Brightline Locomotive Completes Test

​The first Brightline locomotive successfully completed initial track testing and moved for the first time powered by its Cummins diesel-electric engine on a quarter mile long track at the Siemens manufacturing facility in Sacramento, California. This signifies another major milestone for the production of Brightline’s trains as the company has now approved production for all locomotives currently being built by Siemens. Here is a video of the locomotive moving for the first time:

“The operation of the locomotive and its passing of the initial track testing has demonstrated Siemens’ engineering expertise and given us a high degree of confidence that the Brightline service will be exceptionally reliable,” said Gene Skoropowski, senior vice president of railroad operations for Brightline. “Brightline will be the only passenger rail service in the country to have such dynamic and modern trains that will offer Americans a new and modern experience in train travel.”

In addition to running the diesel engine for the first time, approximately 45 areas were tested on the Brightline locomotive. These included: functional tests of the air and braking systems; software installation for all systems; locomotive doors; fire detection systems; audible warning devices; communication systems; interior and exterior lighting; as well as empty and fully loaded weight verification. The static and dynamic testing of the locomotive was done over a three-week period.

The first completed trainset is expected to leave Sacramento and be delivered to Brightline at its West Palm Beach maintenance facility later this year. Brightline is scheduled to begin express inter-city service between Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach in mid-2017.

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