Seminole Gulf Railway
Encyclopedia
The Seminole Gulf Railway is a short line railroad located in Southwest Florida
. It has two separate lines. The one line runs from Oneco
south to Sarasota
, with branches from Sarasota
to Matoka and Fruitville
. The other line runs from Arcadia
to Vanderbilt Beach
/North Naples
, with no significant branches. Each line has one interchange point with CSX Transportation
, at Oneco (with the Palmetto Subdivision) and Arcadia (with the Brewster Subdivision). Company headquarters are in Fort Myers
. Seminole Gulf Railway has also operated the Murder Mystery Dinner Train since 1991. The Murder Mystery Dinner Train departs 5 nights a week, year round from Colonial Station (Colonial Blvd) in Fort Myers, FL. Holiday events, Hotel Get-Away packages and Group bookings are available.
The Sarasota branch is used sporadically and is considered to be in very poor condition.
(ACL), which eventually became part of CSXT. The Sarasota line was owned by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
(except for the branch to Matoka, which was ACL). SGLR began operating on the trackage in November, 1987.
The railroad has run dinner train and excursion train
service since January, 1991.
The Seminole Gulf Railway has a commonly owned affiliated company, the Bay Colony Railroad Corp.
, which is based in southeastern Massachusetts
.
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
. It has two separate lines. The one line runs from Oneco
Oneco, Florida
Oneco, pronounced oh-nee-kuh, is an unincorporated community in Manatee County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb of Bradenton, located just southeast of the city. The community is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area. In the 1920 Census it was...
south to Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, with branches from Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
to Matoka and Fruitville
Fruitville, Florida
Fruitville is a census-designated place in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,741 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Bradenton–Sarasota–Venice Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. The other line runs from Arcadia
Arcadia, Florida
Arcadia is a city in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,604 as of the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city grew to 7,151. It is the county seat of DeSoto County; it is also DeSoto County's only incorporated community. On October 27, 2009,...
to Vanderbilt Beach
Vanderbilt beach
Vanderbilt Beach is a several mile long stretch of beach in Naples, Florida. It is a popular tourist destination, with many hotels including the Ritz-Carlton Naples....
/North Naples
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
, with no significant branches. Each line has one interchange point with CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
, at Oneco (with the Palmetto Subdivision) and Arcadia (with the Brewster Subdivision). Company headquarters are in Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
. Seminole Gulf Railway has also operated the Murder Mystery Dinner Train since 1991. The Murder Mystery Dinner Train departs 5 nights a week, year round from Colonial Station (Colonial Blvd) in Fort Myers, FL. Holiday events, Hotel Get-Away packages and Group bookings are available.
The Sarasota branch is used sporadically and is considered to be in very poor condition.
History
The main line, from Arcadia to North Naples, was originally owned by the Atlantic Coast Line RailroadAtlantic 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...
(ACL), which eventually became part of CSXT. The Sarasota line was owned by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad whose corporate existence extended from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, to form the Seaboard Coast Line...
(except for the branch to Matoka, which was ACL). SGLR began operating on the trackage in November, 1987.
The railroad has run dinner train and excursion train
Dinner train
A dinner train is a relatively new type of passenger train service whose main purpose is to allow people to eat dinner while experiencing a relatively short, leisurely round trip train ride...
service since January, 1991.
The Seminole Gulf Railway has a commonly owned affiliated company, the Bay Colony Railroad Corp.
Bay Colony Railroad
The Bay Colony Railroad is a shortline railroad operating in Massachusetts.The BCLR operates in the Millis - Milford - Needham Corridor. In addition to moving freight for its customers, Bay Colony also performs AAR-certified repairs on rolling stock and contract track construction projects for...
, which is based in southeastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.