Brightline reports first fatality on new extension to Orlando

MEAGHAN MACKEY, WESH TWO NEWS. ORLANDO IS THE ONLY STATION CONNECTED TO AN AIRPORT, AND THIS WILL HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON TRAVEL AND THE ECONOMY. WESH 2 BOB HAZEN CONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE FROM BRIGHTLINE’S NEW STATION AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HIGH SPEED TRAINS ARE A BRAND NEW THING HERE AT ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF HOOPLA ABOUT IT TODAY. MANY ARE HOPING THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE FOR RAIL SYSTEMS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA. FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, A TRAIN PULLED UP TO THE AIRPORT TO PICK UP PEOPLE FOR A TRIP TO SOUTH FLORIDA. PASSENGERS EXCITED TO GET ON THE BRIGHTLINE CARS AND BE A PART OF HISTORY. IT’S A NEW SERVICE. IT’S SOMETHING EXCITING AND NEW. ABOUT 170 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD THE FIRST TRAIN WHEN IT LEFT AT 6:44 A.M. A COUPLE OF MINUTES BEHIND SCHEDULE. SOME JUST CURIOUS OR LOOKING TO MAKE A DAY TRIP, BUT MANY OF THEM BIG FANS OF TRAINS. I’M A TRAIN BUFF AND IT’S GOING TO BE GOOD FOR THE AREA ONCE IT CATCHES ON. YOU KNOW, IT’S NOT GOING TO BE FOR EVERYBODY. BUT HOPEFULLY THERE’S ENOUGH PEOPLE THAT IT’S REALLY SUCCESSFUL. I’M A TRAINED PERSON. I’VE GOT TO SAY THAT SO MUCH. SO THAT HE RODE TRAINS, AMTRAK AND SUNRAIL ALL THE WAY FROM JACKSONVILLE TO ORLANDO JUST TO BE HERE. I’M EXCITED TO COMPARE, YOU KNOW, WE’VE GOT AMTRAK. WE’VE HAD THAT FOR A VERY LONG TIME. LET’S SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY USES INNOVATION TO CREATE A BRAND NEW RAILROAD. THE SECOND TRAIN PACKED AS WELL. IT LEFT RIGHT ON TIME. THIS IS ALSO THEIR FIRST LOOK AT THE BRIGHT LINE STATION HERE WITH ITS LOUNGES AND BAR. THAT’S WHERE WE MET DALE LARSON. HE JUST GOT DONE HIKING THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL AND IS GOING TO MIAMI FOR A CRUISE. I’M TAKING A CRUISE OUT OF MIAMI AND I JUST HAPPENED TO STUMBLE INTO THIS. AND I WAS SO EXCITED BECAUSE I THINK HIGH SPEED RAIL IS THE WAY TO GO. AND THESE GUYS ARE CUTTING EDGE AND THEY’RE MAKING IT HAPPEN. SO I’M HAPPY TO BE ON THE MAIDEN VOYAGE. OTHERS LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF BRIGHTLINE GOING EVEN FURTHER TO TAMPA. IT’S A GREAT OPTION TO TRAVEL AROUND FLORIDA AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TRYING TO DO THIS AS MUCH AS WE CAN IN THESE EARLY STAGES. BRIGHTLINE IS PLANNING FOR SIX DEPARTURES PER DAY FROM ORLANDO, BUT THEY HOPE TO EVENTUALLY GET UP TO 16 DEPARTURES. REPORTING AT THE BRIGHTLINE STATION

Updated: 10:03 AM EDT Sep 29, 2023

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Updated: 10:03 AM EDT Sep 29, 2023

Editorial Standards ⓘ

Florida's high-speed passenger train service suffered the first fatality on its new extension to Orlando on Thursday when a pedestrian was struck in what appears to be a suicide, officials said. Overall, it was Brightline's 99th death since it began operations six years ago. A northbound Brightline train headed to Orlando struck the 25-year-old man shortly before 9 a.m. near the Atlantic Coast city of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said at a news conference. He said the man was homeless and appeared to have intentionally stepped in front of the train. Brightline’s trains travel up to 79 mph in urban areas, 110 mph in less-populated regions and 125 mph through central Florida’s farmland. It is unknown how fast this train was traveling, Mascara said. Brightline officials did not immediately respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment. Related: Brightline’s high-speed rail service from Miami to Orlando starts FridayBrightline opened its extension connecting Miami and Orlando on Friday, though the celebration was marred when a pedestrian was struck by one of the company's trains carrying commuters from West Palm Beach to Miami. Brightline trains have had the highest death rate in the U.S. since its Miami-West Palm operations began — about one death for every 32,000 miles its trains travel, according to an ongoing Associated Press analysis of federal data that began in 2019. The next-worst major railroad has a fatality every 130,000 miles.Related: What to know about safety at Brightline crossingsNone of the previous deaths have been found to be Brightline’s fault — most have been suicides, drivers who go around crossing gates or pedestrians running across tracks.Brightline has taken steps its leaders believe enhance safety, including adding closed-circuit cameras near tracks, installing better crossing gates and pedestrian barriers, and posting signage that includes the suicide prevention hotline.

ORLANDO, Fla. —

A northbound Brightline train headed to Orlando struck the 25-year-old man shortly before 9 a.m. near the Atlantic Coast city of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara said at a news conference. He said the man was homeless and appeared to have intentionally stepped in front of the train.

Brightline’s trains travel up to 79 mph in urban areas, 110 mph in less-populated regions and 125 mph through central Florida’s farmland. It is unknown how fast this train was traveling, Mascara said.

Brightline officials did not immediately respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment.

Brightline opened its extension connecting Miami and Orlando on Friday, though the celebration was marred when a pedestrian was struck by one of the company's trains carrying commuters from West Palm Beach to Miami.

Brightline trains have had the highest death rate in the U.S. since its Miami-West Palm operations began — about one death for every 32,000 miles its trains travel, according to an ongoing Associated Press analysis of federal data that began in 2019. The next-worst major railroad has a fatality every 130,000 miles.

None of the previous deaths have been found to be Brightline’s fault — most have been suicides, drivers who go around crossing gates or pedestrians running across tracks.

Brightline has taken steps its leaders believe enhance safety, including adding closed-circuit cameras near tracks, installing better crossing gates and pedestrian barriers, and posting signage that includes the suicide prevention hotline.

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Brightline reports first fatality on new extension to Orlando

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