SunRail

[orlandouprise]

Great news...now hope it doesnt get Orlando'ed

[WAJAS]

5 hours ago, aent said:

Yes, I was one of them. Back when OBX was a thing before a Democrat took over who cancelled the idea, I thought instead of an Sunrail extension, OBX would make a lot more sense to go the airport. It seems unlikely the politicians came up with this route considering what we were getting before, its likely Brightline is proposing all of this to make their project have a better chance of success.

I remember having a good time creating Ideal Orlando Mass Transit plans on this forum. I found the old thread about it here: https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/118544-ideal-orlando-public-transportation

Feel free to add to it @everyone.

 

 

[orange87]

A random thought about Sunrail. My wife's aunt's job is to stay on the Sunrail train all day and disinfect everything. She immigrated from Haiti to the U.S. less than two years ago, she doesn't speak much English and she's an older lady who doesn't move very fast so her job opportunities were very limited. I'm very thankful Sunrail gave her that job.

[aent]

18 hours ago, WAJAS98 said:

I remember having a good time creating Ideal Orlando Mass Transit plans on this forum. I found the old thread about it here: https://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/118544-ideal-orlando-public-transportation

Feel free to add to it @everyone.

 

 

Yup that was where I originally posted it! Half way down the first page about. Discussed further extensions both north and east in it as well! I stand by that should be the most economically feasible way to expand Orlando's mass transit system to make it more useful.

[WAJAS]

While it isn't finalized yet, the new MetroPlan Orlando 30 Year Transportation Plan includes the old Orange Blossom Express route. I guess someone important sees it as a need still.

[codypet]

That OUC line looks like it becomes obsolete in 2027.   Seems like if OUC wanted to unload it on Sunrail for an airport or Lake Nona/Surburban Land Development spur, they suddenly can.

Link

[Urban Mail Carrier]

19 minutes ago, codypet said:

That OUC line looks like it becomes obsolete in 2027.   Seems like if OUC wanted to unload it on Sunrail for an airport or Lake Nona/Surburban Land Development spur, they suddenly can.

Link

Perhaps it can be used for light rail. Obviously they’ll have to tear up the tracks.

[smileguy]

On 10/13/2020 at 11:55 PM, WAJAS98 said:

While it isn't finalized yet, the new MetroPlan Orlando 30 Year Transportation Plan includes the old Orange Blossom Express route. I guess someone important sees it as a need still.

With all the money Dr. Phillips will make off The Packing District (it is an Opportunity Zone, after all and I am assuming they set up an Opportunity Fund) maybe they'll push for development of this line with a stop there.  

[jack]

50 minutes ago, smileguy said:

With all the money Dr. Phillips will make off The Packing District (it is an Opportunity Zone, after all and I am assuming they set up an Opportunity Fund) maybe they'll push for development of this line with a stop there.  

Good question. How much of the development are they actually doing? If it is not a lot, they will not realize any benefits from being in an OZ. 

[spenser1058]

Given the Lake County Commission governs the only MSA county that refused to support Lynx and whose Lake Transit is a sad joke, I have to chuckle that anyone thinks that dog will hunt since they’re a prime beneficiary of OBX. 

Those folks have the same mindset about transit Cobb County used to have about MARTA. Now that Cobb is headed blue, voila!, they’re talking about MARTA. Politics matter, folks.

[Urban Mail Carrier]

That’s why I said it’s only a matter of time. Once a  funding source is identified and the connection to MCO comes to fruition, residents will demand the OBX line.

[Jerry95]

With the news that OUC is ending Coal production this decade, OBX through Downtown and over to Lake Nona/Storey Park could have potential. Wouldn’t take much to get up to Avalon Park either. 

[spenser1058]

More on a possible SunRail/Brightline partnership:

https://www.wesh.com/article/brightline-sunrail-explore-partnership/34468143
 

From WESH 

[Urban Mail Carrier]

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-sunrail-brightline-expansion-talks-20201026-i3uz46tc5rdsjbksmdhultx25q-story.html

Looks like this is picking up momentum. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by Urban Mail Carrier

[codypet]

One thing that Brightline is really effective in is getting the press motivated.  They're incredibly effective at controlling the narrative.  I don't know how far along these talks are, but I feel like this alignment is a way to get Sunrail to pay for a leg of Brightline's trip to Tampa.  I don't think Sunrail right now has a way to pay for Sunrail's existing line for the next 15 years.

[uncreativeusername]

3 hours ago, codypet said:

One thing that Brightline is really effective in is getting the press motivated.  They're incredibly effective at controlling the narrative.  I don't know how far along these talks are, but I feel like this alignment is a way to get Sunrail to pay for a leg of Brightline's trip to Tampa.  I don't think Sunrail right now has a way to pay for Sunrail's existing line for the next 15 years.

I agree with you - I still see the potentiality as a win/win. It would be ironic if it takes corporate interests to get us to shell out the taxpayer $$$ for this, but the net result would still be a direct airport connection without relying on Brightline as the transfer service, which is a win for the public.  Cynical optimism? (What else are we left with these days...)

[Alleri459]

I think it is a win/win as well. If it all comes together, it would be interesting to see if any additional tracking, platforms or a general restructuring of the station would occur through the Meadow Woods station. That stretch of railroad with two Sunrail lines, Brighline, and freight would become very busy.  That is way down the pipeline though and I am getting ahead of myself. 

[WAJAS]

5 hours ago, aleonrivera said:

I think it is a win/win as well. If it all comes together, it would be interesting to see if any additional tracking, platforms or a general restructuring of the station would occur through the Meadow Woods station. That stretch of railroad with two Sunrail lines, Brighline, and freight would become very busy.  That is way down the pipeline though and I am getting ahead of myself. 

I assume there will be 4 tracks going through some of this area with 3 through the rest, which is honestly insane for Orlando.

At Meadow Woods, they'll probably have one of the current platforms expanded to the new neighboring tracks. This will make three active boarding areas, which is enough for both Sunrail lines because of their low headways. I believe the new proposal doesn't have Brightline stopping there anymore, so there won't be a platform for the fourth track as it is unnecessary.

[prahaboheme]

Can someone explain exactly what the changes are? Eliminating Meadow Woods and direct to Disney?

My concern with Brightline is that it may cancel out the need for a Sunrail spur to GOA. They’ve built a transit center that could potentially sit empty.

[codypet]

12 hours ago, prahaboheme said:

Can someone explain exactly what the changes are? Eliminating Meadow Woods and direct to Disney?

My concern with Brightline is that it may cancel out the need for a Sunrail spur to GOA. They’ve built a transit center that could potentially sit empty.

The GOAA transit station as it sits is not designed for Sunrail.  Its designed for Brightline, the future terminal, buses and what at the time was light rail/Maglev heading north.  Sunrail could  join up there, but it would have required extending the current building to the east.  Now with Maglev all but dead, nothing keeps Sunrail from using the Maglev spot, but also nothing really keeps Sunrail from using the Brightline tracks either.  They just can't use the Brightline platforms.  (The platforms themselves are too high for Sunrail.)

[Jerry95]

13 minutes ago, codypet said:

The GOAA transit station as it sits is not designed for Sunrail.  Its designed for Brightline, the future terminal, buses and what at the time was light rail/Maglev heading north.  Sunrail could  join up there, but it would have required extending the current building to the east.  Now with Maglev all but dead, nothing keeps Sunrail from using the Maglev spot, but also nothing really keeps Sunrail from using the Brightline tracks either.  They just can't use the Brightline platforms.  (The platforms themselves are too high for Sunrail.)

the ITF is designed for both a Light Rail line (former Maglev) and a SunRail run from the south. 

[codypet]

4 hours ago, Jerry95 said:

the ITF is designed for both a Light Rail line (former Maglev) and a SunRail run from the south. 

The purple line was supposed to be Sunrail, but I didn't think they had built that into the terminal and it still needed to be incorporated.  Red obviously Brightline, blue being Maglev, and yellow being the people mover.

That white overhang on the right would be roughly where Sunrail would go, but I assume entering on the 2nd floor like everything else (basically where that green glass is)

[spenser1058]

SunRail delays partnership with Brightline at CFCRC meeting. Next round is in January.

[WAJAS]

On 10/28/2020 at 2:46 PM, codypet said:

The purple line was supposed to be Sunrail, but I didn't think they had built that into the terminal and it still needed to be incorporated.  Red obviously Brightline, blue being Maglev, and yellow being the people mover.

That white overhang on the right would be roughly where Sunrail would go, but I assume entering on the 2nd floor like everything else (basically where that green glass is)

I wonder if the new proposal would have Sunrail share platform with Brightline because the new proposal has Sunrail extending north to with Brightline instead of terminating at the airport.

FYI, I recently saw the old Maglev guys comment on their Orange County proposal. They have abandoned it because the Orange County Commission expressed that they would rather do it themselves, which I assume refers to the OCCC to OIA light rail under consideration. That Blue line is therefore likely referring to Light Rail now.

EDIT: Actually, this wouldn't work for the same reason it doesn't work in Miami Central Station in downtown Miami. Brightline and Sunrail have different platform height requirements.

[AmIReal]

Well I didn't see that coming...

SunRail leaders narrowly agree to build controversial DeLand extension

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/transportation/os-ne-sunrail-future-operations-decisions-20201029-tz372nkfq5gmlia5jqaofchkmm-story.html

"The SunRail commission of local leaders agreed Thursday in a surprising 3-2 vote to begin work on extending the commuter-rail system farther into Volusia County to DeLand."

Also didn't expect this- "The surprising no vote was by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who sided with Ed Kelley, chairman of the Volusia County Council."