In a move that could derail plans for a long-awaited commuter train service, Florida East Coast Railway is suing Brightline for “clandestinely” negotiating with county governments to add more trains to its rails. FECR claims the move violates a contract agreement between the two companies.
Plans have been in the works for Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties to run a version of Tri-Rail commuter trains through South Florida’s urban corridor east of Interstate 95 along the Florida East Coast Railway tracks that Brightline uses. The private, luxury-train companyand FECR entered into a series of agreements in 2016 and 2017 giving Brightline exclusive rights to run passenger trains on the rail corridor — with specific limitations.
In its suit, filed July 11 in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Florida East Coast Railway notes the many accidents that have occurred on its tracks involving Brightline, saying that adding more trains to the line “would heighten the risk of potentially severe accidents.”…