I have a map that lists a spur of track and an interchange to the ex-SAL line just south of starke, fla. the line goes about 20 miles into an unidentified government facility. I have not checked to see if this line is actually still there, but next time i am out i will. If anyone knows for fact if it is gone, what was it and what was this huge facility it served??? Im not aware of any military instalations anywhere around there, except in orange park (camp blanding) and the jax naval air stations, which this is clearly NOT. I dont know why i never noticed this, i will definetly check this out!

-- troy nolen (kirkwood@gdn.net), April 13, 2001

Answers

Well it's two years since your question was asked, however I do know a little about that line. In the mid 1980's my Army Reserve unit, the 143rd Transportation Group (railway), assisted the Fla. Army National Guard in loading and shipping some heavy earth moving equipment. At that time the track structure was in terrible shape, and CSX or one of it's predecessors, tested our tiedown ability by putting those loaded cars on the ground several times. Because of that incident, CSX refused to go on Camp Blanding until the track structure was brought up to required specifications. The Army and the Guard tried to have the proper repairs done, but there was not enough activity to justify the cost. Something may have happened in the 1990's but by that time I was retired.

-- Roger duPont (vrdupont@webtv.net), June 21, 2003.

Well, i dont know how far it goes, but the spur is still there and crosses SR 100 south of starke... the rest of the route is inaccessible from highways except for a crossing at SR 16, but i didnt have time to make it over there

-- troy nolen (kirkwood@gdn.net), April 17, 2001.

Troy,

The spur south of Starke would go to Camp Blanding. Camp Blanding is just east of Starke on Highway 16 and not in Orange Park. I'm not sure if the line is still there. The military facility at Orange Park is the Jacksonville Naval Air Station (Cecil Field I believe). The tracks were recently removed from this facility. Hope this helps.

Bill Dusenbury Leesburg, FL

-- Bill Dusenbury (sclbilld@aol.com), April 13, 2001.