-25 mph, and cranked up to 79 south of Lake Worth. Many quiet zone crossings are activated, their mileposts have a QZ under the mileage. There were occasional flaggers south of Lake Worth. Spent about 15 minutes "waiting for an oncoming train" at Hypoluxo, that train never came and we moved south. Passed the northbound BrightLine down by Pompano Beach. Didn't see any blimps at Goodyear's facility.

Several intermittent stops of a few minutes each, we crossed over and back a few times. Saw 3 GP40-2 at Port Everglades. Probably half full leaving Fort Lauderdale.

The line south of FLL is a little grittier than the line north. More junkyards, more desolate neighborhoods. Saw two of those mobile command posts that elevate to give a better view of a battle zone. Lots of chain link, barbed wire, and bars on windows. Some very nice neighborhoods, boats, too. Many flaggers at crossings in Miami-Dade, probably 20-25 people in the stretch before Miami Central. Arrived 35 minutes late into Miami.

Like the station a lot. Very modern, very clean, very tall. Probably 60 feet from street level to track level, with the lounge level intervening. The food court and services area hasn't been opened. The Tri-Rail low level platforms look like they need some finishing, but the track is in, signals are lighted, etc. There's an office building on top of Miami Central. Saw an SD40-2 coming off the Port run in Miami.

Took the free people mover on a downtown tour, up to the Museum district, past the Miami Heat arena, etc.

The return trip was in first class, very nice. There was a free sampling of Dewar's whisky, so I availed myself of their 12, 15, and blended. Liked the 12. I offered some tasting notes, the steward liked them so much I got a top off. Left on time to the minute, arrived at FLL on time to the minute, arrived WPB a few minutes early. Had a complimentary Stella, and bought a 12 year old Dewar's pour. Saw an LNG set and a GP40-2 putting together a train in Port Everglades.

Liked it, as mentioned above. BrightLine continues to be wildly overstaffed, by any measure. I counted 13 people in the main hall of Miami Central, five more on the lounge level, and several more on the train level. Miami did not have WPB's security layout, but there was a guy looking into large bags. No weapons conveyor or walk through screener in Miami.

(Pictures to follow)

Picture 1 entry way on the east side. The FEC spur to the Port of Miami is immediately to the right background

Picture 2 ground level entry area. The ticketing kiosks are in the distance. The check in area is behind me, as is a large coffee and sandwich shop.

Picture 3 the tower on top of the Miami Central station. The whole area is buzzing with new construction.

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Picture 4 - looking over at the Tri-Rail platform. Note the difference in height between the BrightLine side and the lower Tri-Rail side

Picture 5 - coming, soon. There are three sets of elevators from the mezzanine up to train level. One goes to an unused BrightLine platform, one to the used platform, and one to the future Tri-Rail center platform

Picture 6 - a PeopleMover. Miami has a pair of loops using these unattended free vehicles. They operate on raised guideways. This one runs up to the Museum district, the other runs south to the Brickell neighborhood. They overlap in the area of the BrightLine station. When completed, you should be able to walk under cover from the Willkie Ferguson station, through the Miami Central, and meet the subway-like MetroRail service to the airport and Amtrak at Hialeah.

For purposes of geography, BrightLine is near the downtown center. Tri-Rail, Amtrak, andthe airport are about six miles west. Eventually, Tri-Rail will run some trains into Miami Central station.

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Seriously, metal detectors and x-ray machines?

Why?

I guess these guys don't want to make money?

abyler Wrote:
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> Seriously, metal detectors and x-ray machines?
>
> Why?
>
> I guess these guys don't want to make money?

i happen to think it is a GOOD idea. it's about time for some PROACTIVE security on passenger/commuter trains.......

66

Security is a necessary evil I'm afraid. I just hope they use non-ionizing radation scanners rather than X-ray scanners on people.

No X-Ray scanner for people. That is only for bags. For people you just walk between two waist high posts. It is of the most benign kind of any security scanner I have seen anywhere.

abyler Wrote:
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> Seriously, metal detectors and x-ray machines?
>
> Why?
>
> I guess these guys don't want to make money?


The TSA and various NYC area agencies have tested various security protocols over the years. Handling thousands of people per hour becomes a mess, even under the best circumstances.

PATH and TSA tested airline type screening at the Exchange Place station for a few days. That did not end well, and was aborted.

NYPD and TSA have tested various combinations of canine and overhead chemical detection at the Port Authority in the A-C-D subway concourse. I've seen them at that location, and at the F train station on 33rd street.

There are other places in the world with as heavy usage as NY if not more where they are set up to use scanners as and when required by the security situation. You even have to walk through scanners to get into Malls, Cinema Houses and Hotels when the situation becomes grave enough for such. Been there done that. In the US there is no apparent reason to go there given how low the risk of anything of the sort happening here is currently. of course that could change.