Passenger Trains > Thursday's BrightLine trips

Had two fine trips on BrightLine today, from West Palm Beach FL to Miami, and return.  First trip in which I used the BL garage in WPB with its fancy new parking app. More on that later.

Arrived a little early for the 10.40am southbound trip. Picked up my tickets at the kiosk, I may eventually add their app, but I don't like adding apps with money info on my phone.  No problem getting the tickets, which were $13 each each way or myself and my wife. They layer discounts, so we got a 25% off GOSMART, and I had some credit from previous rides. Maybe a geezer discount.  Good deals, but I don''t see how they make money.  List price was $25.  One guy was helping at the four kiosks, and two women were behind the counter.

No trouble scanning tickets at the pass-gate, and agreeing I was me.  The security people scanned my wife's bag in a 1980's airport conveyor device. Three guys at the weapons check, and one at the pass gate.  For folks keeping score, that's seven so far.  A gentlemen at the top of the stairs, directing us down to track level.  Other passengers were coming out of the first class lounge and the coach lounge. Maybe four  more staff before we got on the train.  Lots of folks, with several at the coffee bar and hot grill at the top of the stairs. BL uses a center platform for boarding, and the overhead corridor is up about 30 - 35 feet.

BL tickets direct you to car 1, which is the first class car, or coaches 2-3-4. Each ticket has a specific seat number.  We were in coach 4, back / north end of the soothbound train. My wife doesn't like to sit facing backwards, so she asked if we could sit facing forward, and the agreeable car attendant updated her tablet, and put us in forward facing seats at a table. 

A southbound FEC freight was passing through the station at this point. Our train left on time, and crossed over in front of the freight by Forest Hill Boulevard. Might have been the 109 train, it had a LNG set up front.  We moved along at 30 mph, passing through several (highway and rail) flagged work sites and picked up speed on the south side of Lake Worth. Generally 75-79 to the outskirts of Fort Lauderdale.  Passed one northbound BrightLine in Lake Worth, and another south of Fort Lauderdale.  Saw a few guys wrestling the Goodyear blimp at Pompano. Bought a $3 mini-diet Pepsi can.

I walked through the train, it was lightly patronized.  maybe 15-20 people in our car, maybe 100 on the train.

Things changed at Fort Lauderdale. Probably 150-200 people boarded for the half hour trip to Miami. There's a boat show going on, so a lot of people had nautical themed outfits, etc. Four of them had printed out tickets for our table and seats. I was prepared to give up the seats without question but one guy became a real jerk. So, I let him rage as I innocently played out the "but the seat assignments were changed, maybe your seats were cancelled"  meme. The conductor saw there was a double booking, with our change, and their earlier reservation for the same space.  I decided to pleasantly yield as I was afraid if he had a heart attack, the train would be delayed.

The chips, donuts, coffee, and booze trolley made two passes through the train on the morning and evening trips.  Two more happy, friendly employees.

Uneventful trip into Miami, rode the people mover, did our business, had late lunch at Sparky's BBQ, and took one of their commuter trains back.  probably half the passengers wore what passes for business attire in S Florida. Many greeted the weapons check people by name, we were seated in the coach waiting lounge near the weapons check.

NB train lounged along at 30-35 for a while, then cranked it up to 79, and held that line. That hasn't been my experience. Usually the engineers hold the line at 75-77. Anyway, about one nanosecond after I put my $7 beer down on the tray, we had a hard braking exercise. I'm guessing it was a penalty application, as we were moving after a minute's full stop. My beer didn't do as well, it spilled on the floor.

Again about 2/3 of the passengers left the train at Fort Lauderdale. Uneventful trip, didn't hit anything or anyone. Both trains arrived on time.

Learned a few things.  The Park Line apartments adjacent to the West Palm Beach station come with free parking for a year, and a free BL pass for a year.  There's a Park Line apartment building being constructed above the Miami Central station. One of two huge towers there.
 
Learned if you buy the coach plus fare, you get free parking, and save $6. And you get a free drink. I may do that next time as the difference is only $5 or so in fares.

Learned that the parking app requires you to upload  your payment info and car info so they can charge you $6. I saw a few cars in the garage with "boots" on them and figured something was up.

Didn't take many pictures. I've posted pictures of previous trips, and nothing changed in that department.  I may download and post pictures of the Miami coach waiting area.  It's very nice.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/19 20:11 by Lackawanna484.