Brightline Trains

[GregoryMCSE]

https://www.fox13news.com/news/train-truck-crash-melbourne-florida.amp

 

two fatal vehicle strikes in two days. Same spot. Very worrisome. 
 

 

[shardoon]

So here is my review of brightline. It sucks. When it goes I'm sure it's fine. However, people (RIP) on camera try to drive around the railroad barriers. Now they are dead. 

Sorry that I am not giving more remorse...... but what did they expect when trying to play games with death? I am sorry that they got killed, but they had nobody else but themselves to blame. 

Now, 4 hours later, not even halfway to Miami, another car on the tracks. 

And yes, from people I know in Melbourne, they watched the car skip the barriers. 

Edited January 13 by shardoon

[aent]

21 minutes ago, shardoon said:

Sorry that I am not giving more remorse...... but what did they expect when trying to play games with death? I am sorry that they got killed, but they had nobody else but themselves to blame. 

 

Honestly the only explanation after watching the videos is suicide. Those horns are loud, the gates were down, bells ringing, lights flashing. They had to have a death wish.

[FLClarkKent]

If memory serves, there was a string of car versus train accidents throughout the early days/months/years of SunRail. All of which prompted a series of “watch out for trains” PSAs.  Unfortunately it seems there has to be a learning curve in our area when it comes to motorist learning how safely deal with increased train service. 

[shardoon]

So apparently and SUV was impatient sitting behind another car who was correctly stopped for the gates. The SUV decided to overtake the car and go through the barriers. Guy is now dead. 

[Uncommon]

1 minute ago, shardoon said:

So apparently and SUV was impatient sitting behind another car who was correctly stopped for the gates. The SUV decided to overtake the car and go through the barriers. Guy is now dead. 

One less jackass on the road. Fine by me.

[JFW657]

If someone was trying to commit suicide as was suggested, it's odd that they'd try to take their families with them, but then again, you never know what's going on inside some people's scrambled brains.

As for the safety issue, why aside from trying to save money they didn't put up quad crossing gates to begin with, I have no idea.

I'm guessing they'll be going up before long.

If these Melborons are to ignorant to stop for speeding trains, they need as much discouragement as we can supply them.  

.  

[shardoon]

2 hours ago, JFW657 said:

If someone was trying to commit suicide as was suggested, it's odd that they'd try to take their families with them, but then again, you never know what's going on inside some people's scrambled brains.

As for the safety issue, why aside from trying to save money they didn't put up quad crossing gates to begin with, I have no idea.

I'm guessing they'll be going up before long.

If these Melborons are to ignorant to stop for speeding trains, they need as much discouragement as we can supply them.  

.  

Either or, whatever it takes......cause after my experience yesterday, I would question riding it again due to reliability. 

[shardoon]

Today has been smoother. On time and completely full train.

[jrs2]

On 1/13/2024 at 2:19 PM, JFW657 said:

If someone was trying to commit suicide as was suggested, it's odd that they'd try to take their families with them, but then again, you never know what's going on inside some people's scrambled brains.

As for the safety issue, why aside from trying to save money they didn't put up quad crossing gates to begin with, I have no idea.

I'm guessing they'll be going up before long.

If these Melborons are to ignorant to stop for speeding trains, they need as much discouragement as we can supply them.  

.  

anyone that lives near the US-1 corridor has had to deal with freight trains along that FEC rail line since time began, whether in Brevard, Volusia, etc.,,

I never understood this particular accident.  Maybe his old lady was yelling at him and he said f*** it...

[JFW657]

5 hours ago, jrs2 said:

anyone that lives near the US-1 corridor has had to deal with freight trains along that FEC rail line since time began, whether in Brevard, Volusia, etc.,,

I never understood this particular accident.  Maybe his old lady was yelling at him and he said f*** it...

I guess the FEC trains don't run anywhere near as often as Brightline, which runs several times per day.

I recall when I was growing up over there, I rarely saw a train or had to wait for one to pass. 

Maybe these two guys had already had to stop and wait a few times and didn't feel like waiting again. 

Whatever the reason, it's baffling why anyone would attempt that.  

[jrs2]

15 hours ago, JFW657 said:

I guess the FEC trains don't run anywhere near as often as Brightline, which runs several times per day.

I recall when I was growing up over there, I rarely saw a train or had to wait for one to pass. 

Maybe these two guys had already had to stop and wait a few times and didn't feel like waiting again. 

Whatever the reason, it's baffling why anyone would attempt that.  

GTA V opens with a "scene" where you are supposed to attempt to outrun a train at an intersection you are trying to get to to cross.  I guess...

[JFW657]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

GTA V opens with a "scene" where you are supposed to attempt to outrun a train at an intersection you are trying to get to to cross.  I guess...

Video game addiction claims more victims....  

[Ivanhoe]

There is something nerve-racking about these railroad crossings in certain locations and how people are interacting with them.  I was in WPB over the weekend and as pedestrians were waiting for Brightline to pass through, the crowd building up at the crossing and becoming impatient.  Some jumped the tracks after seeing that the train wasn’t right there.  It was night and was too dark for an urban location.

Not sure what the answer is but this seems like a disaster or disasters waiting to happen.

Delray Beach built fences around tracks through their downtown to prevent people from jumping them. Downtown Orlando has done the same (with Sunrail and prior to it with the Dinky Line trail).  

There is only so much that can be done with at-grade crossings. Just imagine if Acela was not grade separated through the NEC.

Edited January 16 by Ivanhoe

[shardoon]

2 hours ago, Ivanhoe said:

There is something nerve-racking about these railroad crossings in certain locations and how people are interacting with them.  I was in WPB over the weekend and as pedestrians were waiting for Brightline to pass through, the crowd building up at the crossing and becoming impatient.  Some jumped the tracks after seeing that the train wasn’t right there.  It was night and was too dark for an urban location.

Not sure what the answer is but this seems like a disaster or disasters waiting to happen.

Delray Beach built fences around tracks through their downtown to prevent people from jumping them. Downtown Orlando has done the same (with Sunrail and prior to it with the Dinky Line trail).  

There is only so much that can be done with at-grade crossings. Just imagine if Acela was not grade separated through the NEC.

There can be other options, although expensive. They can install barriers that are impossible to go around, at least for cars........ but they will cost a lot of money and probably more to maintain as well.  

[jrs2]

5 hours ago, shardoon said:

There can be other options, although expensive. They can install barriers that are impossible to go around, at least for cars........ but they will cost a lot of money and probably more to maintain as well.  

I'm thinking extra signage.  For example, The Plaza finally placed a sign above the garage UP ramp that says "Enter Here" or something like that...after 15 years...

when I see RR tracks I think of nightmare scenarios of getting stuck in quicksand or tar while crossing the tracks... so when I see a train coming down the tracks I stay clear (unless I'm placing a penny on the track...ya know)...

[shardoon]

1 hour ago, jrs2 said:

I'm thinking extra signage.  For example, The Plaza finally placed a sign above the garage UP ramp that says "Enter Here" or something like that...after 15 years...

when I see RR tracks I think of nightmare scenarios of getting stuck in quicksand or tar while crossing the tracks... so when I see a train coming down the tracks I stay clear (unless I'm placing a penny on the track...ya know)...

I do not think extra signage would make a huge difference. The people driving around the barriers are well aware that they are there and what they are designed for. they are simply impatient and are looking to avoid waiting for a train. The joke is that the brightline is so fast that before you know it, it is gone already. 

[RedStar25]

On 1/12/2024 at 4:46 PM, GregoryMCSE said:

https://www.fox13news.com/news/train-truck-crash-melbourne-florida.amp

 

two fatal vehicle strikes in two days. Same spot. Very worrisome. 
 

 

Worrisome? Its not like trains sneak up on you and surprise you. You have to want to get hit by a train. 

[shardoon]

Brightline goes through some of those intersections at 90 to 100mph. When you look down the tracks at a distance, all trains look similar with their one headlight. However, it's possible that these inpatient drivers see the train in the distance and assume it's a freight train traveling at 20 mph........when in reality it's coming at you at 100mph and before you know it, it's at the intersection. So by the time you attempt to drive around the gates, that bullet is hitting you. 

[GregoryMCSE]

1 hour ago, RedStar25 said:

Worrisome? Its not like trains sneak up on you and surprise you. You have to want to get hit by a train. 

Worrisome if you like Brightline.  Worrisome if you don’t like service interruptions.  Worrisome if you don’t want Brightline getting bad press.  Worrisome if you hate for people to die violently.  
 

worrisome 

 

 

[dcluley98]

29 minutes ago, shardoon said:

Brightline goes through some of those intersections at 90 to 100mph. When you look down the tracks at a distance, all trains look similar with their one headlight. However, it's possible that these inpatient drivers see the train in the distance and assume it's a freight train traveling at 20 mph........when in reality it's coming at you at 100mph and before you know it, it's at the intersection. So by the time you attempt to drive around the gates, that bullet is hitting you. 

I believe the top speeds in that area are like 76-78 MPH. 

[shardoon]

10 hours ago, dcluley98 said:

I believe the top speeds in that area are like 76-78 MPH. 

Maybe published, or even what is supposedly allowed. I rode brightline this past weekend. I had two independent speed apps open, both correlated to one another. We were blowing through intersections in the 90 to 100 range. South of brevard, we hit 110mph and there were a few rural intersections down there that we were well over 100mph.  

However, regardless of the speed that I clocked, even 75 mph comes at you pretty quick, and if one is assuming it is a freight train in a distance coming at you and you have time to jump the gates, that may be the last assumption you make. 

Edited January 17 by shardoon

[codypet]

North of WPB they're allowed to go 110 through much of the corridor.  So that makes sense.  South Brevard and and places like Hobe Sound they're probably hitting 110 through crossings. 

[RedStar25]

13 hours ago, GregoryMCSE said:

Worrisome if you like Brightline.  Worrisome if you don’t like service interruptions.  Worrisome if you don’t want Brightline getting bad press.  Worrisome if you hate for people to die violently.  
 

worrisome 

 

 

Ok I get what you are saying. I am so used to people blaming the train for peoples stupidity that I automatically read it through that lens. 

I do hate for people to die violently, but Darwin had a point. 

[JFW657]

16 hours ago, shardoon said:

I do not think extra signage would make a huge difference. The people driving around the barriers are well aware that they are there and what they are designed for. they are simply impatient and are looking to avoid waiting for a train. The joke is that the brightline is so fast that before you know it, it is gone already. 

Maybe it's just a matter of choosing the correct signage to get the message across....

Large, in your face and impossible to miss or ignore.