As Virgin Trains USA gears up for a ceremonial groundbreaking Monday in Orlando, Phase 2 work on its $4 billion higher-speed railroad already is underway north of West Palm Beach, according to the company.

Work through the Treasure and Space coasts has begun "simultaneously," said Michael Hicks, spokesman for Virgin Trains USA, the passenger service previously known as Brightline and All Aboard Florida.

The trains already run between Miami and West Palm Beach, and officials remain staunch that they expect the train to be able to launch service to Orlando International Airport by 2022.

All the while, local officials are evaluating what comes next for them. Issues remain with safety and location of a new station. For some, their top question still is whether the controversial 32 daily trains will roll through their communities at all.

Construction between West Palm Beach and Cocoa will be done last, Hicks said, and will include installing a second track along the 129-mile stretch and replacing 19 bridges.

Virgin Trains is evaluating Fort Pierce, Stuart and locations in Brevard County for potential stops, Hicks said, among other sites.

In Brevard County, which generally has supported the railroad project from the outset, County Commission Vice Chairman Bryan Lober said he supports privately-funded passenger service, such as Virgin Trains, provides an alternative form of transportation and reduces congestion on highways.

"With appropriate safety measures in place, Virgin Trains stands to provide a valuable service in reducing traffic on major roadways while simultaneously making transportation more affordable for long distance commuters," Lober said in an email.

Martin County Commission Chairman Ed Ciampi said he hopes if Virgin chooses the Treasure Coast, it's either Stuart or southern St. Lucie County.

Indian River County officials said they still are unsure the train service ever will be expanded to the Treasure Coast at all.

“The train is an abomination,” County Commission Chairman Bob Solari said. “There’s no chance in the long run it’s going to be a financial success. Their record already shows it.”

Solari pointed to the company's quarterly financial statements and reports of below-projected ridership as indications of the fiscal instability of Virgin Trains.

Hicks, though, said funding is in place for Phase 2 work, ridership numbers continue to increase “and we continue to see Floridians embrace the train.”

In May, Virgin Trains carried nearly 86,000 passengers, generating about $1.7 million in revenue, according to self-reported numbers released this week. The company is obligated to publish monthly ridership and revenue numbers because it's receiving tax-free bonds.

Over the first five months of the year, Virgin Trains has carried just over 401,000 customers and brought in $9.4 million. In Virgin's efforts to sell $1.75 billion in private- activity bonds, the company projected carrying roughly 2.3 million passengers in 2019 and generating a little more than $60 million, according to financial statements from the company.

In addition to the financial stability of the railroad, a chief concern for Solari is Virgin Trains' safety.

State officials in May inspected grade crossings along the rail corridor, and met with local officials, who raised their safety concerns.

But FDOT has not acted quickly enough, Solari said.

“They have a tremendous amount of work to do,” he said. “They’ve barely begun to be engaged in the process.”

More: Where may a train station go in the Treasure Coast?

On the legal front, Indian River County remains at odds with Virgin Trains, with a September court date in Washington, D.C. The county, in the U.S. Court of Appeals, is challenging the awarding of the tax-free bonds to the railroad, arguing in part that it hasn't met environmental standards.

At the state level, Indian River County in January went to court over having to potentially pay for the maintenance of the rail crossing installations. County Attorney Dylan Reingold said the county estimates crossing maintenance over the next decade could cost about $8 million.

“We expect that if they do build this project through Indian River County that they satisfy these concerns,” Reingold said.

Martin County officials have accepted that the train is a likely reality.

The county recently settled its lawsuit with Virgin Trains. The county, which for years vehemently opposed the project, agreed to terms that provide additional safety measures in exchange for dropping the lawsuit.

More: Stuart officials ride Brightline train

"I feel at least somewhat reassured by the options and the accommodations that we got from the railroad," Martin County's Ciampi said.

The county was promised a consistent schedule for openings of the St. Lucie River bridge. Engineers also may be able to create one or two more feet of clearance under the bridge for boaters, he said.

Ciampi said he hopes the Virgin Trains project is successful, although, he said, "the business model will be very difficult to be profitable."

"It doesn't do us any good," he said, "if it's going to come and fail."