Ocala Findings

While there isn't much to report here, because I mostly got skunked, I did find an interesting tidbit or two.  Ocala sports a nice depot at the diamond where the old ACL and Seaboard crossed each other.  The ACL line is now run by Pinsly's Florida Northern, and the Seaboard is now the "S" line of CSX and will soon be the primary CSX line to the southern part of the state.  The CSX "A" line (old ACL main) was recently sold to provide a state run passenger line. 

Amtrak remnant.  Only a bus connection now.

Bus and cab terminal on the ACL side.

Looking toward the diamond on the ACL side.

Sign at FN office in Williston.

The Florida Northern provided most of the  skunkage.  I heard them switching on the scanner but was never where I needed to be to actually see them.  A local fan told me I just missed them but I was not able to find them amongst the industries they were serving.  Osceola Street downtown also features street running which they apparently did the day before too.  This is over the diamond and a few blocks into town.  I saw a CF-7 in the yard off in the distance a few blocks the other way but it wasn't visible enough to shoot a photo.  I did get a photo of one of their signs in Williston and that is their interchange to the right of the CSX train below in Ocala. Apparently the two lines don't connect.  Williston is on a line that serves a power plant well north of Ocala and FN provides the local switching while CSX sends in unit coal trains with CSX power.  Map here.

Aside from the boo-hoo stories, I did see a northbound CSX pass through minutes after my first trip to the depot.  I had my 'throwdown' camera and was in a hurry so it's better than nothing.  The next thing was the feature of the covered platforms still in place.  They are curved on the SAL side.  Apparently the bus lines use the ACL side and Amtrak used to use the SAL side.  Other than some leftover Amtrak signs, the bus connection is the only reason the full sign still has reason to exist.

FN crosses over the CSX rails!  No cuts.

The coolest find I had seen but didn't recognize until the local fan pointed it out.  That is the FN crossing; it goes over the CSX rails.  No cuts in the CSX rails.  Look carefully.  I'd heard of these but never recognized one before.  I certainly didn't know I was looking at one the day before so I may have seen a hundred and not known it.  The wide girder structure would give it away.  Something odd about it caused me to photograph it. 


It's only some odds and ends this time.  I still have to type up a visit to the platform at Folkston, GA.  That provided a bit more action.

BC