Safety

THE MAN STRUCK BY TRAIN SATURDAY NIGHT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CONOR J. SCHERLE, according to the West Palm Beach police. Scherle was struck at the intersection of Okeechobee and Quadrille boulevards at around 4 a.m.

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The original article was written by Wayne K. Roustan of the Sun Sentinel.

OAKLAND PARK RESIDENT CARTER MCDONALD DIED AFTER BEING STRUCK BY A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN WEDNESDAY, the Miami Herald reports.

This is the second fatality this month and 12th involving a Brightline train since the trains began initial tests in 2017. 

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ANDRES ISRAEL RODRIGUEZ-OLIVA WAS STRUCK BY A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN NEW YEARS DAY, FELL INTO A CANAL AND DROWNED, authorities said.

The Brightine train video revealed that after being struck, Rodriguez-Oliva fell into the water. Twenty minutes later, the Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue retrieved his body from the canal and declared him dead at the scene.

This was the 11th fatality involving a Brightline train since test runs began in 2018.

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY HAS FILED ANOTHER LAWSUIT AGAINST VIRGIN TRAINS ON WEDNESDAY. This lawsuit argues that the county should not be enforced to pay for 21 crossing improvements along the Florida East Coast Railway corridor.

Prior to the establishment of Virgin Trains USA, Indian River County had an agreement with the FEC to maintain freight crossings.

DASHCAM FOOTAGE REVEALS ILLINOIS POLICE OFFICERS' CLOSE CALL WITH A COMMUTER TRAIN. The footage shows Police Officer Peter Stanglewicz narrowly missing a train that barrels through the corridor. The gates didn't close and warning lights did not go off.

Metra spokeswoman Katie Dahlstrom stated, "A signal maintainer who had arrived on scene a few minutes earlier for a separate issue immediately started investigating this incident and put additional protections in place to prevent trains from proceeding through the intersection until the problem could be fixed."

TWO MEN WERE TRAPPED IN THEIR CAR AFTER COLLIDING WITH A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN WEDNESDAY NIGHT, officials said. The two had to be cut from their crumpled vehicle before being rushed to Broward Health Medical Center.

Ten people have died after being struck by Brightline trains since their initial test runs in July 2017.

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The Train Wreck Times by Susan Mehiel - Holiday Edition

WE HAVE MUCH TO CELEBRATE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON! Despite all of the so-called positive media they’ve drummed up and the votes by Martin County and CARE FL, AAF/Virgin is no closer to starting construction on the second phase of the project than they were when the year started…think about that for a minute.

REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMEN MAST AND POSEY POINT TO AN OCT. 31 REPORT as they press the Department of Transportation to stop the extension Brightline has requested to issue tax-exempt bonds. These bonds are needed to expand Brightline's second phase from South Florida to Orlando.

The report is from the state Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability, which supported financial and safety concerns about Brightline's service, as well as stating that the DOT hasn't used its authority to regulate the high-passenger rail's expected speeds.

CONGRESSMEN ASK CHAO TO NOT EXTEND THE BRIGHTLINE DEADLINE FOR SELLING PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS.

A PICKUP TRUCK WAS STRUCK BY A BRIGHTLINE TRAIN WEDNESDAY MORNING in Lake Worth, Florida. Fortunately, the driver was able to escape before the impact.

More information to come.

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