SunRail

[prahaboheme]

If this is a spur that extends north of Meadow Woods out to OIA, I cannot see how this would be an extension of Phase II to Poinciana.  It goes in a completely different direction.  My guess is that this is a separate line that links up at Sand Lake Road station and runs on a slightly different schedule.

[John Hargrove]

Some type of OIA rail hub renderings:

 

What is this, an airport for ants?

[prahaboheme]

^What you are seeing is only the transit hub that will ultimately be surrounded by the much larger terminal building / gates.  I know there are renderings floating around out there that show the various phases of the buildout.

[John Hargrove]

I was commenting on the image resolution.  

[neoanderz]

Zoolander reference

[FLClarkKent]

What is this, an airport for ants?

 

How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to ride trains if they can't even fit inside the building?

 

The building has to be at least three times bigger than this!

 

[jrs2]

^^

LOL!  Zoolander!  What  IS this....?

 

^^

Sunrail:  The being part of Phase II:  the spur is already there.   the reason its on phase II track is b/c its south of SLR.  they will use existing easement from OUC and double track that spur...or so that was the plan they had stated.

[Jernigan]

A new bus service from LYNX is the works for Maitland to connect the office parks to SunRail. There is currently no transit west of I4 up there.

Could happen within a few weeks. This is separate from the Flexride/Flexbus project.

[truebluecfl]

http://www.us441corridorstudy.com/

 

Just found this and thought I'd share since I haven't heard too much Info about the possible expansion on here. There is an official survey you can take for those who would use this NW line.

 

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/US441CorridorStudy

 

Also found this new study for an extended line of Sun Rail that would spur in downtown Sanford and make its way down to UCF.

 

http://www.metroplanorlando.com/files/view/rnc-report-final-draft.pdf

 

They would use existing track to Winter Springs but would have to rebuild the remaining tracks. All the info is in here but this seems to be the main problem they are facing;

 

"ALOMA SPUR

On November 3, 2011, FDOT purchased the 61.5 mile long A-Line railroad right-of-way from 

CSX Transportation (CSXT) for the primary purpose of establishing the SunRail commuter rail 

system. Through the purchase of the main line, FDOT also obtained the option to acquire 

CSXT’s Aloma Spur for ten dollars ($10.00). Figure 19 shows an up-close map of the Spur. The 

conveyance of the Aloma Spur rights-of-way are optional and are yet to be exercised by 

FDOT.

One of the main concerns is the legal boundaries of the Spur. The Aloma Spur rail line runs 

from the City of Sanford down to the City of Winter Springs. However, the Contract for Sale 

and Purchase signed between CSX and FDOT in November 2007 states that the section of the 

Aloma Spur that is available for purchase runs only to the Orlando Sanford International 

Airport. A boundary survey completed by FDOT in October 2009 also defines the Aloma Spur 

running from the Sanford SunRail Station to the airport. The mile posts describing the Spur 

listed in these documents do not match. It seems that the remaining Aloma Spur rail line, 

which terminates at Wade Street about 700 feet west of the Cross-Seminole Trail, is not 

contemplated under the original Contract for Sale and Purchase.

A legal analysis of the Contract for Sale determined that the Contract generally 

contemplates that the Aloma Spur line is located wholly within Seminole County, beginning 

in Sanford and terminating at the Orlando Sanford International Airport. Without a legal 

description for the line or reference to specific mile posts in the Contract, it is not possible 

to determine the exact length and location of the Spur. However, because the Option 

Agreement allows the parties to amend the Exhibits which can determine the exact location 

and description of the Spur upon mutual agreement, such lack of clarity is not fatal to the 

FDOT’s exercise of the option. The complete legal option can be found in Appendix D.

There are additional concerns with the Spur. The Aloma Spur rail line, in its entirety, is 

considered an “excepted track” by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This 

designation places several limitations on the line. Most importantly, it states that no

occupied passenger rail can be operated on the tracks and that no trains shall be operated 

at speeds in excess of 10 mph. In order to run passenger rail, a rail line needs to be 

designated at least a Class 1, though most national passenger rail lines are designated Class 

4 or above. In addition, the majority of the line is composed of single track lines, with 

limited passing sidings. 

It will take a significant financial investment to bring the Aloma Spur rail line up to a Class

4. FDOT spent around $355 million to improve the SunRail main line; about $5.7 million per 

mile. Due to its FRA “excepted” classification, it can be assumed that the Aloma Spur rail 

line would need more infrastructure improvements than the main line did for SunRail, thus, 

it is expected that the per mile improvement costs will be greater than $5.7 million, for a 

total improvement cost of at least $65,227,642 for the entire length of the Spur. 

CSXT also has established policies that limit multi-modal opportunities near the Spur. CSXT 

requires a natural separation of 50 feet from the center line, between the rail line and the 

possible development. This means that any dedicated bus lane or shared-use trail must be 

50 feet away from the rail line. Residential and commercial development has already 

occurred on the north section of the Spur, acquiring this land may incur additional costs. 

Conversely, the south section of the Spur, after the airport, has low density residential and 

industrial sites, which may be less expensive to acquire. To alleviate the natural separation

issue, CSXT traditionally acquires between 60 to 100 feet of right-of-way from the center..."

Edited July 28, 2014 by truebluecfl

[klstorey]

Off top of my head that means there's 8 rail projects currently in some level of research or development.

1- SunRail Phase 2

2- SunRail OIA connector

3- All Aboard Florida

4- Mag-Lev (hearing rumors that Universal may get in on this, Insight is supposedly research it now)

5- Orange Blossom Express

6- Aloma Spur

7- SunRail to Daytona (where is this study standing?)

8- SunRail SCC Lake Mary Spur (where is this study standing?)

I tried listing the 8 loosely based on how far along each was.

Plus Charlie Crist keeps bringing up High Speed Rail, if he wins in November I expect the revitalizing of that project to be one of his first focuses. I'm curious what will happen with those ROWs on I-4, someone will use it eventually.

Wasn't there talk of a Lake Nona, UCF spur of SunRail at one time? Whatever happened to that?

Any other rail projects that I missed?

Edited July 28, 2014 by klstorey

[gibby]

http://www.polkrail.com/

[John Hargrove]

Real-time train icons now show up:

 

http://sunrail.com/default.aspx

 

Seems pretty accurate. Watched the icon move as the southbound train came around the bend into downtown. Off by a few seconds at most.

 

Edit: a bit glitchy but seems like a UI problem and not so much a data problem. Trains occasionally disappear. They're calling it "beta" for now, so I would expect it to have some issues.

Edited July 28, 2014 by castorvx

[neoanderz]

Off top of my head that means there's 8 rail projects currently in some level of research or development.

1- SunRail Phase 2

2- SunRail OIA connector

3- All Aboard Florida

4- Mag-Lev (hearing rumors that Universal may get in on this, Insight is supposedly research it now)

5- Orange Blossom Express

6- Aloma Spur

7- SunRail to Daytona (where is this study standing?)

8- SunRail SCC Lake Mary Spur (where is this study standing?)

I tried listing the 8 loosely based on how far along each was.

Plus Charlie Crist keeps bringing up High Speed Rail, if he wins in November I expect the revitalizing of that project to be one of his first focuses. I'm curious what will happen with those ROWs on I-4, someone will use it eventually.

Wasn't there talk of a Lake Nona, UCF spur of SunRail at one time? Whatever happened to that?

Any other rail projects that I missed?

 

One you left out is the UCF connector.  Although it could wind up being a BRT, light rail is one of the considerations.

 

Here is the main project site: http://lynxsr50.com/default.aspx

 

Here is the latest presentation: http://lynxsr50.com/pdf/PAWG_Meeting_5_05142014.pdf

[truebluecfl]

 

This is a few years old but would be great to see if this is their vision. Add in the Aloma Spur and we would have a very efficient and impressive rail transit system.

[mrh3]

How will they get a rail system down 50? Would it be elevated, in the median or or subterranean? It think that would be the best route, but what a nightmare to construct at this point.

Edited August 1, 2014 by mrh3

[prahaboheme]

An elevated system would seem likely at least through downtown and Colonialtown.

[truebluecfl]

It would probably have to be elevated through Mills and downtown to OBT. But I would say most of it would be ground level, with the tracks running on the middle of 50 or parallel to the road. There's a pretty decent size buffer between the edge of the road and private properties that they could use, would probably have to redo the sidewalks but that wouldn't be an issue. Our pedestrian walkways need a revamp anyways to make them safer.

[Jernigan]

Look who is now on google transit

[prahaboheme]

Construction for SunRail Phase 2 South to start in late summer/early fall

http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/blog/2014/11/construction-for-sunrail-phase-2-south-to-start-in.html

[HankStrong]

I don't really know where else to put this, but since it's only 0.4 miles from the Southern terminus of the SunRail line...

 

Ate & drank at Gnarly Barley on Orange Avenue this weekend.  Had a great time.  Definitely worth it.  It's part of the SunRail Pub Crawl, should you ever take part in that.

[alex]

I don't really know where else to put this, but since it's only 0.4 miles from the Southern terminus of the SunRail line...

 

Ate & drank at Gnarly Barley on Orange Avenue this weekend.  Had a great time.  Definitely worth it.  It's part of the SunRail Pub Crawl, should you ever take part in that.

 

Another SunRail pub crawl, the Conductor Crawl, is happening this Friday.  They'll be starting on Church Street and heading to Orlando Brewing. 

[floridalgr]

They have added a Maitland Sunrail shuttle starting next week. Work still needs to be done at the other end of my commute but a step in the right direction.

 

http://www.golynx.com/maps-schedules/routes-detail.stml?portalProcess_dd_0_1_1=showPublicPosting&calendar_entry_id=2228

Edited December 9, 2014 by floridalgr

[jrs2]

^^

They need to market this new shuttle to all of the management companies at Maitland Center so that the workers learn of it.  If this gets popular, they will have to replace those 15 person vans with buses.  I believe this is one of the "sleeper" stops that if it takes off will skyrocket Sumrall daily ridership.

[Jernigan]

The shuttle was put together with the property managers - if it doesn't take, it won't be because of education.

I'm skeptical. If a 15 person vehicle (they really aren't vans if you've ever seen the other neighbor link vehicles) fills up with employees from Company A - on a standing reservation - why the heck are we all subsidizing it instead of the employer?

[codypet]

Our office on JYP got a Lynx vanpool for the whole complex, but it only departs one time a day and isn't feasible for us.  The management company forced us to pay for it ourselves though.  We figured as big as Southpark was, that the management company should have been able to cover a bus like this shuttle.