Passenger Service May Be Cut in HALF On Brightline Train to Orlando

One of the HOT news topics for people looking to travel to Central Florida right now is the Brightline train.

©Brightline

This rail service will soon be operating from southern Florida all the way to Orlando, with a station opening at the Orlando International Airport. Tickets are already on sale if you want to book your trip. But now, it looks like there may be a small hurdle in the way of your travel.

The Orlando Business Journal reports that Brightline’s train schedule between South Florida and Orlando could be affected by a new plan from the U.S. Coast Guard. The plan involves opening a rail drawbridge in Martin County twice each hour.

Brightline Orlando Train Station

With this plan, the Florida East Coast Railroad Bridge above the Okeechobee Waterway would open regularly every half hour (on the quarter and three-quarter hours) and remain open until “all vessels requiring or requesting an opening have cleared.” The bridge would not be open for more than 15 minutes at a time, but it’s possible that this could affect rail traffic.

Brightline train at Orlando Airport

These temporary regulations will be in effect from June 21st-December 17th. During that time, the Coast Guard will evaluate how the new regulations will affect rail and boat traffic. Both Brightline and the Florida East Coast Railroad (FECR) are against the plan, claiming that it will cause delays for trains that may last up to an hour. Brightline also noted that it could cause passenger service to drop by 50%.

©Brightline

“The temporary deviation issued by the Coast Guard was done unilaterally and without authority or regard for due process,” said a statement from Brightline and FECR. “As written, it is deeply flawed and will result in dramatic impacts to local traffic, create safety issues for the public, and is impossible for freight and passenger railroad operations to comply.”

Previously, the bridge would only open for a single 15-minute period each hour, which was inconvenient for marine businesses in the area. When the bridge is closed, there’s only a 6-ft vertical clearance for boats to travel underneath. The long-range solution would be to construct a new bridge, which is the preferred solution for both Brightline and FECR.

©Brightline via The Orlando Sentinel

Currently, the bridge is only used by freight trains 12-14 times per night. However, with Brightline adding its new route to Orlando, train traffic will be increased to 32 times per day.

We’ll keep you updated if we learn more about this bridge and the impact that it could have on Brightline travel, so stay tuned to DFB.

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