HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — Brightline’s newest equipment is making its way to Florida. On Friday, Oct. 8, Union Pacific ET44AH No. 2603 leads a new trainset, operating as CSX train CSX W989 on the Henderson Subdivision at CSX Casky yard in Hopkinsville, Ky. The new equipment — to be used as service is expanded to Orlando, Fla. — is en route from Sacramento, Calif., where was recently shown to reporters at the Siemens plant [see “Brightline, Siemens Mobility show off newest trainsets …,” Trains News Wire, Sept. 28, 2021]. — Jim Pearson
The passage through Kentucky from Sacramento, California to West Palm Beach, Florida appears to be a circuitous route.
Nonetheless, Brightline’s new trains are rare passenger train sightings in most of Kentucky for nearly half a century. I can imagine the sweet fragrance on board the new cars.
This appears to remain a train-set without the once promised cafe car, which was to be added with operations to Orlando. Brightline’s rolling cart service (and in First Class the amazing in-station food, and (all legal) beverage offering) remains outstanding, but hopefully ridership will eventually grow enough for BL to exercise their original cafe car plans.