Is any part of the old ACL line from north of Dade City, FL to Dupont, GA in use or has it all been removed?

-- phil campbell (philipcam@hotmail.com), February 04, 2004

Answers

Three sections of the old ACL line is currently in active use as rail lines:

Between Dade City and Owensboro,FL (6 +/- miles) This section of the old ACL line is part of CSX's "S" line, which is the CSX mainline between the Tampa/Lakeland areas and Baldwin Yard at Jacksonville. It is also part of the route taken by Amtrak's passenger service between Jacksonville and Tampa.

Between Newberry and High Springs, FL. This section is a very lightly used "spur" line.

Between Newberry and Red Level Jct. FL (located several miles south of Dunnellon, FL). This section of the old ACL line is primarily used as part of the route for unit coal trains to and from Progress Energy's Crystal River Generating Plant, which is on the Gulf coast near Red Level, FL, located southwest of Dunnellon.

The portion of the old ACL line between Owensboro and the Inverness area is now part of the Withlacoochee State Trail, a multi-purpose paved biking/hiking/etc. trail funded by Rails-To-Trails and Federal ISTEA funds.

Hope this is helpful! Aaron Dowling

-- Aaron Dowling (adowling@merandb.com), February 05, 2004.