SunRail Is Halting All Trains In Advance Of Tropical Storm Nicole

Orlando’s commuter rail service SunRail has announced that it will halt services in advance of Tropical Storm Nicole's advance on Florida.

The Florida Department of Transportation said it would be suspending SunRail service beginning Wednesday, November 9.

It said crews will begin working to prepare the corridor for the impending storm, including securing railroad gates at 126 railroad crossings on the 61.5-mile corridor, inspecting and storing the SunRail train fleet, and securing railroad equipment.

“After the storm, and when conditions stabilize, a complete inspection of the entire corridor is necessary to assess the storm’s impact and to prepare the system to reinstate rail service for SunRail, as well as freight and Amtrak operations,” the FDOT said. “Restoration of service includes safety inspections, reinstalling gates and removal of any obstruction on the railroad tracks.”

Tropical Storm Nicole is forecast to strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane Wednesday on its path toward Florida.

As of the 4 p.m. update, Tropical Storm Nicole strengthened slightly and is forecast to become a hurricane tomorrow before making landfall on Florida’s east coast Wednesday overnight into Thursday morning.

Winds are up to 65 mph, which is a slight increase. The storm is less than 400 miles off Florida’s east coast, approaching at 10 mph. Nicole is slowly becoming more organized.