Main Line (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad)

Last updated
CSX A Line
CSX qurent logo.png
Moncks-Corner-RR-tracks-sc.jpg
Overview
Other name(s)Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Main Line
StatusOperating
Owner Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (1900-1967)
Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (1967-1986)
CSX Transportation (1986-present)
Termini
Technical
Line length890.1 mi (1,432.5 km)
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification No
Signalling Centralized traffic control
Route map
CSX A and S lines.png
The CSX A Line (red) in relation to the S Line (blue)

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.

Contents

History

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:

Arch bridge over the James River at the north end of the main line near Richmond (as seen in 1985) Richmond (95614599).jpg
Arch bridge over the James River at the north end of the main line near Richmond (as seen in 1985)

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).

CSX train passing through Hilliard, Florida on the former ACL main line HilliardFL.JPG
CSX train passing through Hilliard, Florida on the former ACL main line

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]

Current operations

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]

Historic stations

StateMilepost [8] City/LocationStation [9] [10] ImageConnections and notes
VA Richmond Broad Street Station RF&P 1013 with Trains 34, The Silver Comet, and Train 22, The Silver Star at left at Broad Street Station, Richmond, VA on March 9. 1969 (25031006304).jpg opened in 1917 replacing Byrd Street Station
located on Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
ARN 3.6AY Interlockingjunction with Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
ARN 0.0
A 0.0
Bridge over James River
A 1.0Meadow
A 5.5FA Junction
A 10.7 Centralia Centralia Centralia Station of the Atlantic Coast Line.jpg
A 12.8 Chester Chesterjunction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line
A 19.4Dunlop
A 22.0 Petersburg Petersburg Union Station Petersburg Union Station, 1921.jpg 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 27.1Collier Yard
A 31.4Reams
A 36.0 Carson Carson Carson, VA Old Depot Library-1.jpg
A 43.2 Stony Creek Stony Creek
A 53.2 Jarratt Jarrattjunction with Virginian Railway (N&W)
A 62.8 Emporia Emporiaoriginally 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 Weldon Police Department (4485387820).jpg junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Portsmouth Subdivision
A 89.9 Halifax Halifax
A 91.7Penderjunction with Kinston Branch
A 92.6Ruggles
A 100.9 Enfield Enfield
A 107.0 Whitakers Whitakers
A 111.2 Battleboro Battleboro
A 114.7Schrader
A 119.6 Rocky Mount Rocky Mount Helen P Gay Rocky Mount Station (Close-Up).JPG Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto, Silver Meteor, and Silver Star
station rebuilt in 1911, 1916, and in the 1960s
junction with Nashville Branch
A 121.2South Rocky Mountjunction with Norfolk—Rocky Mount Line
A 125.6 Sharpsburg Sharpsburg
A 128.6Joyner
A 129.4 Elm City Elm City
A 135.7 Wilson Wilson Wilson NC Amtrak Station from East Nash Street.JPG Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto
rebuilt in 1924
junction with Norfolk Southern Railway (SOU)
A 138.9Contentneajunction with Wilmington Line
A 144.2 Lucama Lucama
A 151.2 Kenly Kenlynamed for ACL president John R. Kenly
A 156.3 Micro Micro
A 161.2 Selma Selma Union Depot 19990205 33 Selma, North Carolina (6620530573).jpg Amtrak Carolinian, Palmetto
replaced original station in 1924
junction with the North Carolina Railroad (SOU)
A 164.8 Smithfield Smithfieldjunction 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 204.1Beard
A 209.7 Fayetteville Fayetteville Fayetteville Amtrak-ACL Station; Hay & Winslow.JPG Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto
current station built in 1911
junction with:
A 216.1 Hope Mills Hope Millsjunction with Aberdeen and Rockfish Railroad
A 222.9 Parkton Parktonjunction with Parkton—Sumter Line
A 227.7 Rex Rex
A 230.2 Rennert Rennert
A 236.5Buie
A 241.3 Pembroke Pembrokejunction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Wilmington Subdivision
A 246.3 Elrod Elrodjunction with Myrtle Beach Branch
A 252.8 Rowland Rowland Rowland, NC depot from NE 1.JPG
SC A 257.1 Hamer Hamer
A 262.2 Dillon Dillon Dillon Amtrak Station and CSX Truck.JPG 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 283.1Winona
A 286.3 Mars Bluff Mars Bluff
A 292.7 Florence Florence Old Florence Station from the Platforms.JPG Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto
station rebuilt in 1910
junction with:
A 300.0Java
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 Kingstree SC Amtrak Station; Front Doors.JPG Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto
station rebuilt in 1909
A 336.5 Salters Salters Salter SC.jpg
A 341.1 Lane Lanealso listed as Lanes on employee timetables
junction with Sumter–Lanes Line
A 344.9Santee Bluff
A 349.6 St. Stephen St. Stephen
A 356.7 Bonneau Bonneau
A 365.0 Moncks Corner Moncks Corner Moncks-Corner-depot-sc.jpg
A 376.1 Mount Holly Mount Holly
A 383.3 Hanahan Hanahan
A 387.7 North Charleston Charleston Charleston, South Carolina Amtrak.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto
replaced Charleston Union Station in 1957
rebuilt as the Charleston Intermodal Center in 2018
A 388.4Ashley Junctionjunction with South Carolina Railroad (SOU)
ACN 394.6 Charleston Charleston Union Station Union Station, Charleston, South Carolina LCCN2007675411.jpg located on a spur at East Bay Street & Columbus Street
station building burned down in 1947 and platform closed in 1957 [11]
A 389.3Bennett
A 398.7 Johns Island Johns Islandjunction with Croghans Branch
A 406.7 Ravenel Ravenel Ravenel-Depot-sc.jpg junction with Yonges Island Branch
A 415.8 Parkers Ferry Parkers Ferry
A 419.2 Jacksonboro Jacksonboro
A 428.7 Green Pond Green Pondjunction with Walterboro Branch
A 432.3White Hall
A 443.0 Yemassee Yemassee Yemassee SC.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor, Palmetto
parts of the station rebuilt in 1955
junction with Charleston and Western Carolina Railway (ACL)
A 449.6Gilmania
A 459.3 Ridgeland Ridgeland
A 473.9 Hardeeville Hardeeville
A 478.5Sand Island
GA A 490.4 Savannah Central Junctionjunction with:
A 490.9 Savannah Union Station Savannah Union Station.jpg accessed via a spur track
A 504.4Burroughsjunction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line
A 508.6 Richmond Hill Richmond Hilloriginally Ways
A 514.4Fleming
A 522.8McIntoshjunction with Savannah, Hinesville and Western Railway
A 528.8 Walthourville Walthourville
A 537.6 Ludowici Ludowicioriginally Johnston Station
junction with Georgia Coast and Piedmont Railroad
A 543.7Doctortown
A 548.2 Jesup Jesup Jesup Georgia Amtrak station.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor
junction with:
A 553.0Leake
A 558.3Broadhurst
A 563.5O'Neal
A 567.7 Hortense HortenseJunction with Brunswick and Birmingham Railroad (AB&A/ACL)
A 573.2Raybon
A 576.9 Nahunta Nahuntajunction with Waycross–Brunswick Line
A 582.0Shea
A 588.5Winokur
A 592.0Newell
A 602.5 Folkston Folkston FolkstonGATR.JPG 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 Callahanjunction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Gross Subdivision
A 635.2Dinsmore
A 640.0 Jacksonville Grand Crossing junction with Wilcox Line
A 640.3Moncrief Yard Moncrief Yard aerial.jpg
A 643.7 Jacksonville Union Terminal Jacksonville Terminal Complex, FL, US (10).jpg junction with:
A 649.9McGirts
A 654.0 Yukon Yukonoriginally Black Point
A 658.6 Orange Park Orange Park
A 665.1 Doctor's Inlet Doctor's Inlet
A 668.5Russelloriginally Fleming
A 672.6 Green Cove Springs Green Cove Springs GCS FL HD depot and crths01.jpg
A 676.1Walkill
A 682.2West Tocoi
A 690.8 Bostwick Bostwick
A 696.7Pecan
A 698.0 Palatka Palatka Union Station Palatka Depot04.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star
junction with:
A 700.4Lundy
A 708.1 Satsuma Satsuma
A 712.2 Pomona Park Pomona Parkoriginally Pomona
A 716.7 Huntington Huntington
A 719.3 Crescent City Crescent City
A 722.2Longs
A 726.6 Seville Seville
A 732.0 Pierson Pierson
A 737.9 Barberville Barberville
A 743.1 DeLeon Springs DeLeon Springsoriginally Spring Garden
A 746.3 Glenwood Glenwood
A 750.0 West DeLand DeLand Deland Amtrak front01.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star
originally DeLand Junction
junction with DeLand and St. Johns River Railroad (ACL)
A 754.8 Orange City Orange Cityjunction 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 RandsCurrently 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 SpringsOriginally Snowville
A 783.0 Maitland Maitland
A 785.6 Winter Park Winter Park WinterPkSta-NoTrains.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor, Silver Star and Sunset Limited
rebuilt in 1912 and 1962
A 791.1 Orlando Church Street Station SunRail Church Street.jpg closed in 1926, reopened as SunRail station in 2014
junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Orlando Subdivision
A 790.4 Orlando Orlando FL SCL Amtrak02.jpg 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 Taftoriginally Big Cypress
A 808.0 Kissimmee Kissimmee Kissimmee Amtrak Station -- Old Luggage Cart.jpg Amtrak Silver Meteor and Silver Star
junction with:
A 812.0 Campbell Campbell
A 819.1 Loughman Loughmanoriginally Lake Locke
A 824.8 Davenport Davenport
A 829.4 Haines City Haines City Haines City Hist Dist depot pano01.jpg junction with Haines City Branch
A 835.6 Lake Alfred Lake Alfred Lake alfred depot.jpg originally Bartow Junction
junction with Bartow Branch
A 839.7 Auburndale Auburndalejunction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Miami Subdivision
A 844.7 Fussels Corner Carters
A 851.8 Lakeland Lakeland Lakeland ACL depot.jpg Amtrak Silver Star
rebuilt in 1910 and 1998
junction with:
A 855.4 Winston junction with Bone Valley Branch
A 858.4Youmans
A 861.1 Plant City Plant City Union Depot Plant City FL Union Depot01.JPG replaced original station in 1909
junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line
A 867.8 Dover Doveroriginally known as Cork [12]
A 870.9 Seffner Seffner
A 873.5 Mango Mango
A 878.8 Tampa Uceta junction with Sarasota Line
A 879.6Thonotosassa Junctionjunction with Vitis—Tampa Line
A 881.7 Tampa Union Station Union Railroad Station Tampa, Florida from Florida Memory.jpg Amtrak Silver Star
replaced original station in 1912
junction with Seaboard Air Line Railroad
A 890.1 Port Tampa

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seaboard Air Line Railroad</span> Defunct American railroad

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Coast Line Railroad</span> Defunct American Class I railroad

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.

<i>Silver Service</i> Duo of Amtrak trains operating from New York to Florida

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.

<i>Silver Meteor</i> Amtrak service between New York and Florida

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.

<i>Silver Star</i> (Amtrak train) Former Amtrak service between New York and Florida

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad</span> Historic railroad system

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plant System</span> Historic railroad system

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:

<i>Champion</i> (train) Former passenger train in the US

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charleston Subdivision</span> Railway line in South Carolina and Georgia

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Schafer, Mike (2003). Classic American Railroads, Volume III. Saint Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. pp. 9–17. ISBN   978-0-7603-1649-8.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Turner, Gregg (2003). A Short History of Florida Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7385-2421-4.
  3. "ACL Signals - The A-Line". Rails in Virginia. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  4. "Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Condensed Tables, Table 1, 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 82 (8). National Railway Publication Company. January 1950.
  5. Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Jacksonville Division and Tampa Division Timetable (1977)
  6. "SunRail gets go-ahead". Gulf Coast Business Review. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  7. CSX Jacksonville Division Timetable
  8. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Condensed Profile (1953)
  9. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Northern Division Timetable (1949)
  10. Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Southern Division Timetable (1949)
  11. "Charleston, SC (CHS)". The Great American Stations. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  12. "HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY REPORT" . Retrieved 28 October 2020.