A press release from All Aboard Florida/Brightline:
Fifth Trainset Delivered As Brightline Named Official Train Service Of Miami HEAT
Miami HEAT Dancers and Burnie Welcome BrightRed to South Florida
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Oct. 5, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Traveling to a Miami HEAT game from Broward and Palm Beach Counties will be a slam dunk when Brightline launches service later this year. Today Brightline, the new and only privately funded express inter-city passenger rail service in the United States, welcomed its fifth trainset, BrightRed, from Siemens USA in Sacramento. Coinciding with BrightRed’s arrival, Brightline was named the official Train Service of the Miami HEAT and AmericanAirlines Arena. Through an innovative partnership, Marketing and Sales teams from Brightline and the HEAT are collaborating to create promotions and packages maximizing the in-person NBA experience for South Florida fans.
“There is nothing like seeing the world’s best basketball players live paired with the exciting energy, sights and sounds of AmericanAirlines Arena,” said Brightline CEO Dave Howard. “It is exciting to partner with one the NBA’s most respected franchises. Traveling to and from HEAT games and events at the AmericanAirlines Arena will be much easier and more convenient for our guests than sitting in traffic trying to get to the game on time.”
HEAT fans from the tri-county area will be able to use the new Brightline train service, boarding at the downtown West Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale stations and disembarking at MiamiCentral, a short stroll to the AmericanAirlines Arena. Business outings to Miami HEAT games for Broward and Palm Beach County companies is even easier as well and additional Brightline package details will be shared as the service gets closer to launch.
Once onboard one of the five Brightline trains, fans can enjoy complimentary Wi-Fi in each train car, have a refreshing drink and arrive in plenty of time for tip-off. After the game, it is back on the train and seamlessly returning to downtown Fort Lauderdale within 30 minutes or West Palm Beach in an hour.
“Our partnership with Brightline will offer HEAT fans and AmericanAirlines Arena guests a new opportunity to get in and out of downtown Miami comfortably and in style,” said Kim Stone, Executive Vice President of the Miami HEAT and General Manager of AmericanAirlines Arena. “With more people living, working and playing in downtown Miami, collaborating with Brightline to address the transportation needs of our guests is a huge step in the right direction.”
BrightRed was built by employees at Siemens’ 1,000-person, 60-acre rail manufacturing hub and is 100 percent Buy America compliant. Train components were manufactured by 40 different U.S. suppliers from more than 20 states. Having arrived at Workshop b, Brightline’s 12-acre railroad operations facility in West Palm Beach, BrightRed will soon begin testing.
Each Brightline train is built as an integrated trainset, comprised of two diesel-electric locomotives and four high quality stainless-steel coaches. These clean diesel-electric locomotives will meet the highest emissions standards set by the federal government. The integration improves ride quality and makes for a quiet experience, while the bright yellow locomotive on each end offers high reliability and redundancy.
Brightline is committed to leading private investment toward transportation infrastructure benefiting the public. Brightline will provide a much-needed, hospitality-driven alternative to South Florida’s congested roadways. Each train abounds with innovations and comfortable features including automatic level boarding, wide aisles exceeding ADA compliance, multiple power outlets for devices and free robust Wi-Fi, powered by multiple antennas in every car. The company is anticipating an official launch in 2017.
About Brightline
Brightline is the new benchmark for travel by train in America with express inter-city passenger rail service connecting Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, with future service to Orlando. Providing a travel option that lives at the intersection of transportation and hospitality, the service will ease the stress of traffic, provide a simple and intuitive experience from door to destination, and foster new opportunities to explore more of Southeast Florida. Brightline is the only privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail system in the United States. For more information, visit our website: www.gobrightline.com and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.