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Grand opening set for Winter Park Amtrak/SunRail station
I grew up in Winter Park, and saw the current Amtrak station opened by the Atlantic Coast Line. It seems amazing that this lovely little station is already to be retired, but it’s also wonderful that a new depot with historically inspired architcture will take its place. Before the ACL/SCL/AMTRAK station was built the ACL still used the white clapboard Plant System depot, a classic small-town station which occupied a substantial part of Winter Park’s Central Park. The now-supplanted depot moved the station/parking footprint across the street–freeing up the park.
Loads have long been good at Winter Park. In the 1960s the ACL routinely boarded 50-60 passengers every day onto the WEST COAST CHAMPION northbound and 5-10 going south to Tampa and Sarasota. After the FEC strike in 1963 we gained added service passing by without stopping from the CITY OF MIAMI/SOUTH WIND (they had Tampa/Sarasota cars switched ontyo the WEST COAST CHAMPION at Jacksonville which survived to Amtrak day) and from the incompareable FLORIDA SPECIAL (winter only), which blew by southbound near dawn and northbound in the mid-evening.
After the SCL merger the SILVER STAR Tampa/St Petersburg section was rerouted thru Winter Park, and typpically loaded another 20-30 passengers every evening for points north and 3-5 for the much shorter journey to the Florida Gulf Coast.
Before the late 1960s the ACL HAVANNA SPECIAL Tampa section also stopped in both directions around 100AM, mostly loading vast quantities of mail, express and fruit being shipped north as REA Express. Although only 3 or 4 passengers typically boarded the train was in the station for 10-15 minutes almost every night.
The peak for Winter Park was ironically in the early years of Amtrak. Before the Carter cuts in 1976 we had the CHAMPION, and the SILVER STAR for New York and the SOUTHWIND–then FLORIDIAN for Chicago. Later after the Chicago service died for a few years from the mid-1990s to 2005 we had the most amazing offering, the
I was so hoping it was Winter Park Ski Resort of Colorado. Another ski train would have been awesome:) Got excited there for a minute.
Do your homework…Mica’s from Florida. How did Obama miss this opportunity ???
Yes, Winter Park looks like a marvelous place. We travel through on Amtrak at various times of the year, and make a point to see what is happening on that day. Art festivals, fabulous Christmas lights, or just multitudes enjoying the park, it gives the appearance of a community fully enjoying life.
Remember John Mica also supports the Auto-Train
Why is Mica there? Isn’t this just more soviet-style government spending? Oh, that’s right, it’s ok if it is in his district…
While I’ve voted Republican 90% of the time, Mica’s (and the Republican) stance against Amtrak has stopped my donations cold. We subsidize air, we subsidize highways, yet our only alternative to very poor air service or long drives is Amtrak and that they refuse to subsidize or help give it continuity so management can plan more effectively. Mica seems to like rail only when it benefits him, typical of most politicians.
What was John Mica doing there; Doesn’t he hate Amtrak and other government passenger operations? To me Mica would be a “persona non grata”.
@MEL & MO and @ lots of others
John Mica is hard to pigeonhole, largely because he’s a Republican under constant threat from Tea Partyists. As a result, he’s said some utterly dumb nonsense about Amtrak, from micromanaging how certain required services are funded to strange comments about privatizing the NEC, and made some ridiculous assertions about the UK system that don’t hold up to scrutiny.
Mica was, however, one of the people lobbying for FL HSR (although he eventually backtracked after intense Tea Party pressure.) He has lobbied for SunRail. He is pro-rail in the sense of a politician wanting rail to be available and even being willing to allow some tax revenue to be spent on it.
This means it’s not easy to simply describe Mica as another Guse. His arguments against Amtrak may be frequently (always?) idiotic, but it’s mostly an act, aimed at appeasing a small group of political extremists that have an unhealthy amount of power in his district. I wouldn’t vote for him, but I don’t think it’s inappropriate that he’d be in on a SunRail related event either.
Will be interesting to see what the new station looks like. I used to visit the former station while heading toward Sanford and the Auto Train. The building was minimal, but in good shape, with an excellent curving platform outside that ran right next to the town’s downtown park and shopping area.
Winter park saw some lean times during the 1970’s, but the ridership growth on Amtrak and the new Sunrail startup renders the former depot too small and need for a newer larger station, with better facilities.
Also, for Amtrak passengers, especially those who would like to take an excursion to Florida and back without having to stay overnight, Winter Park may be an ideal location to consider turning around at, stress free. You will be close to some good eateries, be able to enjoy a park type setting, enjoy its antique district, and it’s all within walking distance.
Since both Amtrak’s Silver Star and Silver Meteor both stop there, the current schedules will even allow you to plan a return trip north on the alternate route through the Carolinas, as the Star goes through Raleigh and Columbia, while the Meteor goesthrough Fayetteville and Charleston.
I’ve had my disagreements with John Mica over the years, but as local US Rep in Congress he has every right to be there for the opening of a project that has received large amounts of federal funds.
A picture would be nice.