South Florida Railroad
| Company type | Railroad |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | 1878 |
| Founder | Henry B. Plant (majority owner from 1883) |
| Defunct | 1893 (acquired by Plant System) |
| Fate | Absorbed by Plant System in 1893, later by Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902 |
| Successor | Plant System, Atlantic Coast Line Railroad |
| Headquarters | Sanford, Florida , United States |
Area served | Florida (Sanford to Tampa) |
Key people | Henry B. Plant |
| Products | Rail transport services |
Map from 1888
|
The South Florida Railroad ran between Sanford, Florida and Tampa, Florida, becoming integrated into the Plant System in 1893 and later absorbed by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. It constituted the southernmost portion of the Atlantic Coast Line’s principal route. Currently, this line remains operational as part of Orlando’s Central Florida Rail Corridor and is owned by CSX Transportation, designated as their A Line.
History
Initially chartered in 1875, the Lake Monroe and Orlando Railroad aimed to construct a rail link from Sanford to Orlando. The South Florida Railroad was established in 1878 and assumed control of this charter in 1879 to safeguard its land grant interests. Service commenced between Sanford and Orlando on November 11, 1880, with intentions to extend the line westward to Tampa on the Gulf Coast.
On May 4, 1883, Henry B. Plant, the founder of the Plant System, acquired majority ownership of South Florida after an unsuccessful bid for the Florida Southern Railway. Plant arranged territorial agreements with competing rail companies that enabled South Florida to build strategically toward Tampa while restricting rival expansions. The South Florida Railroad was the first to reach Tampa, securing crucial port facilities at what is now known as Port Tampa. The original passenger station in Tampa was situated at Ashley and Madison Streets. The entire route officially opened on January 25, 1884; initially constructed as narrow gauge, it was converted to standard gauge by September 22, 1886.
In 1893, the Plant System fully acquired South Florida. Following Henry Plant’s death in 1899, his heirs sold the system to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. This railroad incorporated the route into its extensive main line spanning nearly 900 miles from Richmond, Virginia down to Tampa.
The Atlantic Coast Line merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad in 1967, creating the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, which subsequently evolved into CSX Transportation during the 1980s. At present, CSX operates this corridor as its "A" Line.
In 2011, CSX divested the northern portion of the route beyond Poinciana to the Florida Department of Transportation, establishing the Central Florida Rail Corridor dedicated to commuter rail operations. SunRail service began on May 1, 2014, initially running between Sand Lake Road and DeBary (later extended to DeLand in 2024) and expanded further southward to Poinciana in 2018. This initiative also reinstated passenger service at the historic Church Street Station in downtown Orlando, originally built by the South Florida Railroad.
Main Line
Completed in 1884, the primary line of the South Florida Railroad stretches southwest from Sanford through Orlando and Lakeland before terminating at Port Tampa. This route runs roughly parallel to Interstate 4 and passes through communities named after prominent railroad figures such as Plant City, honoring Henry Plant, and Haines City, named for Colonel Henry Haines, who played a vital role in overseeing construction.
Today, this main corridor constitutes the southern segment of CSX’s A Line:
- Operated by CSX (from Poinciana to Port Tampa)
- Carters Subdivision (stretching from Poinciana to South Lakeland)
- Lakeland Subdivision (covering South Lakeland to Mango)
- Tampa Terminal Subdivision (extending from Mango to Port Tampa)
Passenger services managed by Amtrak utilize this line as well, including trains serving Tampa Union Station. Miami-bound routes diverge southward from Auburndale via the Auburndale Subdivision.
Since FDOT acquired the northern section of this corridor, CSX limits its operations on the Central Florida Rail Corridor primarily to local freight traffic originating from Taft Yard located in Pine Castle. Freight trains traveling through northern Florida instead use the adjacent S Line. The Florida Central Railroad, which connects downtown Orlando with Taft Yard, maintains freight trackage rights along this corridor.
Pemberton Ferry Branch
As part of Henry Plant's arrangement with the Florida Southern Railway, the South Florida Railroad was obligated to construct the Pemberton Ferry Branch, a north-south line. This route began at Pemberton Ferry (currently known as Croom), passed through Lakeland, and continued south-southeast to Bartow. Beyond Bartow, Florida Southern exercised trackage rights extending to Punta Gorda. The line was finished in September 1884, and the subsequent discovery of phosphate deposits in Bone Valley near Lakeland led to its conversion to standard gauge on August 7, 1891.
Following the acquisition of South Florida by the Plant System, the branch was extended northward from Pemberton Ferry to Inverness, establishing a connection with the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad in 1891.
When under Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) control, the northern portion became incorporated into their R Line running from DuPont, Georgia, to Lakeland through High Springs. Due to rising traffic volumes during the 1920s, ACL implemented double-tracking on the segment north of Vitis Junction.
This branch is historically significant for the 1956 Great Train Wreck near Pineola, a tragic head-on collision between two ACL freight trains that resulted in five fatalities among crew members. A commemorative marker is placed at the accident site along the Withlacoochee State Trail.
Currently, CSX manages certain sections of this branch: from Lakeland to Owensboro on the northern segment and from the mainline to Eaton Park on the southern segment. The northern stretch beyond Owensboro has been abandoned and transformed into part of the Withlacoochee State Trail, while the southern portion serves as an industrial spur. The Fort Fraser Trail follows the former railway corridor between Eaton Park and Bartow.
CSX designates these segments as follows:
- Wildwood Subdivision (Owensboro to Vitis Junction)
- Vitis Subdivision (Vitis Junction to Lakeland)
- CH Spur (Lakeland to Eaton Park)
Bartow Branch
The railroad’s charter mandated routing through Bartow; therefore, the Bartow Branch was constructed branching off from the mainline at Lake Alfred (known as Bartow Junction) heading southwest to Bartow. This line commenced operations in 1884 and was converted to standard gauge by September 23, 1886.
At present, a portion of this branch remains active from Winter Haven down to Gordonville (located northeast of Bartow), operated by the Florida Midland Railroad. The stretch between Lake Alfred and Winter Haven has been repurposed as part of the Chain of Lakes Trail.
Other Branches
- Lake Charm
The Sanford and Indian River Railroad, established in 1881 and leased by South Florida in 1883, ran from Sanford southeastward to Oviedo and Lake Charm. Converted to standard gauge by 1886, this route currently functions as CSX’s Aloma Spur between Sanford and Winter Springs. The former rail corridor between Winter Springs and Oviedo has since been redeveloped into the Cross Seminole Trail.
- Apopka
The Apopka Branch was included in the original charter, extending westward from Mayo on the mainline toward Apopka and reaching the Withlacoochee River. However, it never fully commenced operations under South Florida control and partially functioned as the short-lived Apopka and Atlantic Railroad.
- Narcoossee
Incorporated in 1888, the St. Cloud and Sugar Belt Railway connected Kissimmee with St. Cloud and Narcoossee. Operated immediately by South Florida and merged into it by 1893, portions of its former right-of-way correspond with Neptune Road today.
Historic stations
| Milepost | City/Location | Station | Opening Date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Template:ACL mi 766.3 | Sanford | Sanford | 1880 | Reconstructed in 1913 and 1953; interchange with: |
| A 771.3 | Lake Mary | Lake Mary | circa 1888 | |
| A 778.4 | Longwood | Longwood | 1880 | Interchange with:
|
| A 781.3 | Altamonte Springs | Altamonte Springs | 1880 | |
| A 783.0 | Maitland | Maitland | 1880 | |
| A 785.6 | Winter Park | Winter Park | 1882 | Served by Amtrak's Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Sunset Limited; station rebuilt in 1912 and 1962 |
| A 791.1 | Orlando | Church Street Station | 1880–1926 | Original facility; interchange with: |
| A 790.4 | Orlando | 1926 | Amtrak services: Silver Meteor, Silver Star, Sunset Limited | |
| A 808.0 | Kissimmee | Kissimmee | 1882 | Amtrak Silver Meteor & Silver Star stops; junction with:
|
| A 829.4 | Haines City | Haines City | 1920 | Interchange with ACL Haines City Branch |
| A 835.6 | Lake Alfred | Lake Alfred | circa 1920 | 'Bartow Junction' initially; connection to Bartow Branch |
| A 851.8 | Lakeland | Lakeland | 1884 | 'Silver Star' Amtrak stop; rebuilt in 1910 and again in 1998; junction with Pemberton Ferry Branch |
| Milepost | City/Location | Station | Opening Date | Connections and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AR 794.3 | Inverness | Inverness | 1891 | Interchange with Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad (ACL) |
| Milepost !City/Location !Station !Opening Date !Notes |
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| Milepost !City/Location !Station !Opening Date !Notes |
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| Milepost !City/Location !Station !Opening Date !Notes |
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External links
- The South Florida Railroad - Tap Lines
- Coordinates directory for the Sanford and Indian River Railroad
- Defunct railroads in Florida
- Atlantic Coast Line Railroad predecessors
- Railway companies founded in 1879
- Railway companies dissolved in 1893
- Narrow-gauge railways in Florida
- 3-foot gauge railroads in the United States
- Standard-gauge railways in the United States
- American firms founded in 1879
- 1879 establishments in Florida
- 1893 closures in Florida
- Mergers and acquisitions of 1893
- American firms dissolved in 1893
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment
- American companies established in 1879