Pre-fab tracks sitting at the Oliver Street grade crossing in Baldwin (MM 0.05) are waiting to be used somewhere along the 20 mile upgrade of the Callahan-Baldwin sub. In the foreground is the Callahan-Baldwin sub looking south toward the diamond with CSX's western line from Jacksonville to New Orleans. This diamond (built in late 1856 when the Atlantic and Gulf Central RR on its westward course crossed the Florida Railroad and its freshly built, southward pointing grade) use to be a single track Seaboard Air Line diamond with matching connecting tracks in all four corners. Over time the junction as changed. The turnout in the northeast corner has been removed and the turnout in the southeast corner has been double tracked to handle trains bypassing the Baldwin yard such as Amtrak. Part of the Callahan-Baldwin sub upgrade is the addition of a new connection track in the SE corner as seen in the recent update to google maps satellite view. (the existing inner turnout will be removed, leaving only 2 connection turnouts connecting the Wildwood and Jax subs) A 3-mile section of track east of Baldwin toward Jacksonville has been double tracked with a double crossover and the turnout in the southwest corner parallels the main line westward for 1.5 miles with a double crossover. The northwest turnout has remained the same for years but the prefab track in the foreground might mean they may double track this turn out. (I have found out since that the NW connection track will remain single. The prefab track will be used somewhere on the Callahan Sub) With more trains being funneled from CSX's A-line which parallels US 17 from Jax to Tampa onto their S-line that parallels US 301 from Callahan to Zephyrhills, this turnout needed to be upgraded.
Looking south from Oliver Street (mm 0.05) toward the US 90/301 grade crossing (mm 0.18). The old abandoned turnout in the northeast corner of the Baldwin diamond is just out of the right frame of the pic. Evidence of the raised bed of this turnout still can be seen where it once crossed Oliver Street. The clearing of trees and brush in the right of the picture may be evidence that CSX may reconstruct the northeast turn out again.
Looking south from the US 90/301 grade crossing (mm 0.18) in Baldwin. The crossing was just reopened an hour or two before this picture was taken for vehicular traffic. The original single track and unchanged northwest turnout to the CSX Tallahasse sub is to the right. The Baldwin diamond and yard are in the background. It appears that the new track to the far left might be the beginnings of the relaying of the northeast turnout. The middle track may either go into the Baldwin yard or connect to the bypass turnout in the southeast corner of the diamond so through trains from Callahan can bypass the yard.
A CSX manifest train with engine 461 at the point pulling engine 4314 and various freight cars through the newly reopened US 90/301 grade crossing in Baldwin. Each side has new overhead signals with digital lights that stretch over the traffic lanes. A new signal with crossing arm was added in the median so traffic is now stopped by matching crossing arms. The was already a grassy median on the eastern side but a concrete median with a matching crossing arm signal was added on the western side of the crossing.
Looking north from the US 301/90 grade crossing as the southbound freight (pictured in the previous photo) approaches from its run from Callahan. The third track (pictured in the second photo above this one) has merged into the new track shown to the right of the mainline. A new double cross over has also been added so I am sure track signals are soon to be added here.
Looking south from the Jax to Baldwin Rail Trail grade crossing (mm 0.75) toward the US 90/301 grade crossing. The grade has been widened and cleared for the second track.
Looking north from the Jax to Baldwin Rail Trail grade crossing (mm 0.75) at a new signal. The grade has been widened and cleared for the second track. This section will soon be double track to the south end of the Fouraker Siding (mm 3.6)
Looking south toward the new tri-lighted track signals (background) have been added and are in operation at the north end of the Fouraker Siding (mm 5.7). The siding, named for a pioneering family that settled the area, is relatively short by today's standards, measuring about 7500 feet. In the middle ground are the twin Brandy Branch trestles that will need to be widened if CSX is planning to double track the entire 20 mile section.
Looking north at the CR 119 grade crossing (mm 7.1) in Bryceville, Nassau County, FLA. The trestle in the foreground matches another trestle that lies in between the grade crossing and the track signals in the back ground (mm 8.7). At present there are no visible upgrades until you reach the new extension of the Crawford siding at mm 10.1 now visible in google maps.
Looking south on the Brooks Road grade crossing (mm 13.3) in Dahoma, Nassau County, FLA, at the double track extension of the Crawford siding. The new southern end of the "siding" is at now at mm 11.5, making the new double tracked section 4 miles in length. CSX has added flashing signals (with the new LED warning lights) with crossing arms at this grade crossing which is a dirt road that serves about 2 dozen families who live on the western side of the tracks.
Looking north from the Brooks Road grade crossing (mm 13.1) in Dahoma, Nassau County, FLA. The south end of the old Crawford siding ended about 1/2 mile from this crossing. The busy siding was used for southbound trains waiting to enter the Baldwin Yard and northbound trains waiting to enter CSX's A-line, the main artery out of Florida. As part of the sub upgrade, the old south end has been converted into a double crossover (mm 13.6). This section of CSX track was part of the old Florida Railroad, the Sunshine State's first trans-peninsular railroad. The 155-mile long railroad ran from Fernandina, Nassau County, FLA, (mm 0) to Cedar Key on the Gulf of Mexico (mm 155). Callahan was mm 27 and Dahoma at this curve was mm 33. Once the railroad weaved through all the swamps and creeks in Nassau County, FLA, it was able to turn southwest and make a bee line inland. This Dahoma curve is the last curve on the Florida Railroad (and Seaboard Air Line RR) until the railroad reached Waldo at mm 83.
Looking south from the Crawford Diamond, the new track signals are in operation and old ones removed at the northern end of Crawford Siding at mm 15.5, making the new double-tracked section 4 miles in length. Plans are to extend these two tracks northward to Callahan and complete the connection. The old south end of the Crawford Siding (just beyond the parked train and before the curve in the far distance) is now a double crossover, but looking at the updated satellite views on Google maps, they may be adding a third track to the west of these two existing ones. Terra Pointe's plans for building the Crawford Diamond Industrial Park in the northwest corner of the Crawford Diamond are hitting high gear therefore they may be added a new siding to this growing area of Nassau County. Link to Terra Pointe's Crawford Diamond info.
http://www.terrapointeserviceslandsales.com/ViewProperty.aspx?propertyID=110
Looking east toward the Crawford Diamond, both CSX and Norfork Southern (NS) have turned on their new track signals and are removing the old ones, including these NS (foreground) and CSX (background) signals pictured here.
The new track signals are in operation at the new double crossover just north of Sandy Ford grade crossing (mm 18.5). The tracks pictured here will be extended southward and connect with the old north end of Crawford Siding, creating a double diamond at Crawford junction with Norfork Southern mm 15.7).
Looking south, new signals guard the double crossovers on the main CSX line (mm 624) just above the double turnouts to the Callahan-Baldwin sub at mm 20.0. Notice in the background there is a shy CSX northbound engine parked underneath the US 301 viaduct. It is very unusull for a train to be parked there. In fact, the engineer was backing the train up about 5 minutes before I took this photo.
