The Brightline Transformation in the U.S. is Revolutionizing Passenger Rail
🛤 The Brightline Transformation in the U.S. is Revolutionizing Passenger Rail.
Brightline, a Florida-based company owned by Fortress Investment Group, is challenging the traditional passenger rail model in the U.S. by offering a privately funded and operated alternative. The company's Miami to West Palm Beach line, launched in 2018, became the first privately funded passenger rail built in the country in a century. An expansion line to Orlando is set to open soon, with the total project cost reaching $6 billion. Brightline is aiming to transport 8 million people annually in Florida, and it believes it can be a profitable venture at that level. Additionally, the company is working on a high-speed rail line connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with plans to break ground later this year. The project, costing $12 billion, will create thousands of jobs and hopes to be completed before the LA 2028 Olympics. Although privately operated, success may still require some level of subsidy to make high-speed rail financially viable.
The union representing nearly 9,300 workers at Canada’s top two rail companies is signaling a potential work stoppage due to stalled negotiations over working conditions and wage hikes.