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Welcome to the last classic American railroad! The FEC has survived years of mergermania to become the last truly independent "steam era" railroad in a land of look-alike giants. Watching FEC's group of highly dedicated and professional employees hustle tonnage across the sunshine state is one of the best shows in railroading today. Here is a short look at the railroad from my three visits to Florida in 2000, '02 and '03. They are arranged in geographical order from north to south and cover the railroad from Jacksonville to Jupiter. Enjoy!
Photography
by James House
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On a beautiful May 2003 afternoon,
FEC Engineer Dave Shelley throttles up as he leads SB train #107 through
Moultrie Jct. onto the section of mainline known as the Moultrie Cutoff.
The original mainline (the stub of which is seen in the foreground) took
a circuitous route between St. Augustine and Bunnell via East Palatka. |
| Train #101 is back on the original
alignment after its 30 mile trip over the Moultrie Cutoff as it rattles
the storefront windows in the little town of Bunnell, Fl., April 10, 2000. |
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Last light on May 9th, 2003, finds
Bowden-Ft. Lauderdale train #117 negotiating the sweeping curve just south
of downtown Bunnell, Florida. |
| Train #101 slices the fairways
of the Daytona Beach Country Club on May 4th, 2003. |
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SB #101 is seen passing the yard
and shop complex at New Smyrna Beach, Fl., after stopping momentarily to
have a shop worker fix a broken horn on the lead unit on April 10, 2000. |
| Our May 4, 2003, chase of #101
continues as the train slams across the Eau Gallie River at appropriately
named Eau Gallie, Florida. |
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As seen from the Sebastian, Fl.,
community park, old reliable #101 crosses the Sebastian River over FEC's
largest bridge. The park comes complete with a fishing pier, pavilion, grills
and picnic tables and makes for a great place to while away the hours awaiting
the next train. |
| FEC local #998 is seen working
the rock facilities at Gifford, Fl., May 7, 2003 |
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On May 6, 2003, NB Hialeah-Bowden
train #208 passes the defect detector at Walton, Fl., within the serene
settings of the Savannas State Preserve. |
Late on the afternoon of May 5th, 2003, two "yellows" and a "blue" lead NB train #208 across the St. Lucie River at Stuart, Florida. |
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