SunRail

[jgardnerucf]

Unless Mears locks this down early. The gypsies are going to have a field day at these rail stops.

[RedStar25]

Winter Park Station: 

 

 

 

 

 

[gibby]

Wow, that looks really nice.  Thanks for the photos.

[prahaboheme]

Stunning! 

[mrh3]

RedStar, do you have an exterior shot that you can post?

[prahaboheme]

More SunRail station progress updates:

 

Debary Station:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sanford Station:

 

 

Lake Mary Station:

 

 

 

 

 

Longwood Station:

 

 

 

Altamonte Springs Station:

 

 

 

 

 

Maitland Station:

 

 

 

Winter Park Station:

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Hospital Station:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orlando Amtrak Station:

 

 

 

 

 

Sand Lake Rd Station:

 

 

 

 

 

Lynx Central Station:

 

 

 

Church Street Station:

 

 

[codypet]

Last week I for the first time got worried about the long term viability of Sunrail.  I've been dealing with trains for the last couple of years, and I live near Florida Hospital and work near John Young and Sand Lake.  I was eagerly awaiting Sunrail and Link 37 drops me off right in front of my office.  It terminates currently at Florida Mall.  So I emailed Lynx and asked them if Link 37 would extend the 2 miles east to Sunrail.   Their response was no, but that I could take 111 from across the street from Sunrail to Florida Mall to the 37.  This would be an extra 50 minutes on top of the Sunrail trip.   I understand Lynx is strapped for cash but, it doesn't seem like a whole lot of routes were changed

[jrs2]

It still bothers me that the southbound Sunrail stop for CSS is just south of South Street, while the northbound stop is where it should be at the Depot.  Dunno.

[codypet]

Was that to avoid causing the gates at South Street from staying down when the loco was picking and dropping off people?

[Jernigan]

I've been told it was simply right of way issues - not enough of it for the platforms to be across from each other.

[gibby]

It still bothers me that the southbound Sunrail stop for CSS is just south of South Street, while the northbound stop is where it should be at the Depot.  Dunno.

I agree with this.  The part that bothers me most is that the southbound train will be parked along a curve and that was supposedly the reason that the Maitland station could not be located downtown (curved station area).  If it ended up being OK at South Street then why was it impossible at Maitland?

[jrs2]

I agree with this.  The part that bothers me most is that the southbound train will be parked along a curve and that was supposedly the reason that the Maitland station could not be located downtown (curved station area).  If it ended up being OK at South Street then why was it impossible at Maitland?

yeah.  I don't know.  all i know is that if its raining, it will be tough to go from South Street all the way back up two blocks just to get back to the front of the depot.  If you're going to City Hall or CNL or Lincoln or Grand Bohemian then its fine.  Actually, it puts you closer to the DPAC.

 

most of the suburban population lives north of downtown, not south of downtown.  so this will in essence be a City Hall station while the northbound line will be a CSS station. 

 

At the end of the day, it's actually getting built-- who would've thought, right?

[Jernigan]

Keep in mind the dyanamics we change once that lot gets built on. Lets hope there is an awning incentive!

[sunshine]

Just throwing this out there for discussions...

 

Here is an article on the same topic

 

4 shops that should be near C. Fla.'s rail station

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/02/4-shops-that-should-be-near-cflas.html

 

I think each stations should have their own Starbucks, book/magazine stand, pastry shop, Planet smoothies and I said it...7-11...

[Universe_Explorer]

Last week I for the first time got worried about the long term viability of Sunrail.  I've been dealing with trains for the last couple of years, and I live near Florida Hospital and work near John Young and Sand Lake.  I was eagerly awaiting Sunrail and Link 37 drops me off right in front of my office.  It terminates currently at Florida Mall.  So I emailed Lynx and asked them if Link 37 would extend the 2 miles east to Sunrail.   Their response was no, but that I could take 111 from across the street from Sunrail to Florida Mall to the 37.  This would be an extra 50 minutes on top of the Sunrail trip.   I understand Lynx is strapped for cash but, it doesn't seem like a whole lot of routes were changed

 

I think it's important to recognize that commuter rail isn't meant to make us completely "car-free" - it's to ease commute times an the amount of cars physically in the central business districts.  There was a time in my life when I lived in Weschester NY.  Commuting into NYC meant driving to the metro north station, then taking the train into the city - which is what nearly everyone in the NYC metro area does.  I still had to drive (briefly), but I didn't have to spend 1.5 hours in traffic then pay tolls and blood-curdling parking fees each day.  Plus, I was able to get work done on my way.  Light rail/subways, buses, and (importantly) walkable central business/downtown areas are what make a city "car-free".  We're far from that, but closer than many southern cities.  The biggest benefit to Sunrail is avoiding I4 traffic and parking downtown.  I think the most important next step is to encourage business near th stations.  Not just "transit-oriented" businesses, but actual businesses that employ people who commute into these areas.  The hospitals are a great start, but the city needs to do what they can to encourage other large employers to relocate downtown. The transit oriented businesses will follow only if the ridership supports them. 

[jack]

All good ideas. Everything should be quick and fast and cater to clients that can grab and go. 

[jrs2]

^^

7-Eleven.  That was priceless!  You're right, though, it is the perfect type of place.

 

How about a place that makes sandwiches or wraps?

[truebluecfl]

Chick-Fil-A.

[AndyPok1]

I'm a reverse commuter and would love to use SunRail, but the Lynx routes simply aren't conducive.  I work 5 miles from the Sand Lake station (on Kirkman), but there is no bus that goes straight down Sand Lake, so it would be about an hour worth of bus riding just to get to/from the train station.  

 

I can take a bus direct from downtown without the SunRail portion that uses less time than it would the two combined.

[Jernigan]

There's a reason the sand lake and other suburban stations have so much parking. It's virtually a one way street for now until businesses relocate.

Lake Mary has a new project in the works called Station Pointe (not to be confused with the long touted Station House). This project has retail and office so you could see reverse commutes.

Keep an eye on the I4 rebuild starting at the end of this year. If its really bad it could cause employers to shuttle their employees in the Maitland Center and Heathrow areas from the non-adjacent sunrail stations. Not sure how this would come into play for employers near but not close to the Sand Lake station as its pretty far away from I4 at that point.

Edited February 22, 2014 by Jernigan

[codypet]

A few months back I remember seeing a commissioner meeting video of the Lake Mary board talking about creating a bus route from Primera and International Parkway to Sunrail.  Did that ever get approved?

I think it's important to recognize that commuter rail isn't meant to make us completely "car-free" - it's to ease commute times an the amount of cars physically in the central business districts.  There was a time in my life when I lived in Weschester NY.  Commuting into NYC meant driving to the metro north station, then taking the train into the city - which is what nearly everyone in the NYC metro area does.  I still had to drive (briefly), but I didn't have to spend 1.5 hours in traffic then pay tolls and blood-curdling parking fees each day.  Plus, I was able to get work done on my way.  Light rail/subways, buses, and (importantly) walkable central business/downtown areas are what make a city "car-free".  We're far from that, but closer than many southern cities.  The biggest benefit to Sunrail is avoiding I4 traffic and parking downtown.  I think the most important next step is to encourage business near th stations.  Not just "transit-oriented" businesses, but actual businesses that employ people who commute into these areas.  The hospitals are a great start, but the city needs to do what they can to encourage other large employers to relocate downtown. The transit oriented businesses will follow only if the ridership supports them. 

My issue really is that there's an existing route that almost gets you there, and at 8am, the Florida Mall can't be a huge travel destination.

[Jernigan]

Lynx has released its April service changes which includes adjustments for SunRail. There really wasn't much done in the way of new service when you break it down. For Lake Mary the Link 45 already passes by the station and heads west to International and turns north. Will people use it to get to work? We shall see.

[Boomer136]

Florida Mall not a huge travel destination? When I was getting prepared for my trip to Brazil I went there to practice my Portuguese. Busload after busload, big spenders in club cars. Not just Brazilians, but Brits, Euros, Asians, you name it.

[jrs2]

Florida Mall not a huge travel destination? When I was getting prepared for my trip to Brazil I went there to practice my Portuguese. Busload after busload, big spenders in club cars. Not just Brazilians, but Brits, Euros, Asians, you name it.

Florida Mall-- the one thing that really got my interest level up as a game changer was the Maglev proposal which included a Florida Mall station.  Wow.  If they could pull that off, that would be incredicle for Orlando.  Imagine that,..connecting from OIA to I-Drive/OCCC ala the Florida Mall and Sunrail SLR-- and that would be just Phase I.  wow again.

[Jernigan]

LYNX is proposing a direct limited stop connection from the southernmost Sand Lake station to Lake Nona. Depending on times this could be huge for the VA and Medical City. Since it's all within Orange County, the fares shouldn't be any higher