“There was no playbook for us to follow. It was just a few people sitting in a room trying to map out what the next steps would be. And that’s how we got started, and the rest is history.”

Brian Kronberg- VP of Development at Brightline, Founder of Amerified

While American railroads enjoy a rich history of passenger and freight travel, for decades now, the car has dominated. But what about those routes that feel too long to drive but too short to fly?

Enter Brightline, a Florida-based passenger rail line serving major cities like Orlando and Miami. Determined to offer a comfortable, enjoyable riding experience, they operate as America's sole privately-owned passenger line.

We spoke with their VP of development, Brian Kronberg, about his experience launching Brightline and the challenge of finding American-made materials that led to the founding of Amerified, a database of products made in the USA.

Topics discussed in this interview:

- How did Brian’s career end up here?

- Why was Florida a good spot for passenger rail?

- Using rail systems around the world for inspiration

- Designing and building stations

- Demographics of Brightline riders

- Brightline’s growth plan

- Unique benefits of a Brightline train

- Sourcing American-made materials for a major project

- The development process

- The inspiration for Amerified

- How can you use Amerified?

- Rapid fire questions

This episode of Construction Disruption is sponsored by TrueLook, the easiest way to view, secure, and document your jobsite. Get your free, no obligation quote at TrueLook.com.

To find routes and schedules, visit gobrightline.com, and to discover a range of products Made in America, visit amerified.io.

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This episode was produced by Isaiah Industries, Inc.

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