Bolster Brightline’s safety push

For as exciting as it is, the inaugural week of Brightline’s go-fast train generated headlines as bad as they get.

Brightline train kills woman during VIP ride Brightline kills second person in a week Fledgling AAF/Brightline Claims a Fourth Life

The shame of it is, the people who died — including two during the train’s trial runs in previous months — put themselves at risk. By all accounts, they either purposefully or foolishly crossed the tracks in front of a passenger train approaching at speeds of up to 79 mph.

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson is calling for an investigation. Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, who hails from the Treasure Coast, called for a halt of the new train service until “massive safety flaws” are addressed. And Republican state Rep. Debbie Mayfield of Vero Beach says the Florida Department of Transportation needs more authority over long-distance passenger rail to ensure public safety.

“How many more people must die before we really take a look at putting safety first when it comes to high-speed rail coming through our communities?” she asked.

Brightline defends its safety procedures and equipment, including its new crossing gates, which now have four arms, up from two, to keep motorists from squeezing through and getting caught on the tracks.

But how do you design a gate that stops pedestrians and bicyclists from getting through?

You’ve got to feel for the locomotive engineer who sees someone on the track, but cannot stop in time to avoid hitting him or her.

Truth is, death by train happens all too often, including a number of suicides.

Last year, Florida had 52 railroad deaths, up from 35 in 2016, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. In South Florida’s three biggest counties, 26 people died on railroads last year, up from 14 the previous year.

Given what’s known about deaths on the track, a higher-profile public education campaign is long overdue. To work, it needs to be dramatic, like the ads that show the danger of smoking.

Yes, freight trains have long used the Florida East Coat Railway corridor that Brightline now travels. And people should have learned long ago not to cross in front of an approaching train.

But Brightline trains at times go nearly twice as fast as the lumbering freight trains with which we’re familiar.

And with plans for up to 32 trains day, Brightline is adding to the frequency of rail traffic barreling through South Florida downtowns.

Danger may not be the preferred marketing message to send when launching something as spectacular as this long-distance passenger rail service. It’s especially sensitive for Brightline, given that opponents in the Treasure Coast — the region represented by Mast and Mayfield — tried to kill the project by raising safety concerns. They expect the line’s extension to Orlando will disrupt their communities, with no real benefit.

Still, public safety must trump marketing. And given Brightline’s bumpy introduction, a federal investigation is warranted, no question. We also wonder whether the trains will be able to silence their horns, as promised with the arrival those expensive quad gates.

That said, Brightline took welcome steps Friday to improve safety at rail crossings.

It committed to posting temporary, digital warning signs to alert pedestrians and drivers about approaching trains. These are in addition to the lights, signs, alarms and gates already installed.

It plans to position employees at some of the busiest intersections to warn against trying to beat trains across the tracks.

And it committed to a stepped-up public education campaign about staying off the tracks, ads it says have already been running on television and radio. It also intends to continue in-person, community outreach efforts to spread the message to “look, listen and live.” “Safety systems are in place. They work. Yet, we recognize we need to amplify the message,” Brightline President Patrick Goddard said at a press conference.

We’d also encourage Brightline to follow the lead of other rail lines, including TriRail, which is exploring the use of drones that could give engineers a warning sign about danger up ahead.

So, too, should it quickly install “Positive Train Control,” a feature that monitors train speeds and automatically slows those going faster than they should. The federal government is requiring rail lines to install it by December. It’s believed this feature might have helped prevent last month’s train derailment near Seattle, where three people died. The train was going 80 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Bad headlines aside, let us herald the arrival of Brightline, which offers an exciting service for quickly moving people through South Florida.

The non-stop, 30-minute trip from downtown West Palm Beach to downtown Fort Lauderdale beats the demolition derby on Interstate 95, hands down. And whenever the Miami station opens, commuters will have a nonstop route between the region’s three largest downtowns, as opposed to Tri-Rail, which makes many stops in between.

A fourth station is expected to open at Orlando International Airport in 2021.

Ticket costs will ultimately determine whether riders find Brightline an economically viable transportation option, or an expensive novelty. During its rollout period, a one-way fare costs $10, or $15 for the roomier, first-class section. Free parking is also being offered for now.

We’re rooting for Brightline’s success as a business and as a good corporate citizen.

To keep the public onboard, the company should be more forthcoming about its scheduling, its prices and its safety record.

Much is riding on its success.

Given what’s known about deaths on the track, a higherprofile public education campaign is long overdue.