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Rumor Higher Speed Rail from MCO to Disney World
- Thread starter UCF
- Start date
WDWdream97
Well-Known Member
I apologize as this has probably been asked, but theoretically where at Disney Springs would the train station go?
halltd
Well-Known Member
Hasn’t been asked yet.
halltd
Well-Known Member
You’ve got a handle on the sarcasm fo sure!
That has not been revealed. 3 locations appear to have enough space:
- Behind Speedway
- Strawberry Lot
- Watermelon Lot
WDWdream97
Well-Known Member
Thank you! After its built it will be amazing how dramatically different Disney Springs is from what is was just 7 years ago.
Magic Feather
Well-Known Member
I would be shocked to see the station go onto Strawberry unless there are long term plans to really integrate the station into Springs. Personally, I'm expecting the plot next to Speedway/by DS Cast Services as it involves the least amount of track/smallest distance to cover. Using watermelon would involve awkwardly swerving the surface lot ramp.
I disagree. Brightline has already said that the platforms will be elevated. They presented a project update that shows the tracks coming in along SR-536. I'm assuming they'll be elevated crossing the I-4 / 536 interchange. It would be easy to just continue the viaduct along the I-4 DS ramp across BVD right into Watermelon, or a bit further into Strawberry. If they're elevated all the way, there's no need for any major changes to existing surface roads.
Since the platforms are elevated, the ground footprint of the station can be fairly small. For example, the platforms could extend from either lot over the existing West Side bus loop (which BTW could be used to transfer passengers.)
Situating the platforms parallel to I-4 behind Speedway would require an acute turn from SR-536, avoiding Team Disney. OTOH, SR-536 to a platform perpendicular to BVD would be a gentle curve less than 90°, as would the turn exiting to I-4 westbound.
There doesn't appear to be very much difference in distances from the east edge of the I-4 / 536 interchange, especially in relation to overall route from MCO.
But of course it's all speculation at this point.
Magic Feather
Well-Known Member
I think your issue in that plan is even having the train get to the heart of the 536/I-4 interchange. Just looking at 536 (and knowing it from when I lived in Orlando) the only clear shot from 417 to I-4 has the train riding the north/westbound median of the road. The center median straight up disappears once or twice to accommodate left and right turn lanes.
Going off of that, following 536 through the interchange would lead to five crossover that the train couldn't easily handle unless it went really high or had really steep grade changes (from left to right, it would need to go over, under, then likely over the already elevated roadway for the rest of the points. Then it would have to dodge the purple ramps going to/from the Orange Garage Overpass (which are roughly the elevation of the train platform) by either cutting through forest or doing an awkward s-bend before finally crossing over BV Blvd.
By aiming for the area by speedway (cyan/lime) it can continue to follow the westbound median's on-ramp, building uphill slowly to be high enough to cross over I-4, where the train can then maintain that height as it pulls into the station.
But Brightline platforms are 850' long. The depth of the Speedway lot is half of that. I was proposing it as a possible location based on the platforms being parallel to I-4, and extending over part of the Cast Services lot. They wouldn't fit perpendicular to I-4 in the Speedway lot, and to go in the CS lot they would have to extend well over the pond adjoining I-4.
Part of the puzzle is the future of I-4. The I-4 Beyond project would make it a multi-level roadway between 535 & 536, with traditional lanes above express lanes. So a trackway crossing I-4 would be higher than 2 roadway levels, and there is no room for a decline before where you have the platforms.
Going over the highway interchange might require going even higher, but there should be enough room to come down to a reasonable level before reaching Watermelon, and even more so before Strawberry.
Frankly, how Brightline will coordinate with I-4 Beyond is a mystery to me. If Brightline wants to start construction around 2023, I think reconstruction of that section of I-4 will either be just getting underway or still off in the future.
My understanding is they're splitting it into a different phase... Brightline wants the MCO-Disney route up by 2025 but Tampa will be a couple years later. I imagine they'll try to build it as at the same time as I-4 beyond maybe, but a lot of the route already had bridges raised and accomodations for the previous Florida HSR project.
homerdance
Well-Known Member
Until there is a better way to get around Disney, unless you are staying at one of the Springs Resorts, I can’t see how this would be better vs DME. The busing/roads within Disney Property has always been the worst part of the transportation. From MCO isn’t a bad ride, few stops and goes.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
“Better” is subjective. I don’t think it would be particularly better or worse convenience wise.
If it was properly designed and impimented, it could have a more classy feel to it, but that’s true for DME as well.
homerdance
Well-Known Member
I will agree 100%, taking a train 100 times better than a bus, even a”motor coach”. The thing is to properly implement costs more money than Disney will invest
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
That dispatch rate isn’t good enough for mass transit. It needs to be closer to 5-10 minutes to be an effective option for guests to get to property.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
How often are mde busses dispatched?
CJR
Well-Known Member
It would make sense to have the station close to the existing bus loops IMO. Unless Disney plans to have a more direct shuttle at the train station.
If they're wanting people to go to the existing Disney Springs resort busses, it will be interesting to see what they do with luggage. The Minnie Van would probably be a good upsell, if they revive it.
If they're wanting people to go to the existing Disney Springs resort busses, it will be interesting to see what they do with luggage. The Minnie Van would probably be a good upsell, if they revive it.
trainplane3
Well-Known Member
Per line? Usually clocks in anywhere from 20-30 minutes. Obviously busses are always arriving and leaving but I'm just talking about a single line since that's the only fair way to judge a bus dispatch.
It's not mass transit. It's intercity rail.
the.dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
It is. It needs high volume throughout to be a superior replacement to current DME and in the future.
You’re not just building these systems for today, but for many years into the future.