Rail lines passing through modern-day Winter Park were first built by the South Florida Railroad (SFR), which ran between Orlando and Sanford, in 1880. The city was planned around the railroad tracks, and a small depot was built in 1882.[4]
A combined passenger station and freight depot was built in 1913 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL), which had acquired the SFR in 1902.[5]
A newer station was built by the ACL in 1962. The station was directly adjacent to Central Park, a municipal green space, and was also one block away from Park Avenue, a street lined with upscale boutiques and restaurants. Passenger service was moved to this station, but the older station remained in active use for freight until 1982, when it was purchased by the city. It is now used as a venue for a weekly farmer's market, weddings, and other special events.[5][6]
Current station
In 2008, the city of Winter Park began to solicit public input on a larger replacement for the 1962 station. Construction on the new station began on February 14, 2013.[7] The station was built at a cost of $1.2 million, $950,000 of which was provided by a Bus and Bus Facilities grant from the Federal Transit Administration. It is LEED Silver certified.[8][9][10]
The architecture of the Winter Park station and platform canopies are notably distinct from other SunRail stations, being built with white gabled roofs in the Craftsman architectural style. This design was chosen to reflect the early-20th century architecture of Winter Park's historic downtown. The building is topped with a weather vane depicting a peacock, which is the city's official symbol.[8] Following the opening of the new station on March 3, 2014, the 1962-built ACL depot was closed and demolished.[5]
On November 10, 2024, the Silver Star was merged with the Capitol Limited as the Floridian.[11]
References
^"SunRail Connections". LYNX. Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority. April 24, 2022. Retrieved 2024-05-16.
