FEC Freight Train backs up onto A-Line to travel NB out of Palmetto, FL on 10-24-09

I was told that this hopper train just delievered aggregate to a commodity called Conrad Yelvington Distributors which is east of Ringling Brothers railcar repair facility in Palmetto, FL! So chances are, this consist reversing was empty! I also beileve that when it was loaded while arriving in Palmetto on A-Line trackage, it might 've been reversing & driving foward on these tracks!

I guess that FEC has the same trackage rights as CSX on the A-Line in Palmetto, FL, but not sure?

But CSX dominates the A-Line from Bradenton to Palmetto, FL with freight trains like the Q740/Q741, manifests & other consists from in & out of Tropicana in Bradenton, FL!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• FEC
• Freight
• Train
• EMD
• GP40-2

[conrailforever1999]

nice video

[bitterman112]

thanks

[tcobb74]

If you'll allow me to continue blabbering, the Palmetto spur ends at the Florida Power and Light power plant on hwy 62 east of Parrish. Over the last year off and on as the power plant's budget allows, I have replaced around 2200 crossties to get the track in class 2 specs to handle unit coal trains. I'm not sure when its gonna start, but keep your eyes peeled. Feel like I'm writing a book so I'll shut up now. Hope I've helped.

[bitterman112]

Yes, you have helped a lot! I appreciate it! Next time I see the Palmetto Sub again, I hope I can see when that aggregate unit train gets loaded! I also hope next time I travel, I get to visit Parrish to see some of those trains!

[kenjr29mfl]

Awesome video 5***** Never saw them backing up before. The loaded train comes from South Florida on the FEC.

[bitterman112]

Thanks! It finished an aggregate delievery at Conrad Yelvington Distributors, So they were backing up to head foward, NB on the A-line to head out of Palmetto!

[tcobb74]

It dosent get loaded anywhere around plant city. It gets loaded at a quarry in Medley just north of Miami. I believe it comes onto CSX trackage just south of West Palm Beach and is brought up north through Indiantown and okeechobee and turns west toward Tampa at the junction in Auburndale.

[tcobb74]

I am a track foreman for a railroad contractor and i work this area quite a bit. It's an aggregate unit train that delivers to Conrad Yelvington Distributors in Palmetto on the industrial spur just west of the Ringling Brothers railcar repair facility.

[CintiRailFan]

@tcobb74 I was on this spur a few days ago and did not see any flat cars in the area of the GE factory off rt 301. The only flat cars on the entire line are stored at the power plant near Willow. Florida Power and Light occasionally ships huge loads to the plant on heavy duty flats. They own the line from Ellenton Jct to their plant. Past their plant to the county line is owned by the Florida Railroad Museum. They recently brought in another steam locomotive, an 0-6-0 at Parrish.

[CintiRailFan]

@tcobb74 A pipeline was built to the power plant and it is powered by natural gas. There is no way that you would ever see a unit coal train to the plant. The Florida Railroad Museum leases a section of track from the Florida Power and Light Co. and has an agreement to maintain that section of track by spending a certain amount of money per year for maintenance. They recently bought 500 ties for $14,000. They also recently bought 5 more acres at Willow. They own the track past F.P.and L.

[CintiRailFan]

I am going to be at this exact spot on Saturday 2-18-12 and then going south on the A line to railfan. Can you tell me about how many trains travel the A line in a day?

[CintiRailFan]

@tcobb74 Actually, its about a quarter of a mile EAST of Ringling Brothers.

[tcobb74]

Be careful. Conrad Yelvington is private property and that is strictly enforced. The terminal manager's name is Andy and he is a helluva nice guy, but he has a hates railfans with a passion. They have a good looking old Alco switcher they use and he's had problems several times with railfans trespassing and climbing on equipment. Not to be the spoiler but it's yet another example of a few dumbasses screwing it up for everyone.

[tcobb74]

Yeah they have to back out. There's no wye to turn it around on and no pass track to bring the engines to the other end of the train. As a sidenote, that spur also serves the Florida Gulf Coast Railroad Museum in Parrish. Interesting stuff down there in their storage yard at the end of Willow Road off of hwy. 301 north of parrish.