Main Line (Atlantic Coast Line Railroad)

Historic railroad in the Southeast

CSX A Line

CSX A Line near Moncks Corner, South Carolina

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|

* Richmond, Virginia
* Port Tampa, Florida

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

Route map

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. With the exception of a short 61-mile segment in Greater Orlando (which is now state-owned), the entire line is still owned by Atlantic Coast Line successor, CSX Transportation.

## Route description

[edit]

The historic Atlantic Coast Line Railroad main line begins in Richmond, Virginia. From Richmond, it proceeds south through Petersburg and enters North Carolina near Weldon. It continues south through North Carolina, passing through Rocky Mount, Wilson, Selma, and Fayetteville before entering South Carolina near Hamer.[1]

In South Carolina, it continues south another 23 miles to Pee Dee, where it turns west to Florence. In Florence, it turns south again heading directly to Charleston. On the north side of Charleston, the lines turns west and crosses the Ashley River and continues to Yemassee, where it turns south towards Savannah, Georgia.[1]

Beyond Savannah, the line heads southwest through rural southwestern Georgia, passing through Jesup and Folkston. It enters Florida at the St. Mary's River just south of Folkston. In Florida, it heads south to Jacksonville, Sanford, and Orlando. Beyond Orlando, it turns southwest through Kissimmee, Lakeland, and Plant City to Tampa. It terminates at just southwest of Tampa in the neighborhood of Port Tampa, the location of Tampa's first deepwater port.[2]

## History

[edit]

### Creation

[edit]

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.[3] The main line was built in the late 1800s by the following companies:

Railroad  | From  | To  | Notes

|
|
|

Richmond and Petersburg Railroad | Richmond, Virginia | Petersburg, Virginia |
Petersburg Railroad | Petersburg  | Weldon, North Carolina |
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad | Weldon  | Wilson, North Carolina |
Fayetteville Cutoff | Wilson  | Pee Dee, South Carolina |
Wilmington and Manchester Railroad | Pee Dee  | Florence, South Carolina |
Northeastern Railroad | Florence  | Charleston, South Carolina |
Ashley River Railroad | Charleston  | Johns Island, South Carolina | Part of the Plant System
Charleston and Savannah Railway | Johns Island  | Savannah, Georgia
Atlantic and Gulf Railroad | Savannah  | Jesup, Georgia
Folkston Cutoff | Jesup  | Folkston, Georgia
Waycross and Florida Railroad | Folkston  | Georgia/Florida state line
East Florida Railway | Georgia/Florida state line  | Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railway | Jacksonville  | Sanford, Florida
South Florida Railroad | Sanford  | Port Tampa, Florida

The process to combine these individual railroads into a unified system began around 1898.[3] 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.[4]

### Early years

[edit]

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

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:[3][5]

* Champion (New York - Tampa/St. Petersburg, and New York - Miami)
* Everglades (New York – Jacksonville)
* Florida Special (New York – Miami/St. Petersburg)
* Gulf Coast Special (New York – Tampa/Fort Myers/St. Petersburg)
* Havana Special (New York – Key West, via the Florida East Coast Railway prior to the 1935 Labor Day hurricane.)
* Miamian (Washington – Miami)
* Vacationer (New York – Miami)

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.[4] In later years, much of the main line would be restored to single track with centralized traffic control and passing sidings.[6]

### Mergers

[edit]

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.[4] 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.[7] 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

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.[4]

## Current operations

[edit]

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.[8] 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.[9]

## Historic stations

[edit]

State  | Milepost[10] | City/Location  | Station[1][2] | 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:

* Sanford Branch
* Raleigh and Southport Railroad (NS)

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:

* Florence—Robbins Line
* Wadesboro—Florence Line
* Seaboard Air Line Railroad Hartsville Subdivision

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:

* Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line & Savannah Subdivision
* Savannah and Atlantic Railroad (CoG)

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:

* Jesup—Waycross Line
* Macon and Brunswick Railroad (SOU)

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:

* Florida East Coast Railway Main Line
* Seaboard Air Line Railroad Main Line
* Atlantic, Valdosta and Western Railway (GS&F/SOU)

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:

* Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Palatka Branch
* Florida East Coast Railway Palatka Branch
* Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad (SOU)
* Ocklawaha Valley Railroad

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:

* Leesburg Branch
* Lake Charm Branch

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:

* Narcoosee Branch
* Florida Midland Branch

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:

* High Springs—Lakeland Line
* Lakeland—Fort Myers Line

A 855.4  | Winston | 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 |  |

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Northern Division Timetable (1943)
2. ^ a b Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Southern Division Timetable (1940)
3. ^ a b c Schafer, Mike (2003). Classic American Railroads, Volume III. Saint Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing. pp. 9–17\. ISBN 978-0-7603-1649-8.
4. ^ a b c d Turner, Gregg (2003). A Short History of Florida Railroads. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-2421-4.
5. ^ "Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, Condensed Tables, Table 1, 2". Official Guide of the Railways. 82 (8). National Railway Publication Company. January 1950.
6. ^ "ACL Signals - The A-Line". Rails in Virginia. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
7. ^ Seaboard Coast Line Railroad Jacksonville Division and Tampa Division Timetable (1977)
8. ^ "SunRail gets go-ahead". Gulf Coast Business Review. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
9. ^ CSX Jacksonville Division Timetable
10. ^ Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Condensed Profile (1953)
11. ^ "Charleston, SC (CHS)". The Great American Stations. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
12. ^ "HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY REPORT". Retrieved 28 October 2020.