IN APRIL 2014, FLORIDA BULLDOG REPORTED THAT BRIGHTLINE (NOW VIRGIN TRAINS, USA) REJECTED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MORE SUFFICIENT SAFETY FEATURES AT PLANNED RAIL CROSSINGS, where their train would be running up to speeds of 79 mph. These safety measures were recommended by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which included sealed corridors at 31 crossings as well as fenced bridges and underpasses. Fast forward to Brightline's third year of operation - the death toll of said high-speed passenger train has reached at least 40 and the train has been titled as the "deadliest railroad in the U.S. on a per-mile basis."
Guess what - Brightline has now agreed to incorporate some of those recommendations into Phase 2 of their project.
The FRA is not the only association that has been calling for more safety. The Alliance for Safe Trains has been calling for more safety features since the train's inception. Additionally, Senator Mayfield has filed a bill which would clarify existing rail safety laws and is set for discussion on Jan 14. Click here to read the bill.
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Original article written by Ann Henson Feltgen of the FloridaBulldog.org.