CSX A Line | |||
---|---|---|---|
Overview | |||
Other name(s) | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Main Line | ||
Status | Operating | ||
Owner | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (1900-1967) Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (1967-1986) CSX Transportation (1986-present) | ||
Termini |
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Technical | |||
Line length | 890.1 mi (1,432.5 km) | ||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge | ||
Electrification | No | ||
Signalling | Centralized traffic control | ||
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The CSX A Line forms the backbone of the historic Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Main Line, the backbone of their network in the southeastern United States. The main line runs from Richmond, Virginia to Port Tampa just southwest of Tampa, Florida, a distance of nearly 900 miles. Along its route it passes through Petersburg, Rocky Mount, Florence, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Orlando. With the exception of a short 61-mile segment in Greater Orlando (which is now state-owned), the entire line is owned by CSX Transportation.
By the time the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) was officially created, track that would make up its main line had already been built by the company's predecessors. [1] The main line was built in the late 1800s by the following companies:
The process to combine these individual railroads into a unified system began around 1898. [1] By 1900, the system north of Charleston was officially merged into the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company. In 1902, the Atlantic Coast Line acquired the Plant System, which expanded the network into Georgia and Florida and nearly doubled the size of the network. [2]
Due to increasing traffic and the Florida land boom of the 1920s, the ACL began work to double track 661 miles of the main line from Richmond to Jacksonville in 1922. The double track was complete in 1925, two years ahead of schedule. Automatic block signals were installed at the same time. [2] In later years, much of the main line would be restored to single track with centralized traffic control and passing sidings. [3]
The line carried many of the Atlantic Coast Line's passenger and freight trains though the years. Many of the company's passenger trains on the main line were from the northeast to Florida, which included: [1] [4]
In 1967, the Atlantic Coast Line merged with their long-time rival, the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL). The SAL also had a main line running from Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida that was roughly parallel to the ACL's main line. [2] The two main lines crossed each other in Centralia, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Plant City. After the merger was complete, the company was named the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL), who largely retained both main lines in the combined network. [5] To differentiate the two main lines, the Seaboard Coast Line designated the ACL's main line as the A Line and the SAL's main line as the S Line. The letter A was added as a prefix to the mileposts on the A Line (A was also added to the beginning of the pre-existing letter prefixes on the ACL's branch lines).
In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation. The CSX Corporation initially operated the Chessie and Seaboard Systems separately until 1986, when they were merged into CSX Transportation. [2]
The full line from Richmond to Port Tampa is still in service. In 2011, CSX sold a 61-mile segment from Deland, Florida to Poinciana, Florida in the Greater Orlando area to the Florida Department of Transportation, who now operates the SunRail commuter rail service on that segment. [6] Other than that, CSX still owns and operates the rest of the line. Many CSX freight trains and Amtrak trains runs the line daily. From north to south, the A Line is designated by CSX as the North End Subdivision, South End Subdivision, Charleston Subdivision, Savannah Subdivision, Nahunta Subdivision, Jacksonville Terminal Subdivision, Sanford Subdivision, Carters Subdivision, Lakeland Subdivision, and the Tampa Terminal Subdivision. [7]
State | Milepost [8] | City/Location | Station [9] [10] | Image | Connections and notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
VA | Richmond | Broad Street Station | opened in 1917 replacing Byrd Street Station located on Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad | ||
ARN 3.6 | AY Interlocking | junction with Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad | |||
ARN 0.0 A 0.0 | Bridge over James River | ||||
A 1.0 | Meadow | ||||
A 5.5 | FA Junction | ||||
A 10.7 | Centralia | Centralia | |||
A 12.8 | Chester | Chester | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line | ||
A 19.4 | Dunlop | ||||
A 22.0 | Petersburg | Petersburg Union Station | replaced original station in 1910 and replaced by the current station in 1955 (which is located on a bypass track around Petersburg built in the 1930s) junction with Southside Railroad (N&W) | ||
A 27.1 | Collier Yard | ||||
A 31.4 | Reams | ||||
A 36.0 | Carson | Carson | |||
A 43.2 | Stony Creek | Stony Creek | |||
A 53.2 | Jarratt | Jarratt | junction with Virginian Railway (N&W) | ||
A 62.8 | Emporia | Emporia | originally Hicksford junction with Atlantic and Danville Railway | ||
A 68.1 | Skippers | Trego | |||
NC | A 74.4 | Pleasant Hill | Pleasant Hill | ||
A 80.1 | Garysburg | Garysburg | |||
A 82.6 | Weldon | Weldon | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Portsmouth Subdivision | ||
A 89.9 | Halifax | Halifax | |||
A 91.7 | Pender | junction with Kinston Branch | |||
A 92.6 | Ruggles | ||||
A 100.9 | Enfield | Enfield | |||
A 107.0 | Whitakers | Whitakers | |||
A 111.2 | Battleboro | Battleboro | |||
A 114.7 | Schrader | ||||
A 119.6 | Rocky Mount | Rocky Mount | Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star station rebuilt in 1911, 1916, and in the 1960s junction with Nashville Branch | ||
A 121.2 | South Rocky Mount | junction with Norfolk—Rocky Mount Line | |||
A 125.6 | Sharpsburg | Sharpsburg | |||
A 128.6 | Joyner | ||||
A 129.4 | Elm City | Elm City | |||
A 135.7 | Wilson | Wilson | Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto rebuilt in 1924 junction with Norfolk Southern Railway (SOU) | ||
A 138.9 | Contentnea | junction with Wilmington Line | |||
A 144.2 | Lucama | Lucama | |||
A 151.2 | Kenly | Kenly | named for ACL president John R. Kenly | ||
A 156.3 | Micro | Micro | |||
A 161.2 | Selma | Selma Union Depot | Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto replaced original station in 1924 junction with the North Carolina Railroad (SOU) | ||
A 164.8 | Smithfield | Smithfield | junction with Midland Branch | ||
A 171.5 | Four Oaks | Four Oaks | |||
A 180.0 | Benson | Benson | |||
A 186.0 | Dunn | Dunn | |||
A 194.6 | Godwin | Godwin | |||
A 198.5 | Wade | Wade | |||
A 204.1 | Beard | ||||
A 209.7 | Fayetteville | Fayetteville | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto current station built in 1911 junction with:
| ||
A 216.1 | Hope Mills | Hope Mills | junction with Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad | ||
A 222.9 | Parkton | Parkton | junction with Parkton—Sumter Line | ||
A 227.7 | Rex | Rex | |||
A 230.2 | Rennert | Rennert | |||
A 236.5 | Buie | ||||
A 241.3 | Pembroke | Pembroke | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Wilmington Subdivision | ||
A 246.3 | Elrod | Elrod | junction with Myrtle Beach Branch | ||
A 252.8 | Rowland | Rowland | |||
SC | A 257.1 | Hamer | Hamer | ||
A 262.2 | Dillon | Dillon | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Andrews Subdivision | ||
A 269.1 | Latta | Latta | |||
A 273.4 | Sellers | Sellers | |||
A 280.1 | Pee Dee | junction with Wilmington—Pee Dee Line | |||
A 283.1 | Winona | ||||
A 286.3 | Mars Bluff | Mars Bluff | |||
A 292.7 | Florence | Florence | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto station rebuilt in 1910 junction with: | ||
A 300.0 | Java | ||||
A 303.3 | Effingham | Effingham | |||
A 309.4 | Coward | Coward | |||
A 313.7 | Scranton | Scranton | |||
A 316.1 | Lake City | Lake City | |||
A 322.2 | Cades | Cades | |||
A 331.1 | Kingstree | Kingstree | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto station rebuilt in 1909 | ||
A 336.5 | Salters | Salters | |||
A 341.1 | Lane | Lane | also listed as Lanes on employee timetables junction with Sumter–Lanes Line | ||
A 344.9 | Santee Bluff | ||||
A 349.6 | St. Stephen | St. Stephen | |||
A 356.7 | Bonneau | Bonneau | |||
A 365.0 | Moncks Corner | Moncks Corner | |||
A 376.1 | Mount Holly | Mount Holly | |||
A 383.3 | Hanahan | Hanahan | |||
A 387.7 | North Charleston | Charleston | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto replaced Charleston Union Station in 1957 rebuilt as the Charleston Intermodal Center in 2018 | ||
A 388.4 | Ashley Junction | junction with South Carolina Railroad (SOU) | |||
ACN 394.6 | Charleston | Charleston Union Station | located on a spur at East Bay Street & Columbus Street station building burned down in 1947 and platform closed in 1957 [11] | ||
A 389.3 | Bennett | ||||
A 398.7 | Johns Island | Johns Island | junction with Croghans Branch | ||
A 406.7 | Ravenel | Ravenel | junction with Yonges Island Branch | ||
A 415.8 | Parkers Ferry | Parkers Ferry | |||
A 419.2 | Jacksonboro | Jacksonboro | |||
A 428.7 | Green Pond | Green Pond | junction with Walterboro Branch | ||
A 432.3 | White Hall | ||||
A 443.0 | Yemassee | Yemassee | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto parts of the station rebuilt in 1955 junction with Charleston and Western Carolina Railway (ACL) | ||
A 449.6 | Gilmania | ||||
A 459.3 | Ridgeland | Ridgeland | |||
A 473.9 | Hardeeville | Hardeeville | |||
A 478.5 | Sand Island | ||||
GA | A 490.4 | Savannah | Central Junction | junction with:
| |
A 490.9 | Savannah Union Station | accessed via a spur track | |||
A 504.4 | Burroughs | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line | |||
A 508.6 | Richmond Hill | Richmond Hill | originally Ways | ||
A 514.4 | Fleming | ||||
A 522.8 | McIntosh | junction with Savannah, Hinesville and Western Railway | |||
A 528.8 | Walthourville | Walthourville | |||
A 537.6 | Ludowici | Ludowici | originally Johnston Station junction with Georgia Coast and Piedmont Railroad | ||
A 543.7 | Doctortown | ||||
A 548.2 | Jesup | Jesup | Amtrak Silver Meteor junction with: | ||
A 553.0 | Leake | ||||
A 558.3 | Broadhurst | ||||
A 563.5 | O'Neal | ||||
A 567.7 | Hortense | Hortense | Junction with Brunswick and Birmingham Railroad (AB&A/ACL) | ||
A 573.2 | Raybon | ||||
A 576.9 | Nahunta | Nahunta | junction with Waycross–Brunswick Line | ||
A 582.0 | Shea | ||||
A 588.5 | Winokur | ||||
A 592.0 | Newell | ||||
A 602.5 | Folkston | Folkston | junction with Waycross—Folkston Line | ||
FL | A 608.5 | Boulogne | Boulogne | ||
A 614.5 | Hilliard | Hilliard | |||
A 620.1 | Dyal | Dyal | |||
A 624.5 | Callahan | Callahan | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Gross Subdivision | ||
A 635.2 | Dinsmore | ||||
A 640.0 | Jacksonville | Grand Crossing | junction with Wilcox Line | ||
A 640.3 | Moncrief Yard | ||||
A 643.7 | Jacksonville Union Terminal | junction with: | |||
A 649.9 | McGirts | ||||
A 654.0 | Yukon | Yukon | originally Black Point | ||
A 658.6 | Orange Park | Orange Park | |||
A 665.1 | Doctor's Inlet | Doctor's Inlet | |||
A 668.5 | Russell | originally Fleming | |||
A 672.6 | Green Cove Springs | Green Cove Springs | |||
A 676.1 | Walkill | ||||
A 682.2 | West Tocoi | ||||
A 690.8 | Bostwick | Bostwick | |||
A 696.7 | Pecan | ||||
A 698.0 | Palatka | Palatka Union Station | Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star junction with: | ||
A 700.4 | Lundy | ||||
A 708.1 | Satsuma | Satsuma | |||
A 712.2 | Pomona Park | Pomona Park | originally Pomona | ||
A 716.7 | Huntington | Huntington | |||
A 719.3 | Crescent City | Crescent City | |||
A 722.2 | Longs | ||||
A 726.6 | Seville | Seville | |||
A 732.0 | Pierson | Pierson | |||
A 737.9 | Barberville | Barberville | |||
A 743.1 | DeLeon Springs | DeLeon Springs | originally Spring Garden | ||
A 746.3 | Glenwood | Glenwood | |||
A 750.0 | West DeLand | DeLand | Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star originally DeLand Junction junction with DeLand and St. Johns River Railroad (ACL) | ||
A 754.8 | Orange City | Orange City | junction with Florida East Coast Railway Orange City Branch | ||
A 760.8 | DeBary | Benson Junction | junction with Florida East Coast Railway Enterprise Branch | ||
A 764.5 | Sanford | Rands | Currently the location of the Rand Yard | ||
A 766.3 | Sanford | Amtrak Auto Train junction with: | |||
A 771.3 | Lake Mary | Lake Mary | |||
A 778.4 | Longwood | Longwood | |||
A 781.3 | Altamonte Springs | Altamonte Springs | Originally Snowville | ||
A 783.0 | Maitland | Maitland | |||
A 785.6 | Winter Park | Winter Park | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Silver Star and Sunset Limited rebuilt in 1912 and 1962 | ||
A 791.1 | Orlando | Church Street Station | closed in 1926, reopened as SunRail station in 2014 junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Orlando Subdivision | ||
A 790.4 | Orlando | Amtrak Silver Meteor, Silver Star and Sunset Limited replaced Church Street Station in 1926 | |||
A 793.1 | Pine Castle | Pine Castle | |||
A 798.4 | Taft | Taft | originally Big Cypress | ||
A 808.0 | Kissimmee | Kissimmee | Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star junction with: | ||
A 812.0 | Campbell | Campbell | |||
A 819.1 | Loughman | Loughman | originally Lake Locke | ||
A 824.8 | Davenport | Davenport | |||
A 829.4 | Haines City | Haines City | junction with Haines City Branch | ||
A 835.6 | Lake Alfred | Lake Alfred | originally Bartow Junction junction with Bartow Branch | ||
A 839.7 | Auburndale | Auburndale | junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Miami Subdivision | ||
A 844.7 | Fussels Corner | Carters | |||
A 851.8 | Lakeland | Lakeland | Amtrak Silver Star rebuilt in 1910 and 1998 junction with: | ||
A 855.4 | Winston | junction with Bone Valley Branch | |||
A 858.4 | Youmans | ||||
A 861.1 | Plant City | Plant City Union Depot | replaced original station in 1909 junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line | ||
A 867.8 | Dover | Dover | originally known as Cork [12] | ||
A 870.9 | Seffner | Seffner | |||
A 873.5 | Mango | Mango | |||
A 878.8 | Tampa | Uceta | junction with Sarasota Line | ||
A 879.6 | Thonotosassa Junction | junction with Vitis—Tampa Line | |||
A 881.7 | Tampa Union Station | Amtrak Silver Star replaced original station in 1912 junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad | |||
A 890.1 | Port Tampa | ||||
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad, which styled itself as "The Route of Courteous Service", was an American railroad that existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Predecessor railroads dated from the 1830s and reorganized extensively to rebuild after the American Civil War. The company was headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, until 1958, when its main offices were relocated to Richmond, Virginia. The Seaboard Air Line Railway Building in Norfolk's historic Freemason District still stands and has been converted into apartments.
The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was a United States Class I railroad formed in 1900, though predecessor railroads had used the ACL brand since 1871. In 1967, it merged with long-time rival Seaboard Air Line Railroad to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad. Much of the original ACL network has been part of CSX Transportation since 1986.
Silver Service was a brand applied by Amtrak to its long-distance trains running along the United States East Coast between New York City and Miami, Florida. It comprised two trains – the Silver Meteor and Silver Star. Since November 2024, the Silver Star has been temporarily combined with the Capitol Limited to form the Floridian, a Chicago–Washington–Miami route. The Silver Service brand was subsequently quietly discontinued for an indefinite period at the same time.
The Silver Meteor is a long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. Introduced in 1939 as the first diesel-powered streamliner between New York and Florida, it was the flagship train of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) and one of the flagship trains of its successor, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL). The train was transferred to Amtrak when it took over intercity passenger rail service in 1971.
The Silver Star is a temporarily discontinued long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a 1,522-mile (2,449 km) route between New York City and Miami via Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; and Tampa, Florida.
The Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad was the final name of a system of railroads throughout Florida, becoming part of the Seaboard Air Line Railway in 1900. The system, including some of the first railroads in Florida, stretched from Jacksonville west through Tallahassee and south to Tampa. Much of the FC&P network is still in service under the ownership of CSX Transportation.
The Plant System, named after its owner, Henry B. Plant, was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system was the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway, running across southern Georgia. The Plant Investment Company was formed in 1882 to lease and buy other railroads and expand the system. Other major lines incorporated into the system include the Savannah and Charleston Railroad and the Brunswick and Western Railroad.
The Charleston and Savannah Railway was a 19th-century American railroad serving the coastal states of South Carolina and Georgia and running through part of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Its name varied slightly over time:
The Champion was a streamlined passenger train operated by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad and Florida East Coast Railway between New York City and Miami or St. Petersburg, Florida. It operated from 1939 until 1979, continuing under the Seaboard Coast Line and Amtrak. It was a direct competitor to the Seaboard Air Line Railway's Silver Meteor, the first New York-Florida streamliner.
The Ashley River Railroad was a shortline railroad that served the South Carolina Lowcountry region in the late 19th century.
The Jesup Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in Georgia. The line runs from Jesup, Georgia to Folkston, Georgia for a length of 72.7 miles. It notable passes through Waycross, Georgia, a major CSX freight terminal and CSX operates numerous freight trains over the line. The Jesup Subdivision was once a major route for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, one of CSX's predecessors.
The Wildwood Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida. It runs along CSX's S Line from Baldwin south to Zephyrhills via Ocala and Wildwood for a total of 155.7 miles. The S Line is CSX's designation for the line that was the Seaboard Air Line Railroad main line from 1903 to 1967.
The Charleston Subdivision is a railroad territory owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. states of South Carolina and Georgia. The line from Florence, South Carolina, to Savannah, Georgia, for a total of 195.8 miles. At its north end it continues south from the South End Subdivision and at its south end it continues south as the Savannah Subdivision of the Jacksonville Division.
The Norlina Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. State of North Carolina. The line currently runs from Norlina, North Carolina, to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a total of 51.2 miles. At its north end the line comes to an end and at its south end the line continues north from the Aberdeen Subdivision. While the current line dates back to 1840, it has been known as the Norlina Subdivision since 1967. Under CSX's predecessor, the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad, the Norlina Subdivision continued north to Collier Yard near Petersburg, Virginia.
The Portsmouth Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Virginia and North Carolina. The line connects CSX's network with the port city of Portsmouth, Virginia. The Portsmouth Subdivision was historically operated by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, a CSX predecessor.
The Waycross Short Line was the unofficial name of a railroad line built by Henry B. Plant that ran from Waycross, Georgia to Jacksonville, Florida on the St. Johns River. The line through Georgia was chartered by Plant as the Waycross and Florida Railroad and the Florida segment was chartered as the East Florida Railway. The line crossed the Georgia/Florida border just south of Folkston, Georgia at the St. Marys River.
The Folkston Cutoff is a railroad line in southern Georgia. It runs from Jesup southwest to Folkston, a distance of 54 miles. It was built in 1901 by the Plant System to allow trains from the northeast to Florida to bypass their busy terminal in Waycross.
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad’s Main Line was the backbone of the Seaboard Air Line Railroad's network in the southeastern United States. The main line ran from Richmond, Virginia to Tampa, Florida, a distance of over 800 miles. Along its route it passed through Petersburg, Raleigh, Columbia, Savannah, Jacksonville, and Ocala, Florida. While some segments of the line have been abandoned as of 2023, most of the line is still in service and is owned by the Seaboard Air Line's successor, CSX Transportation as their S-Line.