WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Brightline is expecting its next two completed trainsets to be shipped from California to Florida in the next few weeks, and for the first time, two trainsets will ship together. Brightline’s first train, BrightBlue, arrived in December 2016, and the second train, BrightPink, arrived in March.
Siemens is constructing the two new trains, BrightGreen and BrightOrange, at its 60-acre manufacturing plant in Sacramento, Calif. The trains will be shipped in special moves over Union Pacific from Sacramento to New Orleans, and CSX Transportation from New Orleans to Jacksonville, Fla., and Florida East Coast from Jacksonville to Brightline’s operations center in West Palm Beach.
“We’re excited to welcome our next two trainsets together,” said Tom Rutkowski, Brightline’s chief mechanical officer. “BrightGreen is currently complete and Siemens is putting the finishing touches on BrightOrange.”
Each trainset consists of four passenger cars and two diesels, one on each end of the passenger cars.
Brightline is planning to start its “pre-season” in late July when it initiates express train service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, a 30-minute ride. Service to Miami, a 30-minute ride from Fort Lauderdale, is to be added in late August and the official grand opening is planned for mid-September.