DeLand (Amtrak Station)
History
DeLand station was originally built in 1918, and stood across from the former Volusia County Fairgrounds. When the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad (and later the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad) ran passenger service along the line, they also ran local passenger service to downtown DeLand over the DeLand Spur. The station was acquired by Amtrak and restored in 1988, although a second track at the station fell into disuse. Up until 2005, when it was truncated to New Orleans, the station also served as a stop for the Sunset Limited.
In 2006, the station was rededicated following a $424,000 restoration undertaken through a partnership between Volusia County, Amtrak, and CSX Transportation; funding primarily came from the Florida Department of Transportation. Work included installation of a new roof and platform canopy, remodeling of the bathrooms, and painting of the building in historically appropriate colors. In 2007, the station received a Preservation Award from the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation.
DeLand station was planned as the northern terminus of the SunRail commuter rail system. This led to the resumption of maintenance of the neglected second track and other station upgrades. The station saw the addition of an 184-space park, ride lot, and bus drop-off area. The station could "spur economic development on the west end of the city, heading toward the St. Johns River." Ground broke on the extension in May 2023. The new service to DeLand began on August 12, 2024.
On November 10, 2024, the Silver Star was merged with the Capitol Limited as the Floridian.
References
- ^ "Amtrak Passenger Trains". Daytona Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "Silver Meteor Timetable" (PDF). Amtrak. p. 11. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ Free DeLand SunRail Circulator
- ^ VoRide (Votran Ride Share)
- ^ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, Fiscal Year 2023: State of Florida" (PDF). Amtrak. March 2024. Retrieved June 27, 2024.
- ^ Mulligan, Michael (2008). Railroad Depots of Central Florida. Arcadia Publishing. p. 20. ISBN 9780738553900.
- ^ "DeLand, FL (DLD)". Great American Stations. Amtrak. Retrieved March 12, 2013.
- ^ "DeLand Amtrak Station (SunRail)". Archived from the original on February 28, 2009. Retrieved March 29, 2009.
- ^ Harper, Mark (May 25, 2019). "SunRail at 5: Ridership for commuter train is growing, but will it ever run to DeLand?". Gatehouse Media. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
- ^ Dahm, Daniel (May 22, 2023). "SunRail breaks ground on new DeLand station". ClickOrlando.com. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ Myrie, Donovan (August 12, 2024). "SunRail's DeLand station is finally open. Here's what's next for the rail system". WKMG. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
- ^ "Amtrak Launching the Floridian, with Daily Service Between Chicago and Miami" (Press release). Amtrak. September 23, 2024. Archived from the original on September 23, 2024. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
External links
Media related to DeLand (Amtrak station) at Wikimedia Commons