Urban Mail Carrier

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/orange-county/os-ne-mayor-demings-sales-tax-rally-20190822-5rmdbkum4zerffzfva7g2oktza-story.html hopefully this gains momentum. Mayor Demings stated that potentially $630 Million can be obtained. Even noted that an East-west extension and other further extensions can be considered if we passed the 1¢ sales tax.

Aent u say that Sunrail provides far to infrequent service to the airport to justify the cost of extending from Meadowoods to MCO. Do u base that on today’s schedule or a future schedule. According to estimates a Sunrail connection to MCO will generate over 2000 riders. As u know the Southbound expansion alone has provided this 2000 figure a big boost to the system and is considered a resounding success. Buddy Dyer is on record saying that the Sunrail to MCO connection would indeed mean 7 day a week service. U also say that Virgin does not desire to use Sunrails tracks but in their plans they plan to use Sunrails tracks on their way to 417 and eventually to I4. They may not want to, but they plan to if they reach an agreement. The use of these tracks is what I alluded to “ Favorable rental rates.” I agree as well that when or if OBX/ Sunrail comes online that it should run directly to MCO. I believe that the current North to South trajectory should be divided into 2 separate lines. This provides flexibility to start times and frequency. From Deland -southbound express service to Lynx Central and MCO could be introduced. Poinciana- Northbound could incorporate MCO as a regular stop. Point is that regardless of which setup is chosen dividing the line would provide flexibility. What do u think?

I say that Sunrail and Virgin should just split the cost of extending or connecting the rail line to MCO. If Virgin wants to connect to Sunrail let them do it at the airport NOT at Meadowoods. Split cost of building the extension to MCO and Virgin to Tampa. Virgin in exchange gets favorable rental rates along the Sunrail corridor.

I thought the same thing. If Virgin is not successful then Sunrail can end up buying the Orlando area rails for a bargain price. We shall see.

I guess it’s easier to ask Virgin trains then FDOT for a train station. As we all know the State does not properly fund its transit systems.

Most likely that tourist line will be elevated light rail.

I understand what you are saying about impact fees. Thus it would make better business sense for Universal to pay directly for a project that greatly benefits them as opposed to getting charged later by a fee that they have no control over its future use. However I don’t fully agree that Sunrail and related transit entities would be that difficult to work with( I could be wrong) because : 1. Sunrail and related entities want these projects badly and I’m sure they will more then accommodate Universals needs. 2. Orlando area governments have a proven track record of working well in public-private enterprises. 3. If Virgin trains chooses to build Universals preferred route that would cost them an additional 500-600 million dollars. Doesn’t make business sense! I guess the best outcome would be for all interested parties (Sunrail, Universal, Virgin, city of Orlando and Orange County, MCO, Disney, etc...)to chip in money for their common good. The outcome would be split costs, Sunrail having an extension to the Southwest, stops at Universal, Orange County Convention Center and Disney, Virgin train extension to Tampa, MCO connection to Sunrail. These parties have so much to gain. Also im not fully convinced that it matters to Universal as it does to Disney about losing business because potential tourists make alternative arrangements. Unlike Disney, Universal is closer to Orlando’s city center thus its easier for tourists to gravitate to other Orlando areas despite any obstacles Universal may try to place. Remember Universal is the one pushing hard to have a train stop not Virgin Trains. I guess time will tell, but it’s fun to speculate. Thanks for your input I learned something.

Great article. What caught my eye was the money that was donated to the Kirkman Road extension. It was described as an investment. An investment in the tune of 160 million. Imagine if such an investment was applied to Sunrail connectivity to the tourist line or to Sunrail and MCO. Taking into account Universals statement that they would move heaven an earth to convince Virgin to build the corridor to connect to Orange County convention center, it is evident that they indeed want a train connection. My reasoning is if they are willing to invest in transit infrastructure then why not just partner up with FDOT, Sunrail and partners and other collaborative entities. Unlike Virgin u don’t have to twist their arms.

http://collider.com/new-universal-theme-park-details-name-epic-universe/?amp

Exactly!!! http://collider.com/new-universal-theme-park-details-name-epic-universe/?amp

I read on CNN that Universal contributed $150 million to extend Kirkman drive. From the article in the OS seems they are serious about getting well connected to roads and transit. My question is, why is Universal working so hard to convince Virgin to have the tracks go down into International drive? Is it not easier to just help Sunrail and the Orlando metro area build a separate line? Sunrail and Metro Orlando seem to be more willing partners then Virgin. Help by contributing money to that tourist Southwest line. It would not be the first public- private partnership in Orlando, it’s worked quite well in the past. Maybe Seaworld can be convinced to chip in.

Well with Universal announcing a new theme park in the International Drive area there well definitely be a need for Transit. 25 K workers and on top of that tourists attending the park, where will we or how will we accommodate the onset of traffic?

I agree. That’s why I’ve always said that our political leaders need to do their job. Either have Virgin trains stop at the sites that we really need OR if not then work out an agreement where Sunrail is permitted to use the tracks so that we can provide that service. If Virgin doesn’t build those stops then Sunrail can build those stops instead. Thus no longer depending on Virgin. In the end we have everything Virgin needs. Use that as leverage. Maybe even pointing up some money to increase that leverage.

I’m no civil engineer. I guess I’ll keep delivering mail lmao. Well it’s a crude drawing. The deviated line is not suppose to cross over the North to South line. I was eyeballing it last time I drove through there. Then again I didn’t bother to research the dimensions of a Sunrail platform. Someone please cure my ignorance.

A. Lynx Central Station B. Ace Cafe where ideally the OBX transfer would occur. Hence an expansion of Lynx Central Station. C. The parking lot just shy of State st. The tracks would be deviated to terminate in a vacant parking lot. D. Church st station. Blue : actual north-south line. green: present day OBX tracks Red: deviated OBX tracks terminating at state st

Another possibility is instead of having a train Dock or arrive from OBX at church st station is to simply modify the tracks Eastbound. Thus they’ll terminate in a parking lot just shy of the main tracks. In other words the station would be on Robinson.

That’s why I was disappointed that the plot of land was purchased by ACE cafe. It is ideally situated next to Lynx Central station where you could transfer from one line to another.

Let’s stick to connections to Deland, MCO and our attractions areas and Orlando Metro. Then we can revisit Haines city and Lakeland after those more important connections have been built.

Not that I have anything against connecting to Haines City and Tampa and everything in between. That’s why u have Virgin trains and Amtrak. But it’s definitely not part of Metro Orlando. Then again not all towns are meant to have train stations.

A little over the top on the response but thanks. Jajajajaja

I agree with you. Extending for the sake of getting more ridership to other areas and then calling it Orlando doesn’t hold water. So if we extend it to Tampa does that mean Tampa is now Orlando. If we want more ridership then we extend and improve I n our Metro area, Lake Nona, St. Cloud, Clermont, Mt. Dora, Avalon Lakes and UCF.

Spence how can u not think that Southwest Volusia is not part of the Orlando Metro Area? U should see traffic originating from The Deland exit west bound on I 4 going towards Orlando. Everyone driving to Work and school in Orlando.

What’s even betteris that there is already a spur in place. But whoever planned did not have the vision. On another note what’s worse is that Delands business and political leaders did not object or push for the site to be in Downtown Deland. That just boggles the mind.