Originally Posted by
NYCommuter
I took Brightline, the new south Florida passenger train line, this weekend. I was really impressed. It's like the Acela, although the stations are really something--futuristic and luxurious, and the employees are just above and beyond nice. I see that its president is from the hospitality industry, and clearly the customer experience is taken from what a top-tier resort would do; it's also a real estate-oriented company, with significant new construction around its stations.
Is Amtrak watching Brightline, with an eye to learning from Brightline's customer service and real estate? Brightline and Amtrak don't compete; they run on different lines. But perhaps Amtrak can offer some more high-end services and do some more real estate development and generate some more funds that way.
I'm pulling for both Amtrak and Brightline and love the Acela and Crescent, although I must say that I was really impressed with Brightline and love it that a private company is running such a train.
Not something I would hold my breath on. Amtrak is a Congress-controlled operation so growth isn't in the game plan especially if outside the core business. Virgin Train (aka Brightline) has a very entrepreneurial core so a lot of out-of-the-box thinking will happen and may even be encouraged. The only thing the two have in common is being trains.