Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad

The Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad was a railroad running in northern Central Florida. Despite its name, it never directly served Silver Springs but instead ran from Ocala west to Dunnellon and to the Gulf of Mexico at Homosassa. It also had a track that served Inverness from Dunnellon.

Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad
Overview
LocaleFlorida
Dates of operation1887–1901
SuccessorPlant System
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad
Technical
Track gauge4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

History

The Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad was assigned land grants on March 12, 1879 by the state legislature of Florida. This was accomplished by Florida State Law Chapter 3170.[1] The line was complete between Ocala and Dunellon in 1887 and used to transport phosphate and limestone.[2] It connected with the Florida Southern Railway in Ocala. One of the early organizers of the railroad was John F. Dunn, for whom Dunnellon is named for.[3]

The line was extended southwest to Homosassa by 1888. Track from Dunnellon south to Hernando and Inverness was complete by 1891, where it connected with the newly-built northern extension of the South Florida Railroad's Pemberton Ferry Branch, which continued south to Lakeland. In 1893, track was built from Juliette (near Rainbow Springs) north to Morriston. In 1901, the line became part of the Plant System, which also operated the South Florida Railroad and the Florida Southern Railway. The Plant System had been owned by Florida railroad tycoon Henry B. Plant prior to his death in 1899. The Plant System was acquired by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.[2]

The Atlantic Coast Line would then build track from Morriston north to Archer in 1913 to connect with its track from High Springs. The line from Morriston to Inverness via Dunnellon was then the middle link in an additional route for the Atlantic Coast Line from Lakeland to Du Pont, Georgia via High Springs.[2]

The Atlantic Coast Line became the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad in 1967, and then CSX Transportation in 1986. Track from west of Ocala to north of Dunnellon was removed before the mergers. In the Seaboard Coast Line era and early CSX era, the line was part of the West Coast Subdivision. Track was removed south of Red Level by 1982.[4][5] CSX abandoned the line from Dunnellon to Inverness (along with track from Inverness to Owensboro) in 1987.

Current conditions

All former track of the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad has been operated by the Florida Northern Railroad since 1988. This includes the now discontinuous segments in Ocala (which is now a short industrial spur) and track from Dunnellon to the Crystal River Energy Complex in Red Level.

State Road 40 runs close to the former right of way between Ocala and Dunnellon.[6]

The line from Dunnellon south to Inverness is now part of the Withlacoochee State Trail, the longest rail trail in Florida.

Station listing
Milepost City Station[7][8] Opening date Connections and notes

Ocala to Homosassa

ARC 791.5 Ocala Ocala 1887 junction with:
ARC 788.5 Agnew
ARC 783.4 Martel
Cotton Plant
ARC 779.3 Leroy
ARC 775.3 Rock Springs
ARC 772.0
AR 772.0		 Juliette later known as Rainbow Falls
junction with branch to Morriston
AR 776.6 Dunnellon Dunnellon 1887
AR 777.5
ARD 777.5		 Gulf Junction junction with branch to Inverness
Citronelle
ARD 790.1 Crystal River Crystal River
RD 799.5 Homosassa Homosassa 1888

Gulf Junction to Inverness

AR 777.5 Gulf Junction 1888 junction with Ocala to Homosassa Line
AR 783.5 Ladonia
Statenville Statenville
AR 788.8 Hernando Hernando
AR 794.3 Inverness Inverness 1891 junction with South Florida Railroad Pemberton Ferry Branch (ACL)

Juliette to Morriston

AR 772.0 Juliette later known as Rainbow Falls
junction with Ocala to Homosassa Line
AR 764.4 Romeo
AR 759.6 Morriston 1893

References
  1. "Land Grant and Trust Deed of the Silver Springs, Ocala & Gulf Railroad Company and Other Documents". DigitalFGCU: Florida Gulf Coast University's Digital Repository. Florida Gulf Coast University. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  2. Turner, Gregg (2003). A Short History of Florida Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2421-4.
  3. Cook, David (17 Jan 2010). "Ocala begins love affair with railroads". Ocala Star Banner. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  4. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Jacksonville Division and Tampa Division Timetable (1977)
  5. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Jacksonville Division and Tampa Division Timetable (1982)
  6. "Abandoned Railroad Rights-of-way". Google. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
  7. Florida Railroads, Passenger Stations and Stops
  8. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Savannah and Waycross Division Timetable (1982)
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