Sanford Auto Train Station

[sunchaser]

What would you want it to look like?

A train station.

Well, in Florida aren't there quite a few Art Deco buildings? IMHO, I would expect that 'the design people' would have had that in mind... Art Deco is kind a cool. I do like the classical architecture of the older stations, but would that fit in better with the other buildings there? This design just seems to be an odd fit to me. Seems to be cold & a bit sterile. But I'm no expert on this subject.

Then you would like the architecture to pretty much all of Miami's South Beach and downtown Celebration, FL (which is a Disney creation of course with a 1940s early 1950s feel to it).

But anyway, a major point with this project taking place is the mere fact that Amtrak has outgrown the existing station building, and needs to update and expand it to a point where it will again be usable for its purpose. Personally, anything will be better than the existing building! So even as I may disagree with Green Maned Lion's standpoint, it is still a true fact that the station represents the area for which it serves. And that area of Sanford is not the greatest area in Florida, but the station's appearance could possibly make a difference to those who are visiting. So why not make the necessary improvements? Most developed property around a railroad tends to be an eyesore anyway. The least we can do is to have our rail facilities make a good impression of the community! Yeah I know, that's a lot to ask!

OBS gone freight...

Oh, no disagreement with updating the outgrown existing station. Just voicing my opinion on the choice of architecture. I was surprised when I saw the drawing that it wasn't art deco-not that it all has to be. I know there are some areas of the country that the community requires that it matches historically with the area and since Florida is heavily dependent on tourism, I assumed (shouldn't ever do that) it would be more in keeping with that theme. Regardless of what it looks like, the most important thing is to provide a better station in that area.

 

[battalion51]

To bring things back down to earth, here is my current understanding of the project. The new station will be located on the north side of the current station (the current station is on the south side of the tracks. From North to south you have five tracks in the station area, the Aloma spur, Track 1, Track 2, Track 3, and Track 4. The train currently arrives on Track 3 and 4 (4 is the small section of coaches). The Aloma spur is the first switch you hit coming into the station, then you hit another switch that takes you into the yard. The Aloma continues down to the wash and beyond to a second switch that ties the yard back into the Aloma. When there is a really long train the switcher will end up working on the Aloma while it's putting the train together. Track 1 is basically a pocket track that's used for storage. Its use will likely not change. Track 2 is currently a through track. For the most part the only moves made on Track 2 is the road power move. Track 3 is where the majority of the train sits. Track 4 is a stub track where a few coaches and the diners & lounge for the coaches sit. As I understand it another switch will be installed on Track 3 just on the east side of the crossing that will tie the Aloma and Track 3 together. Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

I was fine with your explanation, right up until this point. If track 3 is currently directly in front of the current station and the Aloma spur is esentially the northern most track and the farthest from the station currently, then "swapping" this track with the Aloma spur would mean that Amtrak passengers would have to cross the spur and tracks 1 & 2 to reach the new track #3 to board the train. That doesn't make sense to me. That's either very dangerous or requires building an overpass to reach the new boarding track. Neither would not be an improvement from the current scenario of just stepping out the door to board the train.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Lion,
In all due respect to you my friend, I am gonna bust your chops on this one. I find a couple of those remarks to be very offensive to me (and probably most of us who are native to this great state), and while you are entitled to your opinion, here's mine! At least you aren't one of these I speak of below (so therefore I must give you that respect, my friend).

As a native born fourth generation Floridian I have the same feelings about the North (especially Northern NJ, PHL, BOS, NYC, and even WAS) to some degree! So with that said, the irony to all this is there seems to be a whole slew of "carpet bagger northerners" who prefer to call our great state HOME! I just wish they would leave NJ, NY, PA, etc back up there when they move here! So Florida is obviously a preferred place to reside by many! Explain that my friend! Our great state has lost a whole lot of its hospitality because the vast majority of the state is from somewhere else (with a huge majority of the more wealthy snotty folks or inner city ghetto rats being from the urban Northeast)! At least we are not subjected to a state income tax, a substantial luxury tax on my RV, an ad valorum tax on every vehicle owned by me personally and my business, and outrageous through the roof property tax rates (at least not in my area), don't have to deal with snow and ice, my second amendment rights are better preserved here, etc. The list goes on and on!

Personally, I have no intentions of ever leaving my great native state (despite its problems)! But I have no problem telling any Northerner where to put it when they complain about our state, or expect life to be like it is "up home!" These carpet bagger folks are merely getting what they asked for (a touch of the urban northern way of life)! And us native Floridians resent the the nasty attitudes of the majority of urban Northerners! It has nothing to do with the civil war or that area of history! We are tired of this urban northern attitude of many transplants who call Florida home! I am from the country, live in the country, but I am far from the description of a redneck (or as in your use of the new terminology of it meaning country folk white trash). I am sorry to hear you feel that way about Florida, but there ya have it! Y'all can keep the North (or at least the urban North)and your way of life up THERE!

Now that my rant is complete....

The new Sanford Auto Train Station will be a great representation of Florida to those who arrive into the state on Amtrak's most popular East Coast train, and most of us will be proud of it. It is high time Amtrak have the ability to get with the program, upgrade, and expand. And hopefully our glorious middle management will be held accountable in the coming years to produce a useful, valuable service to the traveling public who chose rail as their mode of transport.

OBS gone freight...

Sorry, Slim, I didn't mean to be offensive- although you probably know that. I guess I should limit my observations and contain them to the Boca, Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando areas I have spent time in.

I also kinda made the post after a long and (on my part) incredulous discussion about the competence of Palm Beach County schools- or complete lack thereof. My opinion of Florida was lower then is usually low self at the time. :blink:

But you're probably right- its the transplants that really give me that impression.

 

[Ryan]

Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

I was fine with your explanation, right up until this point. If track 3 is currently directly in front of the current station and the Aloma spur is esentially the northern most track and the farthest from the station currently, then "swapping" this track with the Aloma spur would mean that Amtrak passengers would have to cross the spur and tracks 1 & 2 to reach the new track #3 to board the train. That doesn't make sense to me. That's either very dangerous or requires building an overpass to reach the new boarding track. Neither would not be an improvement from the current scenario of just stepping out the door to board the train.

He's saying that the station is going to be built on the North side of the tracks, so the Aloma will be the closest track to the new station and CSX will be using the current track that's used for boarding (which will now be the furthest from the station).

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

I was fine with your explanation, right up until this point. If track 3 is currently directly in front of the current station and the Aloma spur is esentially the northern most track and the farthest from the station currently, then "swapping" this track with the Aloma spur would mean that Amtrak passengers would have to cross the spur and tracks 1 & 2 to reach the new track #3 to board the train. That doesn't make sense to me. That's either very dangerous or requires building an overpass to reach the new boarding track. Neither would not be an improvement from the current scenario of just stepping out the door to board the train.

He's saying that the station is going to be built on the North side of the tracks, so the Aloma will be the closest track to the new station and CSX will be using the current track that's used for boarding (which will now be the furthest from the station).

Except that the station isn't going to be on the north side of the tracks. It's going to be just north of the existing station, but still on the same side of the yard that it is currently on.

However, that does explain my confusion. Thanks.

 

[Amtrak OBS Gone Freight]

Sorry, Slim, I didn't mean to be offensive- although you probably know that. I guess I should limit my observations and contain them to the Boca, Lauderdale, Miami, and Orlando areas I have spent time in.
But you're probably right- its the transplants that really give me that impression.

Yeah, I knew better, bro. We're cool. You point out Boca, Lauderdale, Miami, etc. That pretty much says it all! And Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville are getting worse and worse to some extent, too. But that is what is expected with the bigger cities.

I also kinda made the post after a long and (on my part) incredulous discussion about the competence of Palm Beach County schools- or complete lack thereof. My opinion of Florida was lower then is usually low self at the time. :blink:

Well shoot... no wonder you were in such a frame of mind! The competence of or lack of it within the Florida Public Education System in general is enough to make a preacher cuss. We (my bother and sister in law that is) are going to get a school voucher to place my niece in a better school if her school gets another "F" rating this year. Her school has failed two years in a row.

OBS gone freight...

 

[Hanno]

Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

I was fine with your explanation, right up until this point. If track 3 is currently directly in front of the current station and the Aloma spur is esentially the northern most track and the farthest from the station currently, then "swapping" this track with the Aloma spur would mean that Amtrak passengers would have to cross the spur and tracks 1 & 2 to reach the new track #3 to board the train. That doesn't make sense to me. That's either very dangerous or requires building an overpass to reach the new boarding track. Neither would not be an improvement from the current scenario of just stepping out the door to board the train.

He's saying that the station is going to be built on the North side of the tracks, so the Aloma will be the closest track to the new station and CSX will be using the current track that's used for boarding (which will now be the furthest from the station).

Except that the station isn't going to be on the north side of the tracks. It's going to be just north of the existing station, but still on the same side of the yard that it is currently on.

However, that does explain my confusion. Thanks.

Has anyone seen a timeline for completion of the remodeling? Just curious if it will be done for our typical trip to FL on the Auto Train in December.

 

[AlanB]

Amtrak and CSX would essentially switch who uses what. The existing Aloma right in front of the station will become Amtrak's and Track 3 will become CSX's. CSX will be able to make moves pretty much anytime they need except for the final moments when the train is being put together. The existing ramp will continue to be used for operations with the carriers.

I was fine with your explanation, right up until this point. If track 3 is currently directly in front of the current station and the Aloma spur is esentially the northern most track and the farthest from the station currently, then "swapping" this track with the Aloma spur would mean that Amtrak passengers would have to cross the spur and tracks 1 & 2 to reach the new track #3 to board the train. That doesn't make sense to me. That's either very dangerous or requires building an overpass to reach the new boarding track. Neither would not be an improvement from the current scenario of just stepping out the door to board the train.

He's saying that the station is going to be built on the North side of the tracks, so the Aloma will be the closest track to the new station and CSX will be using the current track that's used for boarding (which will now be the furthest from the station).

Except that the station isn't going to be on the north side of the tracks. It's going to be just north of the existing station, but still on the same side of the yard that it is currently on.

However, that does explain my confusion. Thanks.

Has anyone seen a timeline for completion of the remodeling? Just curious if it will be done for our typical trip to FL on the Auto Train in December.

I'm running out the door right now and don't recall the precise timeline, but I'm quite certain you won't be using the new station in December of this year.

 

[battalion51]

Under the initial plans the station was supposed to be relocated to the other side of the tracks, which agrees with my previous statement. But if its staying on the same side of the tracks then there's no issue...

 

[AlanB]

Under the initial plans the station was supposed to be relocated to the other side of the tracks, which agrees with my previous statement. But if its staying on the same side of the tracks then there's no issue...

I have to believe that those plans fell through then, either because the property owner didn't want to sell the land to Amtrak or Amtrak didn't want to pay for it.

The current plan calls for the tented area to be moved to the south side of the main station, although I'm not sure exactly how they're going to fit that into that spot since you have the short stub track for the coach section and the driveway in the way, but that's the plan at least.

Then the gift shop and the current tented area will be demolished to make way for the new station. I guess that means that there will be no gifts or snacks for a while, unless they can somehow shoe horn it into the existing station or the moved tent area.

From the Amtrak press release:

During construction, the station will remain open.
The current tented waiting area will be relocated from the north end of the station to the south end to make way for the new building.

The existing gift shop will be demolished and the current station will be renovated to accommodate administration offices.

The renovation project is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2009 and is targeted for completion in the fall of 2010.

 

[Hanno]

Under the initial plans the station was supposed to be relocated to the other side of the tracks, which agrees with my previous statement. But if its staying on the same side of the tracks then there's no issue...

I have to believe that those plans fell through then, either because the property owner didn't want to sell the land to Amtrak or Amtrak didn't want to pay for it.

The current plan calls for the tented area to be moved to the south side of the main station, although I'm not sure exactly how they're going to fit that into that spot since you have the short stub track for the coach section and the driveway in the way, but that's the plan at least.

Then the gift shop and the current tented area will be demolished to make way for the new station. I guess that means that there will be no gifts or snacks for a while, unless they can somehow shoe horn it into the existing station or the moved tent area.

From the Amtrak press release:

During construction, the station will remain open.
The current tented waiting area will be relocated from the north end of the station to the south end to make way for the new building.

The existing gift shop will be demolished and the current station will be renovated to accommodate administration offices.

The renovation project is scheduled to begin in mid-June 2009 and is targeted for completion in the fall of 2010.

I guess that answers my question about the status of the project when I arrive in December. Anyway it gives me something to look forward to!