One of the brightest moments in decades for U.S. passenger rail advocates came in September, when a black and gold train consisting of two locomotives and four passenger cars broke through a banner and came to a stop at the Orlando airport amid a shower of confetti and cheers from hundreds of onlookers.

It was the first time that a Brightline train with paying passengers made the journey from Miami to the Orlando area, linking two of the biggest tourist destinations in Florida with the comforts of a modern train. It means visitors to the Sunshine State could walk along South Florida’s legendary beaches and spend time at Disney World without enduring a four-hour drive in between.