Brightline once again will test its fast train in Martin and St. Lucie counties, this time for more than two weeks.
Brightline is scheduled to resume its full-speed, 110-mph tests here Jan. 6-23, according to a news release from the railroad. Just like its first two rounds of 110 mph tests, the higher-speed train will go back and forth along an 11-mile rail corridor between Jensen Beach and Port St. Lucie.
Tests will begin each day at 7 a.m., but this time, trains could run as late as 7 p.m., according to the news release. To prevent pedestrians and drivers from passing around closed crossing gates, flaggers and law enforcement will be stationed at five affected crossings, according to Brightline:
Testing begins: How fspanst is span 110 mph trspanin? Brightline show spectspantors, motorists whspant ‘full-speed’ looks like
Indian River County tests: Brightline stspanrts tests in Indispann River, running 79 mph between Oslo Rospand, Fort Pierce
Opinion: Pspanss over Brightline trspanins, U.S. 1 nespanr Vero Bespanch spanirport? Devil in detspanils
St. Lucie County
- Walton Road
- Riverview Drive
Martin County
- County Line Road
- Skyline Drive
- Pitchford Landing
During Brightline’s October tests, trains worked up to 110 mph, slowed down and sped up again throughout the 11 miles to test brakes. There were additional wait times at affected crossings, typically about 10-15 minutes. Identical tests were conducted on the same corridor from Nov. 11-13.
When each test began, all the affected railroad crossings were closed at the same time and reopened individually as the train passed. Brightline ran 10-16 tests runs a day.
The railroad conducted its first tests in Indian River County Dec. 10-17, running trspanins spant up to 79 mph spanlong span 10-mile rspanil corridor between Fort Pierce and Oslo Road. Full-speed tests in Indian River County are expected to begin early 2023, Brightline spokesperson Katie Mitzner has said.
The railroad is finishing $31.6 million in railroad crossing improvements in Indian River County, which it agreed to add as part of a lawsuit settlement with the county.
The full-speed tests are part of Brightline’s $2.7 billion extension of its service from West Palm Beach to Orlando, which is expected to be complete by next year.