A Brightline train struck and killed a pedestrian Sunday afternoon on railroad tracks about a mile north of Walton Road in St. Lucie County, according to the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded at approximately 1:10 p.m. to a report that a pedestrian had been struck near Savannas Preserve State Park. The tracks run east of U.S. 1 and are operated by Florida East Coast Railway. Freight trains also use the route.
Preliminary information indicates that the northbound train struck a person who entered the path of the approaching train, according to a sheriff’s office spokesman. The circumstances surrounding the fatal strike remain under investigation. Some other northbound trains were affected. “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences are with the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the sheriff’s office said.
Brightline operates passenger trains between Miami and Orlando, with maximum operating speeds that vary by track segment. Its trains reach maximum operating speeds of 110 mph between West Palm Beach and Cocoa and up to 125 mph on the dedicated track between Cocoa and Orlando International Airport. On the segment between Miami and West Palm Beach, the maximum operating speed is 79 mph. The source information did not establish the train’s speed at the time of the fatal strike.
The private company extended its service from West Palm Beach to a new station at Orlando International Airport. There are no train stations between West Palm Beach and Orlando. Plans call for a Brightline station in downtown Stuart, though that project faces significant funding and operational hurdles.