THE EMERGENCE OF INTRAMODAL COMPETITION.

My impression from the beginning of Florida's Brightline service was that it was an attempt to provide upscale intercity transportation in the manner of Amtrak's Acela, and I wondered how two very different services would coexist bringing sports fans into Miami, whether for basketball or for Stanley Cup finals of all things.  "The upcoming professional basketball tournament will feature contrasting approaches to Commuter Rail and Regional Rail service. Brightline and the Miami Heat have a partnership, and fans will be able to get to Heat games either on Brightline or the city's more traditional Commuter Rail operator that terminates at Amtrak's former Seaboard Air Line station."  I had similar reservations about Brightline working with the Orlando area Commuter Rail operator with shared stations.

What I did not see was the Miami Commuter Rail operator responding to the competition with express commuter trains of their own.

A new Tri-Rail express train promises to cut travel times for people heading to and from Miami.

The South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) unveiled its new one-seat service between West Palm Beach and the MiamiCentral station. The agency claims the line will cut at least a half-hour of the typical commute time between the two cities.

"We are thrilled to unveil this new enhancement to our train service,” SFRTA Executive Director Dave Dech explained. “By offering a one-seat ride and reducing travel time, we aim to provide an enhanced commuting experience for our passengers and attract new riders to Tri-Rail."

When the service begins, the train will pull out of West Palm Beach at 6:30 a.m. and it is expected to arrive at its destination at 8:05 a.m. An evening rout [c.q.] will depart MiamiCentral at 5:35 p.m.

The intermediate stops are Boca Raton, where Brightline recently saw the wisdom of building a station, Fort Lauderdale, but closer to the airport than Brightline, and the transfer station to Miami's Metro Rail, which is to say the local rapid transit.  Brightline apparently are handling enough intercity travellers between Orlando and Miami that they're no longer selling the multi-ride passes commuters on the original Miami - Fort Lauderdale - West Palm run were enjoying.  Perhaps these faster commuter trains on Tri Rail will attract some passengers.

Nowhere, though, do the competing Passenger Rail operators work together.  Amtrak will not carry passengers locally between Naperville and LaGrange Road, where the Quincy services call, whilst Metra operate Naperville Zephyrs as well as other rush-hour dinkies making their first stop at LaGrange or Hinsdale or Downer's Grove.  Nor, I suspect, will Sun Rail or Tri Rail tickets be good on Brightline, let alone on the two long distance Amtrak trains using the former Seaboard metals.