RAILROADS IN THE AREA:
CSX "A-Line":
- Plant City - Lakeland - Auburndale - Haines City:
This is the CSX mainline track from Tampa to Orlando and north to Jacksonville, The standard frquency for this line is 160.5900 Mhz. Trains can be viewed on this line at practically any time and also serves Amtrak trains as well. The track comes from Tampa in Hillsborough County from the west and after passing through Polk county heads east into the nothwest corner of Osceola county into Orange county and Seminole county area (the Orlando Area). Afterwards it preceeds north to Jacksonville.
This is Part of the CSX mainline from Jacksonville to Ocala to Wildwood, on to Lakeland, trains using this line must briefly use the "A-Line" to connect to the southern half of this line that continues from Auburndale south to Miami. This section of track uses 161.1000Mhz; however trains switch to the "A-Line" Channel while using the "A-line" section between Lakeland and Auburndale (160.5900 Mhz). Trains can be viewed on this line at practically any time and also serves Amtrak trains as well. From Lakeland this line heads northwest toward Pasco County, the Dade city and Vitis Juct area. You can track the trains to vitis jct with a radio by using hwy 98 north of Lakeland to get to Dade city; however, the track is not close to the road (not even viewable) for the entire distance.
This section of the S-Line continues from Auburndale and heads south through Sebring to Okeechobee on to Miami. There is a giagantic CSX distrobution center planned to be placed on this line south of Winter Haven and north of Highway 60. The frequency used on thisline is 161.1000 Mhz. At Auburndale there is a small spur that is the remaining part of the line that use to extend northward (ends at Dixie Hwy). This is viewable on McKean Rd just under the HWY 92 overpass. There is a local locomotive that serves this section and often sits at the CSX facility on McKean, just north of the connection to the "A-Line". The Local train is often viewable on weekdays starting at around 8 - 9am and again in the evening starting at 8 - 9pm (however times can vary as I have found it at all times of day) the amount of time in operation depends on the order for the day, the train can be found anywhere north of the Winter Haven Amtrak station a common area is at the McDonald connection in Auburndale. South of Polk county the line heads into Highlands County where it has a connection to the South Central Florida Express (sugar Railroad), the CSX line continues through Okeechobee & Martin counties and on south to Miami.
This portion of the Florida Midland Railroad connects to the CSX "S-line" just south of Winter Haven Amtrak station, and continues just a few miles through Eagle Lake onto Gordonville at the Bartow Municipal Airport along HWY 17. Operation on this line is usually in the morning hours before 1pm. I have many times found the train at the CSX connection waiting for permission to enter the line between 11 am and noon. It is best to start at one end of the line and work to another. I usually start at the Airport. The locomotive sits on the line just in the airport and is clearly visible from the intersection of HWY 17 and Spirit Lake Rd. If the locomotive is not there and the gate is open, drive by the airport (on HWY 17) to see if you can see the locomotive switching in the industrial section. Once you are not sure it is not there you can head north on HWY 17 watching the track on the left, note these trains are usually brief, and slow. Once in Eagle Lake, you can cross the tracks and continue following on Old Eagle Lake/WinterHaven Rd (N. 3rd St) and continue watching for the train on the right. This road will bring you directly up to the CSX junction at the Amtrak station. When crossing the track, quickly, and safely checkfor railcars or headlights that may give the approximate position of the train!
This part of the FMID railroad starts from the CSX "S-line" just south of HWY 60 in West Lake Wales. This line beginning at the CSX line goes east into Lake Wales where it then, proceeds south to Frostproof. These trains can be followed along HWY 60 until it crosses the HWY, then by turning left on W Central just after the crossing. Follow this crossing into toe, the trak is very difficult to follow in this part of Lake WAles and is not the best area to the north of the road. Eventually you will hit scenic highway, where the track is pralleling the road heading south. To the north, the track has an interesting switch point where the locomotive has to pull the train in heading north and switch ends to pull the train southward through Lake Wales to Frostproof. These trains are also often viewed in the late morning and noontime hours.
This spur line serves the Lake Parker Power Facility on Lake Parker in Lakeland. This track also serves numerous small industries and businesses. The line begins on the CSX "A-line" just to the south of HWY 92 crossing HWY 92 (Memorial BLVD) at the Fish Hatchery Rd intersection travels north just to the east along Fish Hatchery, crossing Fish Hatchery Again, also crossing Morgan Combee Rd north to Saddle creek and finally crossing Combee Rd to the west. The local train that serves this line usually comes by in the evening around 6pm and will normally back its load up the line and makes a couple stops from Hardin Combee Northward.
This CSX line begins at the Lakeland Amtrak station and heads south along HWY 98. The line does split and head eastward crossing S. Combee Rd and eventually following Maine Ave serving the many industries in the area.
This line begins at the CSX "A-Line" West of Lakeland at the intersection of the Old Tampa HWY (542) and Gay Rd, south of HWY 92, Southward through Muberry (pass the railcar repair factory) south through Bradley Jct on to the Seminole Gulf Railroad connection area in Arcadia. This track has numerous spurs and sidelines throught the Bone Valley area.
Travelling east from Hillsborough county This line goes through Mulberry, parallels HWY 60 for several miles, including through Mulberry, eventually crossing HWY 60 between Bartow and Mulberry. This line turns southward in Bartow and continues toward Ft. Meade.
The Bone Valley area, south of Mulberry and Bartow has a plethora of railroads servicing the numerous mines and industries in the area. Areas of interest are the Bonnie mine rd / CR 640 area, Rt 555, Agricola Mine Rd, and the Bradley Jct area.
FREQUENCIES USED IN AREA:
Polk County Railroad Frequencies:
- 452.9375 Mhz - Redman Front
- 457.9375 Mhz - Redman End
- 160.2300 Mhz - Bone Valley Dispatch / Operations
- 160.5450 Mhz - Pinsly Railroad 1
- 160.5900 Mhz - CSX "A-Line" (Plant City - Lakeland - Auburndale - Haines City)
- 160.7850 Mhz - CSX - Mantinence of Way / Engineering
- 161.1000 Mhz - CSX - "S Line" (Vitis Jct - Lakeland, Auburndale - Miami)
- 161.3700 Mhz - Bone Valley Road
- 161.4750 Mhz - Pinsly Operations
- 161.5200 Mhz - Jacksonville Dispatch
It is always possible other frequencies could be used, I recommend having all frequencies from my Railroad Frequencies page
for best possible chances of catching that train.
This is the location where the CSX S-Line heads south, seperating from the A-Line. This junction can be found just south of Auburndale in an industrial area. You can get to the area from HWY 92 and turning south on Recker HWY, you will shortly cross railroad tracks, turn left on Derby Rd and follow it. You will cross McKean road, which has a spur line crossing in the intersection, turning left on Mc Kean will bring you under the HWY 92 overpass, where the CSX office is, this also the connection area for the two lines. The local train usually sits on the line, just across the street from the CSX office. If you do not turn on Mc Kean and keep going straight you will come to the crossing which crosses 7 tacks at the railyard, which is useful for watching some switching or to see if a train is heading up the line.
There are trains everywhere in this area! There is a line heading from Bartow, west into Mulberry, which follows HWY 60 west, and crosses it between Bartow and Mulberry, there is also a crossing near Mulberry on HWY 60 for the Mosaic plant, whcih has tons of rail activity. continuing west into Mulberry, there is a crossing in town where the line from Bradley Jct heads north. Even futher west is another crossing just a couple miles west of Mulberry, which brings trains into a large industrial area, also providing access to the railcar repair factory just north of HWY 60. Between Bartow and Mulberry, and south of HWY 60 is alot of activity in the Bone valley area, there are numerous plants and mines in the area, there are industries served on Bonnie mine rd / CR 640 area, Rt 555, Agricola Mine Rd, and the Bradley Jct area, just dont get lost, it's easy to do there are alot of open areas, very few homes and a good deal of trains and industries.
Lakeland has connections from Bone Valley, many spur line, and both the A and S Lines in it, Some recommended areas are Kathleen rd south of Memorial BLVD and noth of the A line, this comes close to the north connection where the S line from Dade city leets the A line in Lakeland, also in the same area is the A-Line trackage along Main St. This road from just northeast of lake Beulah heads east into to Lakeland and will take you pass the Lakeland Amtrak station, and the connection for the spur along HWY 98. Oddly enough if you have the gas, you can continue east on main street through the neighborhoods and such, this will folow the A - Line, after several miles you will cross the polk parkway the road will change its name to K-Ville Ave (542) and end on Recker HWy, which from that point you can turn left to get to Mc Kean Rd, noting that it is several miles distance from Lakeland to Mc Kean. There are shorter routes by crossing over from main st to Hwy 92 in the Carters Corner or K ville area and heading to Recker from there.