Dear Mr. O’Rourke,

Per your letter below sent to a number of people on the Treasure and Space Coasts of Florida, I would like to take the opportunity to point out a number of issues.

CHAIRMAN BOB SOLARI AND FELLOW BOARD COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY SEND A LETTER TO FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S SECRETARY THIBAULT. Within the letter, Solari states he would like to address safety concerns related to the Virgin Trains USA (formerly Brightline) high-speed passenger rail.

Read the letter here.

VIRGIN TRAINS USA HAS SELECTED CONTRACTORS WHO WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR DEVELOPING 170 MILES OF RAIL EXPANSION FOR PHASE 2 BETWEEN ORLANDO AND SOUTH FLORIDA. These contractors include Hubbard Construction Company, Wharton-Smith Inc., The Middlesex Corporation, Granite and HSR Constructors.

Read more here.

AN ANALYSIS HAS IDENTIFIED AT LEAST 76 DEATHS BY BRIGHTLINE (NOW VIRGIN TRAINS USA) PASSENGER AND FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY FREIGHT TRAINS SINCE 2015, by USA Today. Railroad administration data only shows 55 fatalities.

According to Federal Railroad Administration spokesman Warren Flatau, not all deaths are public on the Federal Railroad Administration data due to "suicide reporting restrictions intended to safeguard privacy."

VIRGIN TRAINS USA'S PARENT COMPANY, FLORIDA EAST COAST INDUSTRIES, SELLS OFFICE PORTION OF ITS MIAMICENTRAL STATION FOR $159.4 MILLION. This includes the ground floor retail, two office buildings and parking space, property records show. Tenants include Viacom, the Confederation of North Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and Carlton Fields and Atlantic | Pacific Companies.

Read more here.

THE $1.75 BILLION DOLLARS VIRGIN TRAINS USA (FORMERLY BRIGHTLINE) IN PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS INTENDED IMPROVE THEIR HIGH-SPEED RAIL TRAIN SAFETY HAS BEEN INVESTED IN NON-ESSENTIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT. Clearly, safety is not their top priority.

Treasure Coast residents and elected government officials are growing more and more concerned about Virgin Trains complete disregard for safety concerns about their 100+ mph trains which will be traveling through heavily-populated areas.

A WOMAN DIED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A VIRGIN TRAINS USA TRAIN, FORMERLY BRIGHTLINE, SUNDAY MORNING, the Boynton Beach police said.

Read more here.

Original article was written by Sabrina Lolo of the CBS 12 News. Photo credits: WPEC

WITNESS SEES TRUCK STUCK ON TRACKS FOR AN HOUR. The car carrier was stuck on the 26th Street RR crossing in Vero Beach from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Fortunately, maintenance crews were able to successfully remove the truck before any train-vehicle collision could occur.

"What a disaster it would have been should it have happened just before an incoming train, especially if it was carrying anything hazardous," the witness comments. "Could have wiped out the whole neighborhood."

THE BRIGHTLINE/ FLORIDA EAST COAT RAILROAD CROSSING ARMS MALFUNCTIONED FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF ON THURSDAY MORNING, reports the WPTV. Fortunately, the crossing arms had malfunctioned in the down position - it could have malfunctioned in the up position just as easily.

Read more here.

Train Wreck Times by Susan Mehiel

Excellent News and lots of Positive Exposure!

We’re pleased to report we had major success in Brevard County recently. After talking to the Board of County Commissioners at their meeting at the end of March, we were contacted by Commissioner Tobia who offered to sponsor a resolution regarding the AAF safety issues. We were pleased to work with his staff to produce a resolution.