Florida Northern Railroad (current)

Florida Northern Railroad
Reporting mark FNOR
Locale Ocala, Florida
Dates of operation 1988–
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Headquarters Plymouth, Florida

The Florida Northern Railroad (reporting mark FNOR) is one of several short line railroads run by the Pinsly Railroad Company. It has connections to CSX at Ocala, Florida, running north to Lowell, Florida and south to Candler, Florida. It was formerly run by CSX as their Ocala Subdivision.

The railroad also operates lines connecting to CSX in Newberry, Florida, running south to the Crystal River Energy Complex in Red Level, Florida, just north of Crystal River. This line was formerly CSX's West Coast Subdivision. Long coal trains are still pulled by CSX locomotives on this branch while local traffic still uses the Pinsly Red with Yellow locomotives.

History

Lowell to Candler Line

Florida Northern Railroad
(Lowell to Candler)
former Florida Southern Railway (ACL)
to Gainesville
AS 757
 Lowell
AS 763
 Kendrick
CSX
S Line (Wildwood Subdivision)
AS 768
 Ocala
AS 763
 Candler
former Florida Southern Railway (ACL)
to Leesburg

The line from Lowell to Candler via Ocala was originally built by the Florida Southern Railway, which was part of the Plant System of railroads. It was built from Rochelle (south of Gainesville) to Ocala in 1881. In 1883, it was extended south to Leesburg.[1]

The Florida Southern and Plant System became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The Atlantic Coast line used this line for passenger service and in 1917, they jointly built Ocala Union Station with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad where the two railroads crossed. Ocala Union Station no longer serves passenger trains but continues to stand where the Florida Northern crosses the CSX S Line (the former Seaboard Air Line).[2]

The Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line merged in 1967 with the merged company becoming the CSX Corporation in 1980. The former Atlantic Coast Line route has since been abandoned north of Lowell and south of Candler, creating the line that exists today. CSX leased the line to the Pinsly Railroad Company in 1988 who now operates the Florida Northern Railroad.

Newberry to Red Level Line

Florida Northern Railroad
(Newberry to Crystal River)
former Live Oak, Tampa, and Charlotte Harbor Railroad (ACL)
← to Live Oak · to Gainesville →
 High Springs (abandoned in 2014)
AR 735.6
 Newberry
 CSX
Brooker Subdivision
AR 752.1
 Williston
AR 759.6
 Morriston
AR 764.4
 Romeo
AR 776.6
 Dunnellon
former Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad (ACL)
to Inverness
ARD 793.1
 Red Level

The line from Newberry to Red Level was built by Henry Plant's Savannah, Florida & Western Railway. It was built from High Springs to Archer in 1893. It was extended from Archer to Morriston in 1913 and to Dunnellon a year later.[1]

The Savannah, Florida & Western Railway became the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902, which eventually evolved into CSX in 1980. The spur to High Springs was removed in 2014.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Turner, Gregg (2003). A Short History of Florida Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2421-4.
  2. ↑ Mulligan, M. (2008). Railroad Depots of Central Florida. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 40, 84, 117–119.
  3. ↑ "The High Springs Railroad". Mount Sutro: An Electronic Periodical. Retrieved 12 March 2018.


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