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3/10/2023
Private intercity passenger railroad Brightline says it became the fastest passenger-rail service in the Southeastern United States this week after its train reached 130 mph during testing on its Orlando-Cocoa route in Florida.
The company broke its previous record of 110 mph, which it set last year during testing through Martin and St. Lucie counties on Florida's Treasure Coast, Brightline officials said in a press release.
Brightline is testing the 35-mile corridor between Orlando International Airport and Cocoa, Florida, in preparation for the Orlando station's opening later this year. The journey between South and Central Florida will take about three hours, Brightline officials said.
Brightline trains are required to test faster than planned operating speeds, company officials said. Once operational, trains will travel at 125 mph.
The trainsets are powered by two locomotives, one on each end, that are 16-cylinder, 4,000-horsepower Cummins diesel electric engines, which are compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 regulations. Siemens Mobility built the trains at its manufacturing plant in Sacramento, California.
Meanwhile, Brightline has launched revamped versions of its Bridge Schedule app and website to provide mariners with real-time information about the Florida East Coast Railway and Brightline rail bridge openings and closures along the New River in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The revised app and website are more user-friendly and provide more accurate information based on train GPS data, Brightline officials said in a press release. Users can plan their trip along the waterway knowing when bridges will be open and closed.