Brightline train strikes, kills pedestrian on day it began service to Orlando from South Florida

Tom Elia and Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post
Updated ·2 min read
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DELRAY BEACH — A Brightline train fatally struck a pedestrian in Delray Beach early Friday, minutes before the high-speed rail service's inaugural train left Miami for Orlando International Airport in its long-planned extension into Central Florida.

Delray Beach police learned of the crash just after 6:15 a.m., department spokesperson Ted White said. It occurred on the southbound tracks at Southeast Second Avenue and Southeast Fourth Street, about half a mile south of downtown. The train had left the West Palm Beach station minutes earlier.

Authorities did not immediately identify the person who died.

The wreck had no effect on northbound Brightline service from Miami to Orlando.

Brightline removed the train that struck the pedestrian from the crash area just before 9 a.m., White said. Earlier, it had loaded its passengers onto another train, which soon left the area for Miami.

It was not clear how many passengers were aboard the Brightline train that hit the pedestrian. The railway did not return calls seeking comment Friday.

The fatality was at least the sixth involving pedestrians and Brightline trains in Palm Beach County this year, and the fourth in Delray Beach. Two people died on Feb. 8 and another on June 5. Other fatalities took place Jan. 21 in Boca Raton and May 12 in Lake Worth Beach.

Friday's crash marked the 28th death involving a Brightline train in Palm Beach County overall, according to Palm Beach Post records. The first occurred during a test run of a train in 2017, and the remainder having occurred since the company began passenger service in January 2018.

The Associated Press reported Friday that there have been 98 deaths between Miami and West Palm Beach since passenger service began. The news organization bases the total on its ongoing analysis of federal train-crash data since 2019.

BRIGHTLINE DEATHS: Friday's death in tracks on Delray was 28th from Brightline train in Palm Beach County

Brightline uses the FEC Railway tracks in Palm Beach County, which have few barriers to pedestrians walking along them or crossing them. Brightline officials have noted that the fatalities have involved either pedestrians walking on the tracks or motorists who try to beat trains.

The railroad and local governments have launched several efforts to warn people walking or driving near the tracks to stay aware of the trains.

Tom Elia is an editor at The Palm Beach Post, overseeing coverage of public safety, the courts and Palm Beach County’s northern and western communities. You can reach him at telia@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Brightline accident: Train kills person on first day of Orlando service