A Sunny Day on Sunrail

 It's been a while since I've ridden a train other than MARTA.  ...and that's not really a train.  It's a heavy rail transit line.

So, I decided to take ride on Sunrail.

Sunrail is Orlando's commuter line.  They purchased most of the route from CSX in the early 2010s, although CSX retains trackage rights.  They started running in May of 2014 and recently expanded up to Deland. It's only about an hour and 15 minute drive from St. Augustine, so it made for an easy day trip.

The route starts in Deland and runs through downtown Orlando, and then south to Poinciana, about 75 miles, one way.  I planned to do a round trip.

I arrived at Deland in time for the 9:40 departure.  There were ticket machines on the platform and a Sunrail "ambassador" there to help you purchase and validate your ticket.  A Senior round trip the length of the line cost $4.75.

My train arriving from the south at Deland

The standard train consist is an Morrison Knudsen MPI MP32PH-Q which is a 3600 HP, HEP equipped (separate engine generator set to power lights and HVAC on train) rebuilt MARC (Maryland commuter agency) locomotive plus two coaches.  The coaches are Bombardier bi-levels which are used on may commuter trains in North America.  Each coach seats about 140 people.

Changed ends and ready to depart as train #317

The trains run with the locomotive on the north end and a cab car on the south end.  All they have to do at each end of the line is have the engineer walk from one end of the train to the other.  

Most of the station stops on the north side of town had a dozen or two riders get on and off.  The train  seemed to be a quarter to half full most of the time.  

Deland has always been an Amtrak stop.  So, there is a waiting room and and restrooms here.

The new Sunrail platform adjacent to the Amtrak station.

I grabbed the "railfan" seat behind the operator's cab in the cab car.

Meeting a northbound at DeBary

Crossing the St. John's River near Sanford

Approaching Amtrak's Sanford Autotrain terminal

Rush hour service is about every 30 minutes, with hourly service between the rush hours.  Total time to cover the 75 miles is about 110 minutes (1:50).  Top speed is 79 mph with lots of 70 mph curves and some 30 mph running through the heart of Orlando proper.  Most of the route is double track.

Rolling into downtown Orlando

Amtrak's Orlando Station Sunrail shares four stops with Amtrak, Deland, Winter Park, Orlando and Kissimmee, making them a good first/last mile choice for Amtrak passengers.

CSX still has a freight presence in Orlando

Oh...  This happened.  As we're rolling along past a CSX yard with an automotive ramp, a CSX was train yarding, so I start shooting a video.  Look down the track.  A truck thinks the way is clear once the freight train clears and heads across the crossing. He doesn't look for or see our train closing at 80 mph.  He doesn't have a place to go on the other side.  So he stops.  On the crossing.  Uh. oh.   

I'm about ready to bug out to the middle of the coach and stop shooting the video just after I say "Holy crap!"  The truck starts moving.  Everyone exhales as it clears.  

The engineer says he was about 3 seconds from dumping the air.  It would have been too late.  We'd have hit.

Looks more like concrete and steel to me...

End of the line in Poinciana

Factory in Poinciana.  Is this where they make all of it?

Upper level of coach.  Many seats have nice tables between them.

Lots of running at MAS!

Some CSX yard locomotives

Arriving back into Orlando

A rare, pristine box car.

Church Street is a stop.  It was an up and coming downtown hot spot 35 years ago.  Not so sure, now.

Nice looking city-scape.  Not so sure much is happening...

The central bus station for Orlando's Lynx bus network.  Was fairly busy.

MP 750 - from Richmond on the Seaboard Airline Railroad?   Nice landscaping at Deland station.

Train set lays over on stub siding at Deland.

They don't want you on the Amtrak low level platforms unescorted.  A bit much, I think.

Ready for next run to Poinciana.

So, Orlando is a city that grew up on automobiles and freeways at a fierce rate in the past 50 years and now has fierce traffic. They are just starting to get the idea that continued growth and controlling the rate that traffic gets worse depends on frequent, reliable transit.

Sunrail is a good start.  I give them high marks for fast, reliable, comfortable service including good off peak service.  They do a good job of connecting and explaining what's interesting at their station stops.  Many are near small, functional downtown areas with restaurants and shops.   It appears that some high density housing has located near some of these town centers along the line.  More points for handling bicycles - there are adjacent trails and are a decent first/last mile at many stops.

They get points off for not having any weekend service. 

The fares are extremely low and likely why the ridership off peak is pretty good and why the subsidy is rather high.  

All in all, I really enjoyed the ride, less the "near miss", and will definitely not hesitate to use it again...maybe to the airport with a short Lynx bus ride, to sample a Brightline trip!