Jacksonville-based Florida East Coast Railway LLC filed a lawsuit last month to stop an expansion by Brightline, which operates a commuter rail service on FECR’s tracks in South Florida.

The suit filed July 11 in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court against Brightline Trains Florida LLC alleges the commuter rail company has been conducting clandestine negotiations with government officials to expand its service on FECR’s tracks.

FECR offers freight service on its 351-mile rail line from Jacksonville to Miami, and Brightline began its commuter service on part of those tracks in 2018.

“The cooperation and transparency between FECR and Brightline that made Brightline’s passenger service a reality has, unfortunately, long disappeared,” the lawsuit said.

“Rather than gratitude for the use of the

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