DeLAND, Fla. — Ceremonies on Friday, Aug. 9, marked the opening of the DeLand SunRail station, the 17th station on the Orlando-area commuter rail line and the northern endpoint of a 12-mile extension that completes the system as originally envisioned.
The West Volusia Beacon reports 300 or more people were on hand for the dedication ceremonies. SunRail service will begin this Monday, Aug. 12, with the first departure from DeLand at 5:30 a.m.
The opening of the DeLand station comes some 10 years after service began at the next station to the south, in DeBary, and after a period in which rising costs for the northern extension led to discussion of cancelling the final 12-mile addition. Ultimately, the extension — at one time estimated to cost $120 million — was completed for $43 million, with Volusia County borrowing the $11 million for its share from the State Infrastructure Bank.
“This has not been an easy ride … but here we are,” said Volusia County Chair Jeff Brower, chair of SunRail’s parent agency, the Central Florida Commuter Rail Commission.
Nice. Extending service into the city of DeLand proper would be nicer. The branch ends one block away from Stetson University.
First off the City of DeLand voted against funding any extension of SunRail, that is why Volusia County had to borrow money from the state.
Second, I pitched the idea of a train station in DeLand proper to the City Council prior to their referendum via email and got no response (didn’t expect one)
Third, the Deland Spur, which ends at the corner of Michigan & Atlantic and is owned by CSX only has 1 online customer left (Thatcher Chemical). The rest is used for hopper storage or MOW equipment. I would expect CSX to abandon it as soon as Thatcher stops using them. The 4 other companies that reside next to the spur, 3 are gone and one has stopped using CSX in favor of trucks.
This spur used to pass through Deland and continue on to the FEC mainline ages ago, but was taken out before 1950.