As of today almost 200 people have been KILLED between MIAMI to ORLANDO by BRIGHTLINE HIGH-SPEED TRAINS. I think more safety improvements are needed in this section. Florida has passed a new LAW effective JANUARY 1, 2026 that only effects new construction and is not retroactive.
Cleaning the gene pool of those āBlue Hairsā that still think railroads and trains are only parts of history, not a part of the present and future. Florida has quite a number of at grade RR crossings where traffic lights stop crossing traffic a short distance beyond the railroad on one side or the other, if no both sides - creating traps for those that think they can stop on the tracks.
Not only older people have been KILLED by BRIGHTLINE TRAINS. People of all ages. Cars and Trucks break down on the tracks without warning.
Those that break down have been crying out to their owners for weeks or months that they have issues that need to be fixed - and the owner for their own reasons, have not seen or heard the messages their vehicles have been sending them. Breakdowns are on the owners, not the railroad.
Railroads are a very small āsliceā of exposure for humans to stay clear of at the appropriate times.
As a 51 year+ railroader - Railroads are the choice of many to exit their lives, on the hope that it will not be viewed as the suicide that it is.
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With you 100% on this. Itās an infantile and impossible proposition that society can protect everyone from themselves. Personal responsibility is the hallmark and a requirement of inhabitants of a free civilization.
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There is a joint Miami Herald/PBS research article here:
http://www.miamiherald.com/killertrain
That all should read and listen too. Itās just another perspective.
I only read the opening paragraph - I did not listen to any of five 1/2 hour segments (nor do I plan to). But the title āKiller Trainā suggests to me a significant anti-rail bias is likely to be found in the reporting.
For anyone who did listen to them, was any context provided for death numbers from other transportation modes? For example - if 180 people were killed by Brightline trains since 2017, how many pedestrian fatalities from cars or trucks were recorded in Florida in the same time span?
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Well sometimes it is accidental, my Aunt drove in front of a moving boxcar being shoved by a Milwaukee Road locomotive because the conductor was riding the ladder while the boxcar was being shoved after dark with a very dimly lit lantern instead of walking on the ground as a ground guide. Parking lot was not illuminated that well either.
The rails went diagonally across a paved civilian parking lot (JC Penny Catalog Distribution in Milwaukeeā¦long ago closed). I can see how that mistake was made and driving across a parking lot even with the rails embedded in the pavement, you do not expect a train without any warning. Realize this is NOT a grade crossing accident and is an exception to the rule of folks in Florida being oblivious.
This was a long time ago. I think it was the 1970ās. The railroad paid for her totaled car which was dragged a bit. She was not injured as it was only traveling at 10-15 mph.
See photo below of where the rails were across the parking lot. Gosh I am shocked I found an actual picture online of the accident scene.
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When FEC ran periodic freights through the same ROW, but not nearly as frequent as Brightline, they too had issues with gate runners, suicides, people trying to drive over the tracks at non crossings.
But because the freights were infrequent and the moves occurred over night, it really never hit the public space so openly.
Enter Brightline who has way more speed, way more frequency, and running when people are up and around. Even if the rate of death is the same per train movement, simply because they have such a high frequency more events are going to occur.
I need to see some better stats and breakdowns, but I surmise these type of events have been happening for many years, Brightline, just by its existence, has brought it to the forefront.
This is my reply to all, as a resident of FLORIDA for over 70 years. Hear are some of the problems that I see. 1st the new SAFETY LAW improvements that go into affect as of JANUARY 1, 2026 here in FLORIDA should have been been made retroactive between MIAMI to ORLANDO where almost 200 people have been KILLED S0 FAR. 2nd most of those safety improvements discussed above have not been installed as of today. Some ideas I have suggested for years is for sensors be installed at every GRADE CROSSING for the whole route so the TRAIN ENGINEER would have more time to stop. Another is to install 24 HOUR/7 DAYS A WEEK REAL TIME VIDEO CAMERAS like those on I-95 and the FLORIDA TURNPIKE. I am looking forward to more ideas to make this HIGH-SPEED TRAIN safer here in FLORIDA and NATIONWIDE to BRIGHTLINE WEST now under construction between NEVADA and CALIFORNIA.
Now that BRIGHTLINE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN is here in FLORIDA, I DO NO WANT TO STOP IT , I just want it to be made SAFER at all GRADE CROSSINGS.
They have not been killed by Brightline trains. Theyāve been killed because they were trespassing on RR property or deliberately disobeying traffic laws.
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If my car broke down on the tracks I wouldnāt just sit there waiting for the train to hit me. Iād get out of the car. Common sense.
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In response to JL_Chicago, some times you only have a few second to get out before the train hits your car or truck. I do remember at least one person who did exit before the BRIGHTLINE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN HIT got hurt by flying parts. That was at least one of over 200 accidents.
Not possible if you followed the rules of the road.
RR crossings activate a minimum of 20 seconds warning time before the train reaches the crossing. Thatās in the general code of regulations and signals engineers follow the regulations scrupulously.
Thatās plenty of time to get out. If you got hit in less than 20 seconds you went around the gates.
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Excepting the rare condition of defective gates, of course. But that is, indeed, uncommon (though I have seen them freeze up in the bleak cold of ND winters).
Not everyone can get out of a car or truck in 20 seconds, like myself, I am over 70 years old and I do not THINK I can exit my CAR, a 2022 KIA SOUL, in 20 seconds under normal times. NOT IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, I have back problems for over 35 years.
Police at crossings.
DO NOT get in any vehicles that will operate ANYWHERE near the railroad.
Iām 80 and can exit any vehicle in less than double digit seconds - under any conditions.
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There areas in FLORIDA where you need to cross these BRIGHTLINE HIGH-SPEED TRAIN TRACKS at the GRADE CROSSINGS to get to your destination, like the RESTAURANTS NEAR BEACHES here in Fort Pierce, along the ATLANTIC OCEAN.