News & Reviews News Wire Brightline to begin 125-mph testing on Cocoa-Orlando corridor

Brightline to begin 125-mph testing on Cocoa-Orlando corridor

By Trains Staff | March 1, 2023

| Last updated on February 6, 2024

Tests are significant milestone toward service expansion

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Train approaches after passing through small S curve
A Brightline train conducts testing in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on Jan. 7, 2023. Brightline is scheduled to begin 125-mph testing between Orlando and Cocoa, Fla., as soon as today. David Lassen

ORLANDO, Fla. — In a significant milestone toward its effort to launch service to Orlando by midyear, Brightline will being testing at speeds up to 125 mph on its new 35-mile corridor between Cocoa, Fla., and Orlando International Airport as soon as today, March 1.

In a Tuesday evening announcement, the passenger operator said test trains will operate between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. daily, with testing continue throughout the spring.

While Brightline has made extensive efforts to warn drivers and pedestrians of testing at speeds up to 110 mph as it tests between West Palm Beach and Cocoa — with flaggers and law enforcement officers at grade crossings — such efforts will not required for the Cocoa-Orlando testing. It is on a sealed corridor with no grade crossings.

The testing will, however, be significant to prove the Interoperable Electronic Train Management System (I-EMTS) positive train control to be used on the high-speed segment of the route [see “Brightline update: PTC plans outlined …,” Trains News Wire, Jan. 3, 2023].

Meanwhile, 110-mph testing is scheduled to resume today in northern Palm Beach County.

7 thoughts on “Brightline to begin 125-mph testing on Cocoa-Orlando corridor

  1. If Brightline does a test exceeding 125mph on this sealed segment, I hope it is shared, though being private, they will not likely share it.

  2. Another piece of good news from Brightline. Leave it to a solid private operator to get some actual construction done instead of just studies. How about a Brightline Midwest??

  3. This is the perfect example of how a railroad is well run, maintained follows all safety procedures and protcols and doing things in proper order and not rushing to things to meet a deadline or scrimping and using costing saving methods on construction or equipment testing. Brightline at present might be a small carrier but watch it grow into something bigger and also be the herald for how passenger railroads in the future will operate. All great things start small but it grows As the saying goes ” do not despise small beginnings” Brightline is truly a breath of much needed fresh air in the railroad industry and the engine for change Joseph C. Markfelder

    1. Like SpaceX, Brightline is demonstrating that the private sector (admittedly, with funding help from the government) operators are far superior to government-run operations like NASA, Amtrak, DC Metro, MBTA, etc. They have risked billions of dollars and have a huge incentive to serve their customers efficiently and safely while meeting or exceeding expectations and growing their business. I hope the people of Florida and the Las Vegas – LA region will take advantage of what they have to offer and make Brightline a resounding success.
      SpaceX is now scheduled to launch a payload into space every 3 – 4 days this year, reusing their Falcon 9 boosters as many as 16 times. Nobody thought that was possible 25 years ago. When their fully reusable Starship and booster become operational in the next few years it will make the past 65 years of space exploration look like child’s play.

  4. Doctor Darwin should be consulted early and often on this testing. Good Luck and Congrats to Brightline for doing the best they can to prevent tragedy.

    1. @Curley, normally I would agree, but being a sealed corridor should help. But I’d be on the lookout for a Darwin-Award winner, they can pop up ANYwhere, at ANYtime.

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