Hi all! I will be down near Orlando, FL for a short time next week and would love to catch a freight in Orlando. I realize from the searches I've done there isn't that much and what there is runs at night? Night will be fine with me as long as there is a place with enough light to video. I'm open to any and all suggestions as far as locations, days and times to have the best chance to grab one? I'd be happy with Florida Central or FEC and of course CSX but have no idea when to go? I'm open to any and all suggestions. Many thanks!
Jay
Primary activity will be Sun Rail operating on the tracks they purchased from CSX. CSX has rerouted their former A Line through traffic to the S Line through Wildwood.
I believe CSX still operate one train each way a day between Jacksonville and Orlando.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Stayed in the downtown area and was happy when the hotel warned me about train activity at night :)
I'm not a big fan of Sun Rail or Amtrak so I can hope for CSX. Thanks BaltACD, I appreciate it!
That gives me hope at least. Thanks rdamon!
Sanford is close by, with a small CSX yard and the Autotrain terminal.Also a bridge over the St. John's river. Fla. Central runs from CSX connection towards Mt. Dora/Sorrento. There was a doodlebug running around Mt. Dora.....Lakeland is in the area, west of O'ville. CSX yard there. Check out Colonial Photo and Hobby, too.
When SunRail started up, most of our CSX freight was moved west onto the S-Line, but there is still at least one freight per day: CSX outbound manifest Q456 leaves Taft Yard for Waycross nightly on weekdays, usually after SunRail shuts down for the night (between 11 PM and midnight). As SunRail does not operate on weekends, 456 will depart in daylight then. Florida Central Z915 also runs most nights, usually arriving after Q456 leaves, and departing an hour or two later. You can get good throttle shows from the old Geeps along the one-way stretch of Orange Avenue northbound just south of Mary Jess Road, though you'll need to be on foot or park and watch, as the train runs in the opposite direction of road traffic.
Orlando also sees four Amtrak trains daily, the northbound and southbound Silver Service. The southbound Silver Star (91) usually around 10AM, the Meteors (97, 98) between noon and 1PM, and the northbound Star, if on time, 7:16 PM. SunRail commuter trains run north and south weekdays every half hour during peak periods (morning and evening rush) and every hour otherwise.
CSX Taft Yard is located just south of Orlando on Orange Avenue, south of the Beeline (SR528) overpass. You can sometimes see switching action from the parking lot of the Shell gas station on the right side of Orange Avenue headed south.
I'm not sure how far you will be traveling in the area or on what days, but the Central Florida Railroad Museum in Winter Garden has recently reopened on Fridays only from 11AM to 3PM. It is a small but well-stocked museum, with a very impressive dining car china collection, many artifacts such as lanterns, signs, and parts, as well as a Fairmont speeder and velocipede handcar. Well worth the approximately 30 minute drive from Orlando proper.
freightcarguyIs the short line or industrial road that used Alco locomotives still operational in Orlando?
Yes, Conrad Yelvington is still there, though they use their SW9 (2112) most often, and they are on an irregular schedule. The best place to watch them is from the Amtrak platform just north of Kaley Avenue.
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