Sanford, FL – U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (FL-07) joined local, state, federal and Amtrak officials for this morning’s grand opening of the new Amtrak Auto Train Station Terminal in Sanford.
        Mica said in his remarks at the event, “The previous station was a dump, even before it was heavily damaged by hurricanes in 2004, and it provided an unacceptable welcome to the quarter-of-a-million riders who use the service each year.”
        After the 2004 storms, Representatives Mica and Corrine Brown (FL-03) worked with Amtrak and other officials to move the station reconstruction and improvement project forward.  The newly-constructed 10,000 sq. ft. facility will provide 600-seat capacity and facilities for arriving and departing auto train passengers.
        Mica encouraged Amtrak to turn the Auto Train service over to a private contractor to expand and innovate on service.
        The Sanford station originally opened in 1971 as part of a privately financed, long distance auto-carrier rail service established by Eugene Garfield.  The service was successful because of Sanford’s proximity to Florida’s developing amusement and theme park region and being within an easy drive of beaches on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.  Disney World opened the same year the original Auto Train made its first run.  Since 1983, Amtrak has operated the Auto Train between Sanford and Lorton, Virginia.
        “We could dramatically increase service, employment and take cars off the roads—saving energy and positively impacting the environment,“ Mica said.  “Other Auto Train services should be considered, including a truck train where semis and their cabs are similarly transported by rail like in Europe and in other countries.”
        Mica concluded, “I did not support the stimulus legislation because less than seven percent of the $787 billion measure was devoted to infrastructure.  My attempts since have been to fast track projects.  Unfortunately, 61 percent of the stimulus funding sits idle today.”
        The Congressman judged the auto train renovation a success but believes the overall stimulus measure was flawed, citing the fact that 72,000 dead people received stimulus checks along with 17,000 prisoners.