Brightline
 

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.

Was just down there and was driving from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale. Looking forward to making that trip via Brightline next time...not sure of the timetable to extend to central Florida but I know that's on the radar.

Speaking of Virgin Trains, they're also working on the Vegas to LA high speed rail line, which is definitely needed considering the amount of traffic on I-15 between them. ^ Too bad Amtrak stopped having trains going through Vegas or they'd have been a viable option too.