Tampa, Drew Spur question

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When was the drew spur cut back from across Hillsborough avenue? It used to cross Hillsboro to serve (drew field) Tampa international airport (jet fuel) but was cut back in the 80's sometime. When exactly and why was this done? Seems Fuel delivery costs would be alot cheaper via rail... also possibilities of intermodal considering FedEX and UPS and USPS have terminals at the airport. Its funny, there is still the lead where the track ends, and there is a nice SCL painted boxcar ("Service Customers Like") on the stub track that has been converted into an office of sorts, I should get a pic sometime. rest of the track or most of it remains, serving some industry, such as Coloroc (masonry products) and of course the huge auto rack terminal at sligh and anderson

-- troy nolen (tnolen12@tampabay.rr.com), April 12, 2002

Answers

thanks

-- troy nolen (tnolen12@tampabay.rr.com), April 15, 2002.

In partial answer to your question, troy, the line was pulled up south of Hillsborough Ave because of safety issues, and the only customers we served across the hwy quit getting railcars. Just after the track crossed there was a switch to a team track where most od the cars went. It was just very hazardous for the crews even to work the team track, CSx made some arrangements with somr of the customers to relocate and others just went away...

The boxcar on the north side of the street was purchased by Newman Oil Co. and is used as a warehouse/office being permanently affixed to the tracks.

Fedex and USPS have bulk unloading terminals at TIA, the UPS terminal is in CLW/STP airport in Pinellas County. It would not be cost effective for the likes of fedex and USPS to use intermodal, as the freight offloaded from the planes is sorted to the different markets for further delivery by truck, i.e. Clearwater, StPete, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, Tampa...BTW Q189 is a dedicated UPS train that runs six days a week arriving Tampa around 2100-2200, at the Intermodal Ramp at 62nd St.

-- Walt Rogers (wjriii@verizon.net), April 14, 2002.


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