PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. — The launch of a new express service on South Florida commuter rail operator Tri-Rail was disrupted Monday when another train struck and killed a pedestrian, halting operations and forcing the commuter operator to provide buses on the inaugural train of the service.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports a northbound Tri-Rail train killed an individual in the town of Pembroke Park, about 16 miles north of MiamiCentral station. That forced the southbound express from West Palm Beach to halt farther north at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport Station. From there, passengers received bus rides to the MetroRail Transfer station in Hialeah, where they could catch other Tri-Rail trains or the MetroRail rapid-transit system to their final destination.
Tri-Rail service was interrupted by the incident until about 9 a.m.
The launch of the express service, which skips 11 stops made by other Tri-Rail trains, was announced in May [see “Tri-Rail to launch … rush-hour service July 1,” Trains News Wire, June 1, 2024]. The first direct service to MiamiCentral station, as well as the first Tri-Rail express, it was launched at least partially in response to the end of Brightline’s monthly pass program which offered riders between West Palm Beach and Miami for $10 a rider.
Tri-Rail’s morning inbound express departs West Palm Beach at 6:30 a.m. and is scheduled to arrive at MiamiCentral at 8:05 a.m., cutting 30 minutes off the normal travel time. The outbound express departs at 5:35 p.m. and arrives at 7:05 p.m.
Proof that Brightline is not the sole source of “pedestrian” deaths.
I would surmise that the Trains editors are attempting to differentiate the difference between someone who died walking across the tracks versus driving across the tracks.
I’d suggest they are using the wording of standard news outlets. But within the industry every time I generated a report it was a “vehicle strike” or a “trespasser strike.” That’s how it’s classified on the railroad.
DANIEL — In much the same way, traffic engineers use the term “crash” for incidents on the highway, not “accident”. Accident implies random bad luck, whereas crashes happen for a reason.
We have seen “suicide by train” here in So Cal for many years now. People throw themselves in front of a Metrolink train doing 60-70 MPH
And I agree with Daniel: these people are not “pedestrians” – they are trespassers who gamble with their lives, and…sometimes they lose that gamble.
I expect better from the Magazine of Railroading. Trains don’t kill “pedestrians.” If you are in the ROW you are a trespasser.