Abandoned Rails of Florida FL. However, with the influence of Henry B. There’s also the awe-inspiring Castillo de San Marcos, in St. Augustine, which is the oldest Spanish fort in the country. Museum, Flagler Museum, Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum, Gold Coast Alas, in 2013 the site closed by thankfully Don Strack rescued the data and transferred it over to his UtahRails.net site (another fine resource). It is seen here in St. Petersburg, circa 1940's. and would remain in operation through the Seaboard Coast Line merger and This railroad was Warren Calloway photo. The abandoned Florida Overseas Railroad seems to be a testament to both man’s ingenuity and arrogance. There is a significant amount of work required to improve these TIGER rail data already entered … Built in the early 1900s originally as what was supposed to be the Overseas Railroad, the stretch of rail barely survived a devastating hurricane in the 1930s, which put it permanently out of commission. I have had an obsession with abandoned railroads for just about as long as I can remember. entertainment the Sunshine State is worth the trip to see its railroads. states like Pennsylvania or California, the state's interesting museums and tourist lines. When SAL abandoned the line in 1954, they sawed the bridge pilings off at the water line at low tide. St. Augustine, Fort Lauderdale, and New Smyrna Beach. The Florida Southern was originally chartered to run from Lake City south through central Florida to Charlotte Harbor. The Florida Southern Railway was a railroad that operated in Florida in the late 1800s. Gainesville, and numerous other western cities in the state. She also makes art, jewelry, and other things for her shop. Unfortunately, the 1935 Hurricane ransacked this line and today what is left is mostly used as fishing piers. Line, Seaboard Air Line, Abandoned Railroad CSX Industrial Spur in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Florida Central also operates former SAL trackage from Tavares … Seminole Gulf Railway is one of two freight railroad operating in Southwest Florida (the other is South Central Florida Express, who operates tracks farther inland near Clewiston).Freight transported by Seminole Gulf Railway includes lumber, propane, stone, steel, scrap metal, and other commodities. Freight trains aside, Florida is also jumping on the commuter train bandwagon. Seaboard Air Line locomotives layover in the roundhouse at West Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1950s. All in all, Florida railroads offer plenty in the way of variety other smaller systems Plant renamed his company the Savannah, Florida Florida also has had quite an interesting history trains as most of the South's classi… There are a lot – probably too many to mention off-hand – but some of the more notable ones include such famed spots as the Ponce de Leon Inlet Light, near Daytona, which is a 175-foot-tall historic lighthouse where you can climb the stairs all the way to the top. Florida is an old state with plenty of fascinating history, with captivating landmarks, to boot! It is difficult to truly articulate just how much material can be found at this website. These include the Central Florida Railroad operation as a Class II, regional. For a more in-depth look at Florida in terms of rail mileage over the years please refer to the table below. It began with the Savannah & Albany Railroad, chartered on Passenger and freight rail aside Florida includes a host of Featuring thousands of miles of abandoned railroad routes in North America, illustrated with maps, pictures, and history. The Southern Railway's Florida operations were limited only to the Thank you! However, the one bit of desolation which High Springs does indeed have is … While Florida may feature a rather low-grade profile with little mountainous terrain, thus making railroad operations there \"less dramatic\" than in other states like Pennsylvania or California, the state's interesting diversity of operations and usually fantastic weather make it worth the trip. Among the most interesting are probably the Bongoland Ruins, lurking among the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, which features the remains of enormous dinosaur figures that were once a part of a planned adventure park. Matlack/Florida Keys--Public Libraries/Flickr, Monroe County Library Collection/Florida Keys--Public Libraries/Flickr. Its remains can be found about two miles west of Marathon, Florida, in the central Florida Keys. Craving more abandoned goodies in Florida? Less than a month since entering service, Seaboard Air Line DR-12-8-3000 "Centipede" #4500 is seen here between assignments at Jacksonville, Florida on January 6, 1946. in commuter trains, high-speed freight trains, or short line/regional served such well known locations as Daytona Beach, Posted on January 24, 2019 by floridatrailblazer. It's a former SCL SAL and has been abandoned for some years now. of Florida. This is an early stub of Florida/Railroads. Its lines in Florida reached It has not changed much since it The portion of the line between Langmar and Baldwin is paved rail-trail. Thank you! The Florida Railroad once crossed it via a Howe truss, but the span was replaced with a trestle. I will show you awesome compilation of old abandoned steam engine trains and locomotives in USA, abandoned on old train trucks. December 25, 1847 and later became the Savannah, Albany & Gulf the ACL's lines were concentrated in central/western Florida and were However, the Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Air Line, and You should check out this list of 17 stunning abandoned places in the Sunshine State. to see and do. Photographer unknown/Warren Calloway collection/Tom Alderman colorization. You will receive your first email soon. From Hialeah, Miami, and Homestead.The First Image (Main Thumbnail) was taken @ SW 60th ST next to 69th Ave in Miami, FL. In 1998 a gentleman by the name of Andre Kristopans put together a web page highlighting virtually every unit every out-shopped by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division. named for owner Henry Plant, who was the mastermind behind its creation. You can still see what is left of the pilings when it has been dry weather and … Georgia and northern Florida. The information includes original numbers, serials, and order numbers. northeastern corner of state where it reached Jacksonville Current operations. Their proposed railroad was to be called the Florida Peninsular and Jacksonville Railroad. majority of its trackage. Flagler College (Ponce de León Hotel) in St. Augustine, and Whitehall, the impressive mansion that is now the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach, both serve as reminders of his influence, as do many monuments across the state. If you are researching active or abandoned corridors you might want to check out the United States Geological Survey's (USGS) Historical Topographic Map Explorer. George Pettengil photo/Warren Calloway collection. A pair of Florida East Coast ES44C4's have train #224 at St. Augustine, Florida on February 11, 2016. The various railroad lines poured crowds of tourists into the cities along the St. Johns River, filling hotels to capacity for months. Seaboard Coast Line doodlebug #4900 has train #98, the "Champion," at Naples, Florida on March 14, 1971. Garden Heritage Museum. Seaboard Air Line 4-6-2 #865 (Class P) carrying the St. Petersburg section of the "Silver Meteor" between Wildwood-St. Petersburg, Florida. As a result, the St. Johns River Railway was subsequently abandoned during April of 1896. Wes Barris's SteamLocomotive.com is simply the best web resource in the study of steam locomotives. Abandoned Railroad from the SAL days in Miami, Florida. No one wanted to cover the tremendous cost to repair it, so the land was sold to the state, which, soon afterward, began building the “Overseas Highway” over the salvageable portions of the structures along the rail that remained. In 1905, the industrialist decided to extend the Florida East Coast Railway beyond Miami, all the way to Key West. Prevent ESA Fraud is a nonprofit organization formed to educate the general public, housing providers and airlines of the rights, law, and responsibilities of legitimate Emotional Support Animal ownership. One of the rails reads 1924! The first leg was to be from Jacksonville to Alligator Town (now known as Lake City). It is an excellent resource with thousands of historic maps on file throughout the country. Note the recently completed Florida East Coast route to Key West. also once had a few small branches serving Benson Junction, East Florida also has had quite an interesting history trains as most most famous extension was to Key West via its Key West Extension. After successfully purchasing several later, by 1837 the line had been completed and was in operation. These 15 Abandoned Places In Florida Are Absolutely Haunting All over Florida, abandoned properties sit like giant time capsules, slowly creeping back into the earth. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: Flagler is second from the right; on his left is William D. Cash, and on his right is George W. Allen. Where is the Overseas Highway in Florida? These include the Florida Central, Florida Midland, Florida Northern, Port of Manatee Railroad, Bay Line Railroad, First Coast Railroad, Florida West Coast Railroad, Georgia & Florida Railway, Seminole Gulf Railway (which also offers excursion train services), South Central Florida Express, Inc., Talleyrand Terminal Railroad, and the Apalachicola Northern Railroad. Add your comments for this page here. Florida Train Rides, Information And Locations. chartered by the state of Florida to build a 22-mile line connecting Many were pulled up in the 1970's and 1980's although others were removed long before that. While Florida & Western Railway. By the late 19th century the SAL reached Florida and would serve such cities as Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Miami, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Sarasota, and others. The FEC was the preeminent rail service along the Atlantic Coast, and remains so to this day. In any event, not long after the Tallahassee Railroad opened, Florida's railroad network began to grow rapidly and by 1880 boasted over 500 miles of track. Through his work, it’s possible to see how old railroads once crossed through places where modern-day highways, shopping malls, and housing developments now stand. The building was left abandoned and forgotten until a group of Tampa residents organized under the name of Robert Most and Associates tried to revive the depot as headquarters for their railroad excursion in 1976. for either the railfan or vacationer simply looking for something Plant, it operated … The Victoria is a native Floridian and writer for OIYS. Today, many of the former ACL and SAL lines continue to play an important role in the CSX system. If you live in Florida, you’re probably familiar with some of the oil tycoon Henry M. Flagler’s work. Just type in a town or city and click on the timeline of maps at the bottom of the page! What do you think of this interesting chapter in our state’s history: extravagant or necessary? Spend A Refreshing Day Keeping Cool At Bob’s River Place In Florida, Take A Ride On The Longest Zipline In Florida At The Canyons Zip Line and Adventure Park, Grab A Delicious Seaside Meal & Launch A Paddleboard At JB’s Fish Camp In Florida, The Only Decommissioned & Certifiably Haunted Jail In Florida Is For Sale, Take A Thrilling Road Trip To The 6 Most Abandoned Places In Florida, What This Drone Footage Captured At This Abandoned Florida Mansion Is Truly Grim, You’ve Never Seen Anything Like This Offshore Ghost Town Hiding In Florida, There’s No Other Railcar In The World Like This One In Florida, C.L. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Florida is legitimately an urban explorer’s paradise. For the past two years, Grigg has been dedicated to locating and charting every piece of abandoned railroad in America and plotting them on this fascinating map. of the South's classic lines operated there such as the Atlantic Coast Love Florida? Annie Lytle Elementary School (Riverside) Construction on this historic school began in 1917, on the … Passenger rail documents up to the present: what needs doing here is to fully grow these relations to v2, as well as finish the tourism/excursion/museum/amusement park passenger rail in their own section(s). Alabama and Florida Railroad (1986–1992) AFLR 1986 1992 Alabama and Florida Railway: … Thanks to Jonathan W. Filionfor contributing information. trip. In 1911, Sloviansk people living in Ohio decided to migrate to an area … It was completed in 1912, and what had originally been referred to as “Flagler’s Folly” suddenly became “The Eighth Wonder of the World.”. Includes FEC, CSX, and spurs. Seaboard Air Line E6A #3016 is seen here in Clearwater, Florida running southbound on East Street, circa mid-1950's. Start browsing abandoned routes by clicking on a state in the U.S. map below. railroad would eventually become part of the Seaboard Air Line system actually a state) with St. Marks, a Gulf Coast port town. and Louisville & Nashville only reached the extreme western regions The SF&W would likewise go on to purchase or The section from Sorrento through Mount Dora to Tavares, and from Tavares through Eustis to Fort Mason and Umatilla is still operated by the Florida Central Railroad. In any event, whether you are interested railroads the state of Florida offers all of these today. Other seasonal visitors, such as industrialist James R. Mellon, opted to purchase or… Today, there are tens of thousands of miles scattered throughout the country. As you can imagine, the construction was difficult, dangerous, and very expensive. These were largely operated by the SAL and ACL. It was apparently abandoned in the early 1980s. Most recognized is Tri-Rail, a 72-mile commuter railroad that serves Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach and currently dispatches 40 trains a day. Railroad in 1858. Map of the Abandoned Rails of Florida. In 1905, the industrialist decided to extend the Florida East Coast Railway beyond Miami, all the way to Key West. In 1834 the little mule-powered Tallahassee Railroad was The rail was converted to the Overseas Highway instead, which remained until its own replacement came about in the 1980s. We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. A few years back I went with my cousin to visit the abandoned tracks of the old Weldon Railroad which ran through the woods not too far from his house in North Carolina. Palatka, and Lake Harbor (the latter of which is still in use). Have you ever checked out the abandoned Florida Overseas Railroad for yourself? Slavia – Seminole County, FL. The introduction of the railroads into North Florida in the 1880s led to an explosion in the winter tourist trade. The modern Florida East Coast began with Flagler's acquisition of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River Railway. Railroad Museum, Largo Central Railroad, Railroad Museum of South diversity of operations and usually fantastic weather make it worth the In Jacksonville, a legendarily haunted and utterly abandoned elementary school seems to draw only the bravest of explorers, though we suggest sticking to photographing the outside from a safe distance only. Category: Abandoned Florida, Railroad HistoryTags: Abandoned Florida, Cow House Creek, Hillsborough County, Logging Tram, Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve, Railroad History, Railroads. Besides just the beaches, sunshine, shopping, and even after the formation of the Seaboard System in the early 1980s. © Copyright 2007-2021 American-Rails.com. The railroad During the industry's heyday, Florida was home to six major railroads, one of which is still operating. In fact, we heard that the tracks were going to be torn up eventually. The railroad also connects with another commuter system, the Miami-Dade Transit Authority's Metrorail system which is a 22-mile system serving Miami. These treasured landmarks remain in good condition, but even Flagler wasn’t infallible. In 1935, nature delivered a fatal blow when a Category 5 hurricane took out a large part of the middle section of the railroad and made it unusable. The railroad would stretch throughout southern For example, this abandoned railroad hiking trail in Florida is not only as beautiful as it gets, but it also features a piece of Florida history that is seemingly forgotten by many. Author's collection. Tell us your thoughts in the comments. It was one the only service to Miami and attempted to open a deep water port at Key West, a failed venture that can still be seen from Highway 1 today. Back in the early 1900s, Florida was a popular winter destination for the upper crust, and some of Florida’s most extravagant works of architecture were commissioned by Flagler himself. The Seaboard Air Line Railroad was established in 1900, operating nearly 4,000 miles of track running from Richmond, Virginia down through Jacksonville and ending in West Palm Beach. * Florida's first railroad was the 5-foot gauge, mule-powered Tallahassee Railroad, which opened 22 miles between Tallahassee and St. Marks, a port on the Gulf of Mexico, in 1837. itself. The amount of information found there is quite staggering; historical backgrounds of wheel arrangements, types used by virtually every railroad, preserved and operational examples, and even those used in other countries (North America and beyond). While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. The highway was rebuilt once more in the 1980s, and it now runs alongside some of the original railway ruins, which Florida has converted into fishing piers and walking paths called the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. The Atlantic Coast Line operated all over the south between Richmond, The abandoned Florida Overseas Railroad seems to be a testament to both man’s ingenuity and arrogance. If you are researching anything EMD related please visit this page first. Along the Gulf coast side of the north/south Interstate 75 is an old abandoned railroad track which has not been used in many years. Along with CSX, Norfolk Southern, and the FEC, Florida is home to several shortlines. Amtrak also has a significant presence in Florida. The main focus now should be on mainline, branch and freight/industrial rail of the Class I and Class II railways in Florida. Two years The Seaboard Air Line was a smaller company than the ACL although it provided its counterpart stiff competition for many years. Jacksonville, Copeland, Naples, Lake Harbor, St. Petersburg, Florida's Train Village, Seminole Gulf Railway, Southwest Florida Museum Portions of the abandoned right-of-way are still visible along FL Route 121 for about 10 miles southeast of Baldwin. It was one of Florida's three notable narrow gauge railway when it was built along with the South Florida Railroad and the Orange Belt Railway. All photos and videos, copyright individual owners/organizations. 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