Railfanning in Fernandina Beach-First Coast Railroad

Photos: A halloweened-colored FCRD engine sits vacant at the Fernandina Rail yard. The Fernandina Depot at Mile Post Zero, the Northern terminus of the Florida Railroad. A yellow diesel slowly chugs up the tracks toward the Port of Fernandina Beach. Pulling about 20 cars, the locomotive heads southward back into the rail yard.

I went to a lecture about a Native American archaeological dig site on Amelia Island tonight at the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach.. I arrived 40 minutes early so I decided to walk several blocks to Centre Street where several blocks of mint condition 1880s brick buildings stand. On the corner of Front and Centre Streets stands the Fernandina Depot, the brick Victorian style station is at Mile Post Zero of the historic Florida Railroad which was the Sunshine State's first cross peninsular railroad. The line is presently leased by CSX Transportation to the First Coast Railroad owned by Genesee and Wyoming. I started to take a picture or two of the depot when I heard the familiar two shorts blasts from a diesel engine's horn. I turned southward and saw the yellow and black trimmed locomotive engine creeping northward sans cars from the large rail yard toward the Port of Fernandina Beach. 15 minutes later it pulled about 20 old graffiti-covered box cars southward over the Centre and Ashe streets grade crossings where I stood. The early evening sun lit the train perfectly so I got a few good shots. Fernandina is not one of Nassau's hottest spots for train watching but it does have a railroad, a depot and a large train yard so it does has its moments.

Railfanning the First Coast Railroad at the Amelia Island Swing Span Bridge

I was driving back from Amelia Island to Callahan today and was stopped at the US 17/SR 200 traffic light in Yulee. As I waiting for the light to change my ears perked up ad I heard the familiar sound of a train whistle. I knew I was too far away for it to be a CSX train blowing at the SR 200 grade crossing so I looked to my right and saw the signals flashing at the US 17 grade crossing a couple hundred yards to the North. I railfan the CSX and Norfolk Southern tracks in Nassau County all the time but this was a rare treat for me: Seeing a First Coast Railroad freight train slowly move out of their yard and head east toward Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. FCR is a 32 mile short line owned by Genesee and Wyoming and consists of two lines branching North and East from Yulee. The tracks were former Seaboard Air Line and CSX lines: The Yulee to Fernandina Beach was part of the original historic Florida Railroad built in 1856 and the Yulee to Seals/Kingsland, Georgia portion was built in late 1880s as part of Seaboard Air Line's main line from Savannah to Florida. Although there is a swing span bridge on the Florida/Georgia State line over the St. Marys River ( a typical narrow girder bridge that is locked in place and can be opened only with 48 hours notice to CSX), the highlight of the short line is the century old truss span over the busy Intracoastal Waterway between Yulee and Fernandina. Knowing the train I was seeing had to soon cross that beautiful half painted steel bridge, I quickly turned down Pages Dairy Road and raced back toward Fernandina. I passed an FCR hi rail truck which I soon figured out was carrying the bridge tenders. I parked under the SR 200 bridge and waited for the slow moving train. After 15 minutes at 10 AM sharp, the bridge tenders I had passed in Yulee sounded the warning horn and slowly swung the bridge into place. A few minutes later a single yellow unmarked diesel engine slowly crawled upon the concrete approach trestle and entered the truss span, pulling a couple of box cars, a lumber car, a tanker and about 20 coal cars headed for one of the paper mills on the Island. Within minutes the trailing black tanker car train had cleared the span and the tenders re swung the bridge back to its open position to much delight of the several boats that were now waiting to pass through the bridge channel. I continued back toward Callahan, pleased I had seen a FCR train in action over the historic span.

Railfanning in Keen and Crawford, Nassau County, Florida

CSX Northbound manifest enters the Crawford Road grade crossing north of the Crawford diamond toward Callahan, Florida

Northbound NS manifest pulls onto the Macon-Jacksonville line and crosses the Crawford diamond headed toward Valdosta and Macon, Georgia

NS southbound combo intermodal/auto carrier races across the Crawford diamond toward Jacksonville, Florida. A semi tractor trailer crosses the US 301 viaduct (built 1932) in the background.

A NS southbound intermodal speeds across the Thomas Creek Road/Ratliff Road grade crossing in Keen, Nassau County, Florida, headed for Jacksonville. Keen was founded in 1900 as a timber stop on the Georgia Southern and Florida's Valdosta to Jacksonville line. it was named for James Mitchel Keen who owned most of timber land in the area.

Some say Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, but as a rail fan today was truly a lucky day. I was on my way to my dad's place with no plans to rail fan. As I crossed the Norfolk Southern's Ratliff Road/Thomas Creek Road grade crossing in Keen, Nassau County,Florida, I spotted a Southbound NS train fast approaching. (This section of the Norfolk Southern rail network was at one time known as the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad that ran from Macon to Valdosta, Georgia, then branched off into two lines running into Florida, one to Palatka {built 1890} and this one to Jacksonville {built 1900}). I pulled off the road just in time to snap a picture of the long inter modal racing toward Jacksonville. I turned my truck around and headed north on Thomas Creek Road toward Crawford, passing a Northbound NS manifest train waiting patiently on the Crawford siding. I figure I could snap a picture of it as it crossed the Crawford diamond on its way north to Valdosta and Macon, Georgia. I crossed US 301, turned west onto Crawford Road, sped across the CSX Callahan-Baldwin line and stopped a minute later at the NS Woods Lane grade crossing. (Woods Lane is part of the old Baldwin Road that was the main road from Callahan to Baldwin before US 301 was built in the 1930s). As I parked my truck, I was expecting the NB manifest to be slowly chugging under the US 301 viaduct and pulling onto the main line. Instead to my surprise I saw the SB signal still on green, meaning there was another Southbound NS train holding up the Northbound manifest. Sure enough another Southbound NS combination inter modal/auto carrier came racing across Woods Lane and through the diamond. Loud banging sounds echoed through the nearby pine trees as each truck hit the guide rails of the crossing. Finally after about 15 minutes the Northbound manifest slowly entered the main NS line just east of the CSX line. I could feel the power of the engines as it gained speed through the diamond, pulling Herzog gondolas and tanker cars. Thinking my railfaning was over, I turned around and recrossed the CSX line. As I glanced both ways, I spotted a Northbound CSX train on the south side of the Crawford diamond. I could tell by the smoke rising from the engines it was gaining speed and approaching the Crawford Road crossing fast. By the time I stepped out of my truck, the crossing signals had begun flashing. I was able to capture a pic of a short CSX manifest train heading north toward Callahan and the main line out of Florida. Within an hour I was able to capture pictures of 4 trains as they raced through the old logging villages of Crawford and Keen, Florida. Looks like Fridays are hot days to rail fan in Nassau County, Florida.

Railfanning in Hilliard, Nassau County, Florida

Hilliard has a good sight line for viewing the fast moving trains along the CSX mainline between Callahan and Folkston. Above a southbound CSX manifest train full of empty piggy back cars speeds past the water tower on its way to the Callahan junction.

Eagan's Creek Greenway Opens South Entrance off Sadler Road in Fernandina Beach

The southern entrance to the Eagan's Creek Greenway was formally opened today off 2301 Sadler Road in Fernandina Beach. City officials and local cyclists, hikers and nature lovers gathered at 4 PM to cut the ribbon to the boardwalk that connects the parking lot behind the Marriott Residence Inn to the 3.4 mile shaded pathway. The beautifully constructed raised walkway is several hundred yards long and winds from the east bank of the narrow waterway to the west bank. Grassy inclines on both ends help both walker and bicyclist alike with the transition from path to bridge. Beyond the north end of the bridge, the Greenway continues to the northern terminus on Atlantic Avenue, winding through 300+ acres of parkland filled with a variety of natural wildlife and vegetation. Here is a link to a website with a map: http://www.amelianow.com/fall00-egans.htm

Railfanning in Callahan FL

Friday April 2 was a good Friday (pardon the pun) to go train watching in Nassau County. The Callahan junction is always a good spot to set up camp and watch the trains go by. A Southbound intermodal approaches the Callahan Junction on its way to the intermodal yard in Jacksonville. A northbound manifest train from Baldwin enters the double track and weaves from the west track to the east track on its way north to Georgia.

2010 Railroad Days Festival in Callahan was great

Had great weather and great turnout for this year's 2010 Railroad Days Festival in Callahan. Good to see the community come out and support the West Nassau Historical Society and their efforts in preserving the historic Callahan Depot and the ACL caboose. Friday the theme was the afterschool fun time. Mrs Kate C highlighted the kids freindly music. Saturday's parade went off without a hitch. The crowd was fantastic.

2010 Railroad Days at Callahan Depot

The 2010 Callahan Railroad Days Festival is this March 26 and 27 on the grounds of the historic Callahan Depot. The West Nassau Historical Society hosts the 2 day fund raising event in order to raise funds for the upkeep of the 1881 Victorian style station. The group has been hard at work restoring the 1967 ACL caboose and will allow visitors inside for the first time in years. Email CallahanRRdays@aol.com for more info.

CSX work train at South Callahan Siding

A CSX work train unloads cross ties into cars sitting on the South Callahan siding just south of the US 301 viaduct in Callahan, FL. CSX has been upgrading most of their tracks in NE Florida, especially their main line into Florida (pictured) and their line paralleling US 17 between Jacksonville and Yulee. This is mainly due to the anticipated increase in rail traffic to and from the new container ports located along the north banks of the St. Johns River near where Route 9A crosses the busy waterway. To provide a second entrance to these new ports from the North (as opposed to the present south entrance which is a single line and runs though heavily urbanized areas of Northwest Jacksonville and crosses the decades old Trout River swing span bridge), talks have restarted about connecting the line beside US 17 with the main line next to US 1 somewhere in North Central Nassau County.