SunRail factoid: How long can the train be?

Volusia County Council Chairman Jason Davis asked a great question at last week’s Central Florida Commuter Train Commission meeting.

Assuming that SunRail ridership grows, what’s the maximum number of passenger coaches SunRail can have in a single train? As you probably know, SunRail usually pulls two passenger coaches, but sometimes adds a third coach during heavy ridership times in the afternoon.

Tawny Olore, the FDOT engineer who serves as the SunRail project manager, said the SunRail locomotives are capable of pulling up to five passenger coaches. She went on to explain that SunRail’s current platforms are long enough for three passenger coaches. That said, there are strategies to handle additional passenger coaches, such as having passengers enter doors of the three coaches at the platform and then walking through to a fourth coach that wouldn’t open its doors.