Transit Briefs: Amtrak, Brightline

Amtrak said it will bring station elements including parking, station buildings and platforms into accessibility “compliance through a comprehensive multi-year, multi-billion-dollar design and construction program.” (Amtrak Photograph)

Amtrak reports investing $770 million since 2011 in station accessibility upgrades and is working toward 100% project completion by 2029. Also, Brightline, Florida’s private-sector passenger railroad, launches a redesigned website and new native mobile app ahead of expanded service to Orlando.

Amtrak on July 26 reported investing $770 million since 2011 in station accessibility upgrades and improvement projects across its national network. Improvements include repairs and upgrades to platforms, ramps and sidewalks, as well as renovations to entrances and restrooms. “America’s Railroad” said it is now advancing further projects and working toward 100% completion by 2029.

According to Amtrak, the new projects will bring station elements including parking, station buildings and platforms “into compliance through a comprehensive multi-year, multi-billion-dollar design and construction program.” To date, the railroad has brought 117 stations into compliance and another 67 stations have been made accessible. Amtrak will also design and deploy assistive boarding equipment, including bridge plates, to help riders with reduced mobility board and depart from the train, and display audio and visual train status and boarding information through passenger information display systems at stations.

Amtrak said new projects are also related to equipment. New Acela and Amtrak Airo trains will offer a public address customer information system to provide real-time information, such as train location, train speed, and conductor announcements in audio and visual formats, it pointed out. They will also feature accessible restrooms, vestibules, and Café Cars with integrated boarding equipment for customers with reduced mobility.

Accessibility improvements across all fleets include adding handrails to Superliner accessible bedrooms, stair handrails, folding tray tables at accessible seating areas, slip-resistant vestibule flooring, and compliant service counters in Café Cars.

Other projects will address how customers book tickets and navigate digital channels, according to Amtrak.

“These investments benefit all of our customers by improving the travel experience at every aspect of the journey from trip planning, to purchasing tickets, to using our stations, trains and services,” Amtrak President Roger Harris said. “The execution of work depends on the strong collaboration and shared commitment from the community, the Department of Transportation, local governments, freight railroads and other partners.”

The Amtrak Americans with Disabilities Act Stations Program oversees accessibility-related station improvement projects “to ensure customers with disabilities can successfully navigate the rail network,” according to Amtrak, which noted that the program has identified another 39 stations for completion this fiscal year at a forecasted investment of $140 million.

Brightline on July 26 unveiled a redesigned website and new native mobile app available for iOS and Android devices. It said all rider information, including tickets and monthly passes, will be migrated automatically.

According to Brightline, key features of its new “digital experience” include:

• Design: “Drawing on insights from hundreds of guest studies and over a thousand hours of design research, an intuitive interface has been crafted, making it easier than ever to book the Brightline journey,” the railroad reported.
• Speed to book: The native app “will ensure lightning-fast performance, reliability and added security,” said Brightline, which noted that riders can “book their ticket in half the clicks.”
• Offline ticketing: Ticket accessibility is now available offline. Riders will no longer need to be connected to Wi-Fi to scan their tickets using the native app.
• Powered by Sqills: Brightline said its new mobile ticketing platform is powered by S3 Passenger, the inventory, ticketing and reservation system offered by Sqills, a Siemens Mobility subsidiary. According to Brightline, it is the second Siemens Mobility customer in North America, after VIA Rail Canada, to invest in the system.

Brightline on May 17 opened up ticket sales for trips between South Florida (Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach) and Orlando. While it has not yet announced the late-summer opening date for Orlando service, tickets can now be purchased for rides on Sept. 1 through Jan. 7, 2024.

On June 21, the railroad celebrated completion of its 170-mile extension to Orlando.