Brightline ready to test trains in Central Florida

Brightline is nearly ready to put trains on tracks in Central Florida.  

The high-speed rail agency will begin testing its commuter trains in Brevard County next week.  It's part of the multi-million dollar expansion of the rail line from West Palm Beach to Orlando, slated to begin service in early 2023.

Officials say construction on Brightline’s forthcoming 170-mile service extension from West Palm Beach to the Orlando International Airport is on track for completion in late 2022.  The rail extension to Orlando is about 70% complete.

"Our crews will actually be trained on the territory," says Brightline spokesperson Katie Mitzner. "As you can imagine, driving a train, you have to be intimately familiar with the territory – the curves, the signals, what's coming up."

Essentially, these crews are going to be conducting a "dry run" of the routes. 

Because it is expected to create thousands of jobs, Brightline could generate more than $6.4 billion in economic impact in the state of Florida.  

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