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Florida Midland Railroad: Maintaining 28 Miles Of The Ex-SCL

Published: August 10, 2024

By: Adam Burns

The Florida Midland Railroad (FMID) is a prominent short line operating in central Florida. Established in 1987, FMID’s network includes approximately 28 miles of track and serves as a crucial link between local industries and the national rail network.

The railroad's primary areas of operation stretch through the counties of Lake, Polk, and Osceola, serving communities such as Winter Haven, Frostproof, and Lake Wales. FMID specializes in the transportation of a diverse array of commodities and also provides transload services.

In November 2019, the Florida Midland, along with its sister lines the Florida Central Railroad and the Florida Northern Railroad, underwent were sold by longtime owner Pinsly Railraod Company to 3i RR Holdings GP, LLC and its subsidiaries, operating under the name "Regional Rail, LLC."

Florida Central GP9 #60 is switching the yard at Orlando, Florida on March 13, 2009. Doug Kroll photo.

History

The Florida Midland Railroad (FMID), based in Plymouth, Florida, was a longtime division of Pinsly and has been in operation since 1987 when it took over ex-CSX trackage in the Sunshine State.

The railroad currently operates about 28 miles on two unconnected lines serving over 25 customers and also provides transload services.

The railroad was Pinsly's smallest in the state; in total, its Floridian subsidiaries totaled more than 100 miles of railroad, much of which was operated by its northern most subsidiary, the Florida Northern.

Pinsly's general offices were headquartered in Massachusetts and the company had a long history which dates back to before World War II. Its business model had always remained the same, purchase defunct or wanted rail lines that have potential and return them to profitability.

The company began in 1938 when it was founded by Samuel M. Pinsly when he purchased the Hoosac Tunnel & Wilmington Railroad (the "Hoot, Toot, & Whistle") located in Vermont and Massachusetts.

The HT&W dated back to the Deerfield Valley Railroad of 1884 and at its peak operated about 25 miles of track between Hoosac Tunnel, Massachusetts and Wilmington, Vermont.

It went through a few owners in the 1920s before Pinsly acquired it in 1937, at which point he created is new business, the Pinsly Railroad Company a year later.

Before the Staggers Act and deregulation in 1980 the company looked to purchase or overhaul small railroads aimed at increasing efficiency and profitability.

After the act became law they simply worked with Class Is attempting to shed unwanted track.  Its first such company was the Pioneer Valley Railroad of 1982, which operated two branches north of Westfield.

They added one line after another before, aside from the Florida properties, the company was operating several short lines in Arkansas including the Arkansas Midland, Prescott & Northwestern and Warren & Saline River.

Pinsly also operated a successful transloading business, the Railroad Distribution Service with locations in Massachusetts and Florida.

The Florida Midland Railroad began service in 1987 utilizing ex-Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line trackage that CSX was spinning off. When the shortline began it had three branches:

• Leesburg to Wildwood
• Frostproof to Lake Whales
• Gordonville to Winter Haven

In 2000, citing lack of customers Pinsly successfully petitioned the Surface Transportation Board to abandon the Leesburg Branch.

Lake Wales Branch

This line extends approximately 18 miles from West Lake Wales to Frostproof. The line branches off CSX's Auburndale Subdivision in West Lake Wales, heading east towards Lake Wales along a former Seaboard Air Line (SAL) route.

Upon reaching Lake Wales, the line turns north and merges with a north-south segment, which follows a former Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) route. From this junction, the line continues southward for an additional 14 miles to reach Frostproof.

To navigate the northerly oriented junction in Lake Wales, the line employs a run-around track. This maneuver allows trains to back onto the north-south segment, ensuring the locomotive leads the train as it proceeds southward.

The line is particularly important for servicing local citrus fields and a Lowe's distribution center located at the Frostproof terminus.

The interchange between CSX and the FMID occurs at a small yard in West Lake Wales. Additionally, the short line has trackage rights on a section of CSX's Auburndale Subdivision.

Winter Haven Branch

This line diverges from CSX's Auburndale Subdivision just south of the Winter Haven Amtrak station, which is roughly 10 miles north of where the Lake Wales Line branches off the same subdivision.

From Winter Haven, the line extends southwest to Gordonville, located just northeast of Bartow, where it terminates. Key facilities served include a 24-acre transload facility in Eagle Lake and the Bartow Municipal Airport.

To interchange with CSX, Florida Midlandhas been granted trackage rights on the Auburndale Subdivision up to the Winter Haven siding.

Leesburg Branch (Abandoned)

The FMID's former Leesburg Branch historically comprised the westernmost segment of the Orlando Division of the Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad, a future component of the SAL. The easternmost 2 miles, however, originally belonged to the Florida Southern Railway, which would later become part of the ACL.

In 2000, the Florida Midland petitioned the Surface Transportation Board to abandon the Leesburg Branch. This petition was approved on November 15, 2000. Currently, all that remains is a short wye in Wildwood.

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