Friday, August 28, 2015

Planes, trains and buses wary of Tropical Storm Erika

Leaders of the SunRail commuter train, the Orlando International Airport and Lynx regional bus system are watching and waiting for Tropical Storm Erika – just like the rest of Central Florida.

Each agency is going over emergency plans in case Erika turns into a hurricane and barrels into Metro Orlando early next week.

But, for the time being, they are planning on providing service as usual come Monday.

Erika, now churning in the Caribbean with winds of up to 50 mph near the Dominican Republic, may not survive after battling strong wind shear and other weather elements near the Bahamas on Saturday, according to weather forecasters.

At Orlando International, spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell said, airlines are being encouraged to move any equipment that could become airborne in high winds into shelter.

Tom Draper, in charge of Orlando International's emergency operations, said 100 top airport executives from the airlines to concessions to contractors met Friday afternoon to discuss Erika.

"Awareness and preparedness," were the watchwords, Draper said.

Lynx will run its usual 77 routes in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties unless there are sustained winds of 35 mph, spokesman Matt Friedman. At that point, the buses would return to the maintenance yard.

SunRail officials, spokesman Steve Olson said in an email, that agency managers are "monitoring the storm; and plans and preparations are being made." He did not elaborate.

Original article can be found here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com

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