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Railroad crossing arm fails when train goes by
Drivers are worried after a railroad crossing arm failed to come down as a Brightline train rolled through a Rockledge intersection.
ROCKLEDGE, Fla. - Drivers are worried after a railroad crossing arm failed to come down as a Brightline train rolled through a Rockledge intersection.
The video’s been shared hundreds of times on social media, and people in Brevard County are thinking about community safety with last week’s double deadly train crashes in Melbourne. The video was taken at the railroad crossing at U.S. Highway 1 and Barton Blvd. on Sunday.
FOX 35 New was at the intersection all day on Wednesday and saw several Florida East Coast Rail crews testing the crossing arms. Officials with Brightline say the incident was most likely caused by the weather, and a sensor on the gate malfunctioned.
In the new video shared with FOX 35, you can see red lights flashing, but no crossing arms ever came down on one side of the road as the Brightline train drove through.
RELATED: NTSB to investigate 2 deadly Brightline train crashes in Melbourne that killed 3 within a few days
"It’s just about safety. I just want my community safe, and I want it fixed," said Sharon Fielding, who recorded the incident.
She and her husband were confused and stopped at the intersection to keep others from trying to drive through the tracks.
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"Thank goodness we did, because the train did come. It was moving very slow," she added.
On Wednesday, railroad safety crews with Florida East Coast Rail were on site for hours. Several people were testing the arms when trains weren’t on the tracks.
"They need to step it up, really," said Robert Hickson, who worries about people who are deaf navigating near train intersections.
Residents are on edge, thinking about the two deadly train crashes in Melbourne last week and now seeing this issue in Rockledge.
"That’s really scary and shocking," added Lore Sanchez, who bikes in the area.
Brightline officials say what happened in the video was normal. If there’s ever an issue with a gate, train conductors are notified and are told to proceed with caution.
Still, some people are still taking more time to cross the tracks.
"It’s to the point where I am looking both ways. I’m slowing down and looking both ways, even if there aren’t lights flashing," Fielding concluded.
Brightline officials say the train conductor knew about an issue with the gateway before getting to the intersection. Trains automatically slow down to 15 miles per hour to make sure no one gets hit.
While several agencies are involved in rail safety efforts, FOX 35 confirmed Brightline and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) don’t maintain the rail infrastructure.
Florida East Coast Rail is in charge, and they do have an emergency number you can call with issues. The number is: 904-538-6100. At this time, officials say, the sensor has been fixed, and there should be no more issues at the gate.