Sanford station (Amtrak)
Sanford | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 600 South Persimmon Avenue Sanford, FL 32771 | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 28°48′26″N 81°17′20″W / 28.80709°N 81.28885°W | ||||||||||
| Line(s) | Amtrak: | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Parking | Yes | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Station code | SFA | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1971 | ||||||||||
| Closed | 1981 (reopened in 1983) | ||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||
| 2008 | 234,839  8% | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Sanford is a railroad terminal in Sanford, Florida. It is the southern terminus for Amtrak's Auto Train which runs between this station and Lorton, VA. The original facility, which opened in 1971, was an older and smaller facility than the terminal at Lorton. Currently, the Auto Train loads its passengers on two tracks in Sanford, as no one track is long enough to accommodate all the passenger railcars. Sanford's operation is also unique in that a railroad crossing runs through the middle of the rail yard. Currently, Amtrak and the State of Florida are in the process of replacing the older station with a new terminal that can accommodate larger numbers of passengers more comfortably.[1][2]
History
The station once served trains run by the now defunct Auto-Train Corporation. It ran the station from 1971 to 1981 when the Auto-Train Corporation fell into bankruptcy forcing service to end. The station was reopened in 1983 when Amtrak revived the Auto Train service.
On March 13, 2009, the White House announced that $10.5M will be spent rebuilding the aging Auto-Train facilities in Sanford. Amtrak, the State of Florida, Seminole County and the City of Sanford coordinated their efforts to rebuild the facility and make access easier and more comfortable for the ever-growing numbers of passengers. Groundbreaking for the new terminal took place on May 18, 2009. The new facility will be four times larger than the original station and will include a gift shop, cafe, and a waiting area that will accommodate up to 600 passengers. The new terminal is currently scheduled to be completed by the fall of 2010.
Sanford's non-Auto Train Station
Three-tenths of a mile south of the station used for the Auto-Train, Sanford had another Amtrak station that served the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, and Sunset Limited unti August 1, 2005. The station was originally built by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1913 and rebuilt in 1953. Like most passenger stations, it was acquired by Amtrak upon its inception in 1971. Though Amtrak gave the address as 800 Persimmon Avenue, Suite 100, it was actually located at a dead end of West 8th Street, west of Persimmon Avenue.[3] The Central Florida Commuter Rail system had plans to revive rail service to Sanford with a SunRail station, but rather than utilizing the former Amtrak station, they were planning a new station on Florida State Road 46.[4]
References
- ^ Donald Weinstein, David Warner and Harry Sutton (2008). "Amtrak Auto Train Travel Tips - Stations and Vehicles". On Track On Line. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ "Sanford - Auto Train, FL". Amtrak. 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Sanford Amtrak Passenger Station (USA RailGuide -- TrainWeb)
- ^ Sanford/State Road 46 Station (SunRail)
