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.