Mainline Report
Our plans for 2026 include:
Pursuit of monetary grants to begin the restoration process on our M-5 caboose.
Replace/restore the wheel spokes on our FEC baggage cart.
Sort & organize items as ‘Project’ (keep for Society’s use) or ‘Resale’ (to be sold at Train Shows or by Society).
Potential RailFest postponed until 2027, as the Price-Martin Community Center availability is questionable for this year.
Please invite anyone you know that might be interested in any of the aspects of the Society to our Open House to or any of our members’ activities. We need members and volunteers to be available on select days/times to operate layouts and greet guests, even if you can only spare a few hours.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday – February 2nd – 4 PM ‘til
Members Work Day
Golden Spike Train Show
Saturday – Feb 7th - 9 AM to 4 PM
Prime Osborn Convention Ctr.
Jacksonville
Saturday – Feb 14th - 10 AM to 2 PM
P.R.P.S. OPEN HOUSE
HO scale model railroads operating
222 N. 11th St., Palatka
Free Admission
Tuesday – March 3rd – 4 PM ‘til
Members Work Day
Saturday - March 14th – 9 AM to 2 PM
LIONS CLUB TRAIN SHOW
1908 E. Ft. King St., Ocala, FL
$5 Admission
Saturday – Mar. 28th – 10 AM to 3 PM
Ocala Model RRs Historic Pres. Society
Bi-monthly Open House
1247 N.E. 3rd St., Ocala
Did You Know?
Transporting various commodities required special cars to be designed, or existing cars to be modified. One such commodity carried by railroads was helium.
Specialized heavy-duty tank cars were utilized to from 1930 to the 1990s for transporting helium. Transported initially to supply airships and later for NASA rockets from isolated extraction plants that produced helium
The cars consisted of stacked high-pressure cylinders in a framework with side braces on a heavy duty freight car. They were manufactured by General American Tank Car, American Car & Foundry, and Magor. Around 200 were produced.
Reporting marks were MHAX, USNX, and ATMX for Bureau of Mines & Land Management, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, respectively.
New Museum Acquisitions
Putnam County Historical Society is displaying their safe from the Union Railroad Bank Station in Crescent City in the museum.
We wish to thank the following:
Sally Mazilli – Numerous items from Kenneth Willis, Society past-President, collection of Railroadiana. They include Pullman Passenger Car catalog & car listings, schedules, videos from various rail lines.
Susan Player – Railroad lantern lens, signal lenses, and other items.
Anonymous – Association of American Railroads "Teacher’s Kit on Railroad Transportation".
HISTORY
An early rail line in Florida - The St. Johns Railway
The first railroad in this area predates the “War Between the States”. In 1858, the St. Johns Railway was incorporated by a special act of the Florida Legislature to construct a railway to connect Tocoi Landing on the east bank of the St. Johns River with “New” Augustine 9on the west bank of the San Sebastian River), a distance of about 15 miles.
By the time Fort Sumter, South Carolina, had fallen, a few miles of track had been laid. The original tracks were wood stringers topped with thin strips of iron. During the “War Between The States”, some accounts indicate rails were pulled up and the original steam locomotive destroyed by Union soldiers. The dock, depot facilities, and rolling stock were burned.
After the war, tracks were re-laid with iron and service resumed with “horse power as well as steam”. Ownership changed hands a few times.
Then around 1876, while under William Astor’s ownership, two small wood burning locomotives were purchased along with new freight and passenger cars.
By 1886. The line connected with the St. Augustine & Palatka Railway and was operated jointly with it. A few miles of the St. Johns were utilized from the junction for St. Augustine & Palatka trains to reach “New” Augustine.
By 1889, business on the portion of the St. Johns between Tocoi Landing and the junction had decreased to the point that trains consisted of 2 or 3 box cars which only ran three times a week. Any occasional passengers on the St. Johns would have to ride among the freight.
Ownership of the St. Johns Railway was transferred to Henry Flagler in the 1890s. Ultimately most of the St. Johns was abandoned as Flagler only needed a few miles between the junction and St. Augustine to have access to Palatka.
Our plans for 2026 include:
Pursuit of monetary grants to begin the restoration process on our M-5 caboose.
Replace/restore the wheel spokes on our FEC baggage cart.
Sort & organize items as ‘Project’ (keep for Society’s use) or ‘Resale’ (to be sold at Train Shows or by Society).
Potential RailFest postponed until 2027, as the Price-Martin Community Center availability is questionable for this year.
Please invite anyone you know that might be interested in any of the aspects of the Society to our Open House to or any of our members’ activities. We need members and volunteers to be available on select days/times to operate layouts and greet guests, even if you can only spare a few hours.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday – February 2nd – 4 PM ‘til
Members Work Day
Golden Spike Train Show
Saturday – Feb 7th - 9 AM to 4 PM
Prime Osborn Convention Ctr.
Jacksonville
Saturday – Feb 14th - 10 AM to 2 PM
P.R.P.S. OPEN HOUSE
HO scale model railroads operating
222 N. 11th St., Palatka
Free Admission
Tuesday – March 3rd – 4 PM ‘til
Members Work Day
Saturday - March 14th – 9 AM to 2 PM
LIONS CLUB TRAIN SHOW
1908 E. Ft. King St., Ocala, FL
$5 Admission
Saturday – Mar. 28th – 10 AM to 3 PM
Ocala Model RRs Historic Pres. Society
Bi-monthly Open House
1247 N.E. 3rd St., Ocala
Did You Know?
Transporting various commodities required special cars to be designed, or existing cars to be modified. One such commodity carried by railroads was helium.
Specialized heavy-duty tank cars were utilized to from 1930 to the 1990s for transporting helium. Transported initially to supply airships and later for NASA rockets from isolated extraction plants that produced helium
The cars consisted of stacked high-pressure cylinders in a framework with side braces on a heavy duty freight car. They were manufactured by General American Tank Car, American Car & Foundry, and Magor. Around 200 were produced.
Reporting marks were MHAX, USNX, and ATMX for Bureau of Mines & Land Management, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, respectively.
New Museum Acquisitions
Putnam County Historical Society is displaying their safe from the Union Railroad Bank Station in Crescent City in the museum.
We wish to thank the following:
Sally Mazilli – Numerous items from Kenneth Willis, Society past-President, collection of Railroadiana. They include Pullman Passenger Car catalog & car listings, schedules, videos from various rail lines.
Susan Player – Railroad lantern lens, signal lenses, and other items.
Anonymous – Association of American Railroads "Teacher’s Kit on Railroad Transportation".
HISTORY
An early rail line in Florida - The St. Johns Railway
The first railroad in this area predates the “War Between the States”. In 1858, the St. Johns Railway was incorporated by a special act of the Florida Legislature to construct a railway to connect Tocoi Landing on the east bank of the St. Johns River with “New” Augustine 9on the west bank of the San Sebastian River), a distance of about 15 miles.
By the time Fort Sumter, South Carolina, had fallen, a few miles of track had been laid. The original tracks were wood stringers topped with thin strips of iron. During the “War Between The States”, some accounts indicate rails were pulled up and the original steam locomotive destroyed by Union soldiers. The dock, depot facilities, and rolling stock were burned.
After the war, tracks were re-laid with iron and service resumed with “horse power as well as steam”. Ownership changed hands a few times.
Then around 1876, while under William Astor’s ownership, two small wood burning locomotives were purchased along with new freight and passenger cars.
By 1886. The line connected with the St. Augustine & Palatka Railway and was operated jointly with it. A few miles of the St. Johns were utilized from the junction for St. Augustine & Palatka trains to reach “New” Augustine.
By 1889, business on the portion of the St. Johns between Tocoi Landing and the junction had decreased to the point that trains consisted of 2 or 3 box cars which only ran three times a week. Any occasional passengers on the St. Johns would have to ride among the freight.
Ownership of the St. Johns Railway was transferred to Henry Flagler in the 1890s. Ultimately most of the St. Johns was abandoned as Flagler only needed a few miles between the junction and St. Augustine to have access to Palatka.
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