Discontinued Amtrak Route You Want Revived.

[Mystic River Dragon]

Yes, I know, but I was just thinking what I would like--not the practical side of it.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Was there a train years ago that came down from the north and went along Florida's west coast? If so, I'd love to see that one restored. (Or a new one created along that route.)

The Silver Palm was routed between Jacksonville and Tampa via Waldo, Ocala, Wildwood, and Dade City but was discontinued in 2004. This is now a busy CSX freight route.
St. Petersburg and Clearwater had stops for the Silver Star, Silver Meteor, Champion, and Floridian before being cut in 1984. This is a lightly used CSX local line that they are trying to sell off.

South of Tampa, two separate line exist; one to Bradenton and Sarasota and another to Fort Myers and North Naples (formerly continuing on to Naples). These routes are owned by CSX and the Seminole Gulf Railway, a small freight and tourist train operator. The line to Bradenton is still somewhat busy for CSX, but the Fort Myers/North Naples line is mostly owned by Seminole Gulf and is lightly used. Neither route has ever had Amtrak service.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

Silver Palm was the name I remembered, but not that route. I'm thinking that there was a gentleman who had a railroad on the west coast at about the same time Mr. Flagler had his on the east coast, but that the gentleman on the west coast invested in oranges and there was a terrible freeze and that was pretty much the end of the line (sorry, couldn't resist) for his wealth in Florida, and his railroad and the tracks were abandoned.

Someone who learned Florida history in school might be able to supply the details? I can't remember his name or I would look him up.

Anyway, something that stopped at Clearwater, Sarasota, and Naples would be lovely.

 

[brianpmcdonnell17]

Silver Palm was the name I remembered, but not that route. I'm thinking that there was a gentleman who had a railroad on the west coast at about the same time Mr. Flagler had his on the east coast, but that the gentleman on the west coast invested in oranges and there was a terrible freeze and that was pretty much the end of the line (sorry, couldn't resist) for his wealth in Florida, and his railroad and the tracks were abandoned.

Someone who learned Florida history in school might be able to supply the details? I can't remember his name or I would look him up.

Anyway, something that stopped at Clearwater, Sarasota, and Naples would be lovely.

Plant is the person most famous for developing the railroads to Tampa, but much of that system still exists. One train serving all three cities you mentioned would be nice, but nearly impossible at present as all three are on separate lines and Naples proper doesn't even have tracks any more. I think the best hope of ever getting service back to Sarasota and Clearwater is via commuter rail, although that is also a long shot given the government. Unlike in Orlando where it is essentially a point along the railroad, Tampa is a hub of freight tracks so the network could become rather large if it was supported. As I mentioned in the last post, CSX is trying to sell the Clearwater/St. Petersburg route (in addition to a route to Brooksville). The track is very roundabout from St. Petersburg to Tampa, but with speed upgrades it could be useful for passengers travelling from Clearwater to either city. The tracks in Clearwater are only a few blocks from the Intercoastal Waterway where ferry service operates to the beach. In my opinion, the best way to operate passenger rail to Pinellas County is by opening commuter rail along CSX tracks and Light Rail along Interstate 275 (with a connection to the newly opened airport train system), which together could serve almost all major population and commercial centers in the area from Downtown Tampa west to the Gulf. If trackage rights could be gained, I think there is also demand for commuter rail service from Tampa to Lakeland, Brooksville, and Sarasota in addition to a few shorter branches such as USF and South Tampa.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

It must have been Henry Plant that I was thinking of, but he seems to have lived to a good and wealthy old age and been just fine, so I don't know who else it could have been that I was thinking had a railroad down the west coast and got ruined by the orange freeze.

If they could do something as nice as Sunrail, commuter rail from Tampa would be a good option.

 

[railiner]

A century ago, there were thru Pullman car lines to all of those branches from the East and Midwest.....

 

[west point]

Will Ignore the ATL station and congestion. Running the old SOU RR royal palm train would be better than the Floridian. Could be part of Cardinal to Cincinnati then the rat hole to Chattanooga and ATL, Macon, Valdosta, JAX, FEC to Miami . Good route and PTC all the way. As well at ATL would connect to north bound Crescent going Palm going south and opposite Palm going north.

ATL connecting tCrescent service from Chattanooga and Royal palm service from Chattanooga to Florida. Thruway bus Nashville - CHA.

Birmingham and south gets connecting Crescent to Palm to Florida.