Disney Springs Brightline High-Speed Rail Station Cancelled

[Mr. Drauer]

That year-ago presentation cited different configurations that would be compatible with I-4 BTU, either preserving the central 44' rail ROW or not, and how that effected the costing.

Absolutely understand things have changed in the last year, but Brightline has publicly announced in the last month not only the transfer station with Sunrail (so Sunrail traffic can switch to OIA or OCCC or...) but also a stop somewhere near WDW property. I'm only saying if there is still going to be, their words, "an alternative station will be located near the original Disney Springs site, albeit not on Disney-owned land," then Grapefruit-vicinity seems to make the most sense. Much longer pedestrian bridges & pathways from I-4 median to any other location of interest in the area.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1541821346686042112

Let's just say that I am on the inside on this and have a lot more information. Sunrail does not even have any facilities to access the airport, let alone OCCC, but that is beside the point. There has been a lot of 'wishful reporting' about this whole thing.

 

[Mikey15]

Let's just say that I am on the inside on this and have a lot more information. Sunrail does not even have any facilities to access the airport, let alone OCCC, but that is beside the point. There has been a lot of 'wishful reporting' about this whole thing.

I-Drive Chamber of Commerce (big Universal influence among others) just successfully lobbied for the 528 route, and they want 15-minute interval SunRail service to all four stops ("South International Drive"<->OCCC<->SunRail Transfer Platform<->OIA), with UO even footing a chunk of the bill & ticket sale guarantees.

https://www.orlandosrightrail.com/faq/


I'm sure you know more than I do on this so I'm not seeking to talk over you, but I'm not sure why the very public confirmations about the SunRail transfer platform, integration, and east-west SunRail service (not just on Brightline cars) would be inaccurate? Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, also SunRail chair, was the one who announced the Universal funding commitment.

https://www.wesh.com/article/sunrail-brightline-expansion/39918260#

 

[middlechild]

While watching a BrightLine rail status video, the idea of Fare Box Recovery was introduced. For Sunrail, the fare box recovery is just under 7% in 2017, according to Florida Transit.
This matters because the operating subsidy (the remaining 93% of cost to operate) was to move from Florida to Orlando region already for the commuter rail. When this expense does move down to the greater Orlando area, little extra money remains for expensive routes without massive corporate influx of dollars to support high speed rail. I can see the news releases timed to get John Q Public to support "preferred" routing near UO and OCCC, while in reality little money exists for any of it. Brightline could see a way to fund the southern route, and a station at WDW to boost ridership if only on paper. The northern route was double or more, to which UO is contributing only 10% of the increased cost, not the total cost.
If you live in the Orlando area, the best thing to do is get a ride on Sunrail, and do your part to increase that Fare Box Recovery ratio. Only then will expansion of rail be feasible.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Sunrail does not operate at night or on weekends and is operating at a loss of $3 million a year at least (it is operated by FDOT still). Transfer of operation is supposed to go to the counties (Volusia, Seminole, Orange, and Osceola) soon, though it was delayed. The counties don't have the money to run it at a loss, and they will be reliant on Brightline building tracks and stations, as well as getting the necessary agreements to operate in the ROW of the highways. Despite the engineering advancing to 30% on the southern route, Brightline still missed all deadlines to negotiate rights access with CFX, FTE, and FDOT. All of the wants / desires of Orange County, Universal, and the tourist board about expanding Sunrail are still reliant upon Brightline paying for much of the infrastructure. Brightline is still way behind in the construction of the Miami to Orlando route, and they went through a portion of the pandemic not running their south Florida service, so I would be wary about their promises on a billion dollar expansion anytime soon.