WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Brightline has begun high-speed testing of its trains, this time reaching speeds of up to 125 mph between Orlando International Airport and Cocoa.
The testing began Wednesday along a new 35-mile dedicated rail corridor that runs parallel to the Beachline Expressway in Orange and Brevard counties.
High-speed testing has been intermittently taking place for months in preparation for Brightline's Orlando expansion, but this is the first time that trains would surpass 110 mph.
Brightline noted that there are no public railroad crossings along this stretch.
Meanwhile, Brightline continues to conduct speed tests of up to 110 mph throughout the Treasure Coast and south to West Palm Beach.
WATCH: How fast is 110 mph?
Some residents who spoke with WPTV said they're concerned about trains traveling more than 100 mph in their neighborhoods.
Crystal Vazquez lives a stone's throw away from the railroad tracks in Martin County.
"It's concerning," she said. "I did feel that the house was going to come down."
Michael James, who lives in Palm Beach Gardens, shares her concerns.
"I think for the residents around here, it's probably a bit of a safety issue," James said. "The tracks are only about 50 feet behind this house."
Not all residents believe Brightline trains passing through their neighborhoods are a bad thing.
Annie Mae Pettway and her family have run Pettway Grocery in Hobe Sound for more than 80 years. She said despite the initial sense of worry among her community, the testing hasn't caused too much trouble.
"I think they're excited now," Pettway said. "It's less driving, less traffic on the road."
Brightline will add a total of 156 railroad crossings between Orlando and West Palm Beach.
Testing is expected to take place daily between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. throughout the spring.
Brightline recently opened two new stations in Boca Raton and Aventura. The Orlando leg is expected to open sometime later this year.
A Brightline spokeswoman said safety improvements are being made at all railroad crossings between Orlando and West Palm Beach. Those improvements vary at each crossing, but where trains will operate at speeds of more than 79 mph, crossings will have quad gates or medians to prevent motorists from driving around them.
