Federal officials coming to inspect Brightline operations after rising number of deaths

The rising number of deaths on Brightline tracks since services relaunched following the pandemic hiatus will bring federal inspectors from the Federal Railroad Administration, according to the Sun Sentinel.

The agency’s inspections of Florida crossings will start next month in the Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville areas, James Payne, the agency’s staff director of grade crossing and trespass outreach said Wednesday.

Since restarting rail service in November 2021 after a year-and-a-half pandemic hiatus, Brightline trains, reaching a top speed of 79 mph, have struck and killed five pedestrians along with three motorists in South Florida, according to news reports.

– Anne Geggis, Florida Politics