The Lakeland Amtrak station is a train station in Lakeland

Lakeland, Florida

Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 served by Amtrak

Amtrak

The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

, the national railroad passenger system. Lakeland is unique in that it has two separate Amtrak station codes; one for passengers traveling to points north and the other for passengers traveling points south. Silver Star

Silver Star (Amtrak)

The Silver Star is a 1522-mile passenger train route in the Silver Service brand operated by Amtrak, running from New York City south to Miami, Florida via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via: Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia;...

trains stop at Lakeland twice: before and after stopping at Tampa. Southbound trains (New York – Miami) debark only before Tampa and board only afterwards; northbound trains reverse this order.

History

The original Lakeland Station was built by the South Florida Railroad

South Florida Railroad

The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...

 as far back as between 1884 and 1886. The station opened in 1886 as a two-story wooden structure that was burned down in 1901 and rebuilt shortly afterwards. Unfortunately, the 1902 replacement proved to be inadequate for contemporary railroad needs, and was torn down and replaced in 1910 by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad

The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad was an American railroad that existed between 1900 and 1967, when it merged with the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, its long-time rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad...

 with a one-story brick building. This too would be hit by a fire in February 1918 that caused $25,000 worth of damage, but not enough to destroy the building as the 1901 fire did. The building was given a second story and reopened on January 31, 1919.

The current Lakeland Station was originally built in 1998 as a replacement for the 1960-built [Atlantic Coast Line] station about a mile west of the current station, which became a Seaboard Coast Line station when the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line merged July 1, 1967. Though the passenger platforms and covers remain at the former station site, the former SCL station was demolished in 2008.

Services

Besides the Silver Star, Thruway Motorcoach service, is provided for Amtrak to Orlando

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

, Tampa

Tâmpa

Tâmpa may refer to several villages in Romania:* Tâmpa, a village in Băcia Commune, Hunedoara County* Tâmpa, a village in Miercurea Nirajului, Mureş County* Tâmpa, a mountain in Braşov city...

, Pinellas Park

Pinellas Park, Florida

Pinellas Park is a city located in central Pinellas County, Florida. The population was 45,658 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 47,166 . The city was founded by Philadelphia publisher, F. A...

-St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg, Florida

St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...

, Bradenton, Sarasota, Port Charlotte

Port Charlotte, Florida

Port Charlotte is a census-designated place in Charlotte County, Florida, United States. The population was 46,451 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Punta Gorda Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...

 and Fort Myers. It also provides additional Thruway Motorcoach service to Zephyrhills, Dade City

Dade City, Florida

Dade City is a city in Pasco County, Florida. The population was 6,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasco County. Dade City is a suburb of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...

, Wildwood

Wildwood, Florida

Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,924 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 3,598.-Geography:Wildwood is located at ....

, Ocala

Ocala, Florida

Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...

, Gainesville

Gainesville, Florida

Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...

, Waldo

Waldo, Florida

Waldo is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. The population was 821 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 784....

, and Jacksonville

Jacksonville, Florida

Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...

, since the former Palmetto

Palmetto (Amtrak)

The Palmetto is a passenger train service operated by Amtrak over the from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina...

 was discontinued south of Savannah, Georgia

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...

in 2004.

External links

• March 2004 Photographs(Unofficial Amtrak Photo Gallery)
  • View of Station
  • View of Tracks & Platform
• Lakeland Amtrak Station, and former Seaborad Air Line Station (USA Rail Guide – TrainWeb)