Ben Williams
While this train is fast, sleek, and designed to bring a new era of high-speed travel to Florida, it’s earned a grim nickname that no company would ever want.
The Brightline train, which connects Miami and Orlando, was launched to great fanfare in 2017, promising quick and convenient travel through the Sunshine State of Florida.
But in the years since, its name has become linked to a far darker reputation; it has left families grieving, conductors traumatized, and investigators asking tough questions.
According to a joint investigation by the Miami Herald and WLRN Public Radio, the high-speed Brightline has been involved in over 180 deaths in just eight years, making it the deadliest train line in the United States.
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Records show that, on average, someone is killed by a Brightline train every 13 days.
Inside Edition special correspondent Brooke Baldwin reported the troubling pattern, calling it 'the most treacherous train in the nation'.
Her report revealed that collisions happen not just with cars at crossings, but also with pedestrians walking along the tracks, many of whom reportedly never saw or heard the train coming until it was too late.
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Former Brightline conductor Darren Brown said the emotional toll has stayed with him long after leaving the job.
He said: "The six years I’ve had 16 fatalities," explaining that more fencing and barriers could make a real difference.
"There just needs to be more fencing in more congested areas."
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Families of victims also spoke out about the dangers of the rail line, saying their loved ones were struck in unfenced sections where there were no clear warnings.
Maria Furtado, whose niece Joann DePina was killed after entering an unfenced portion of the track, said simply: "There’s nothing to stop them from walking by there."
Others, like Angela Duncan Smith, lost family in similar circumstances, while Dan Johansen shared how his deaf brother Randy was hit at a crossing - even though the gates were down.
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Attorney Todd Baker, who represents several grieving families, believes the company could be doing more to prevent these tragedies.
He said: "They can put in fencing. They can put in active message signs. You can make it mistake-proof, and if you make it mistake-proof, no one’s dying."
In response, Brightline insists it has followed all state and federal rail safety guidelines and is continuing to roll out new safety measures.
The company told Inside Edition that while the incidents are 'tragic', every single fatality was 'the result of illegal, deliberate, and oftentimes reckless behavior by people putting themselves in harm’s way'.
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UNILAD has approached Brightline for further comment.