Main >> Hobbies & Interests >> Other Specialty Interests

 
FL RRs P07

THE FLORIDA CENTRAL

[IMAGE]

This section is titled "Florida Central" but actually in Plymouth, about 10 miles north of Orlando, is the headquarters of Pinsly's Florida Central, Florida Midland, and Florida Northern.

[IMAGE]

Plymouth HQ often yields some enjoyable units if one is passing by with the camera at hand, such as this CF7 seen in circa 1992. A close inspection in person will reveal Santa Fe decals under that bright red and yellow paint.

[IMAGE]

Another of the brightly painted EMDs was found at Plymouth in the early 90s. The FCEN sports at least one Alco switcher which I've yet to see on the road.

[IMAGE]

This Florida Midland CF-7 took a little variation of the Pinsly paint scheme. Here, the #63 was just north of the Plymouth HQ buildings in the early 1990s.

[IMAGE]

A southbound works towards Orlando where it will use trackage rights on CSX to do interchange work at Taft yard a few miles south of downtown. The #207 is seen next to the famous "Ben White Raceway" horse training center in the northwest end of Orlando.

[IMAGE]

Here the #207 passes the Orlando Amtrak station northbound on it's return trip from Taft Yard. The train will be back on its own tracks about a mile from here.

[IMAGE]

In downtown Orlando a northbound is going thru the turnout back to its own rails. The end of this train is going right thru Orlando's Church Street Station entertainment complex.

[IMAGE]

Running long hood forward, a FCEN train departs CSX returning from Taft. Z-915 is the designation for Florida Central trains running between downtown Orlando and Taft Yard over CSX rails.

[IMAGE]

A rare treat, this is the first FCEN train with two units on the point that I have seen. This southbound is between Church Street Station and the Orlando Amtrak Station about 6:30 PM on October 16, 1998.

[IMAGE]

This handsome bay window caboose was seen at Plymouth, but I've yet to see it on a train. The caboose also brings us to the end of this visit along the Florida Central, the shortline in the Orlando area.

FL RRs P01 (Click here to return to the FL RR Home Page.)