RE: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/forum/index.php/topic,2065.0.html
Anyone remember the Mini-Mighty little Commuter-Tourist railroad we built from Yukon through the Ortega River wetlands to Blanding Blvd. and Argyle Forest.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/JacksonvilleOrtegaandWesternLigh-1.png)
Well the "JACKSONVILLE ORTEGA AND WESTERN RR" is alive and well, I was hanging out in the woods all weekend and got some great shots of the operations. So here is a little photo album of North Florida's Number ONE attraction! How strange with everything else in town, the little railroad chocks up more fares then anyone else.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MINIRRJAX5.jpg)
I really got this beautiful scene from the company that built the tiny locomotives and cars. They rolled out a full size steamer to move flat cars into place for loading our equipment. Taken with black and white film, this is a real converstation piece.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX.jpg)
Early in the morning, I was way out in the wetlands where the line crosses the river to the West Bank a mile or so out of Yukon. The bridge is pretty awesome, and the train seems so small, but I couldn't get a good photo of it due to the thick riverside growth. So I settled for this scene of one of the smaller steamers taking on water at "Gator Tank".
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX1.jpg)
I got a cool shot of one of the engines moving down to a Navy Commuter train at the Blanding station. Since not all run through to the Argyle Station, this seemed an interesting shot.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX6.jpg)
Blanding is alway such a beehive of little trains that I risked my life to photograph two passengers waiting on the North end of the platform next to the yard tower. All the infill development between the railroad and Blanding/I-295 can be seen in the background.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX2.jpg)
Finally at Argyle Forest, a nice shot of the Station after the crowd had dispersed, The train will run up a "Y" (wye track) and make a 3 point turn, backing down, then pulling forward into the station for the next run to Yukon.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX4.jpg)
I was again hanging out in the deep wetlands, where all the scenic and photographic sites are, by late afternoon. Our Yukon bound train was stopped on a siding to allow a "clear day special" open train of commuters from NAS - Yukon Station to meet us going the other way. Our Conductor allowed me to walk back and photograph the crew swapping orders at the South Switch.
(http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa111/Ocklawaha/RAILROAD%20Live%20Steamers/MiniRRJAX3.jpg)
Back in Yukon, I caught the last steam engine of the day moving off to drop her fire and blow down for the night. I didn't bother to photograph the Jacksonville Commuter Rail train that took me back home from Yukon Station, but it was yet another day on the railroad that I'll keep in my memories.
No word yet on the Normandy extension, but I'm hoping it follows the wetlands all the way to the Jax Commuter Rail WEST line. We could then ride to the Confederate Camps and parks on the west side of town.
(Camp Milton - a real place NOT to be missed).
OCKLAWAHA
Can you ride on this (awesome) train??!?!
Hi Jimmy, yes and no. Check out the link to the original thread by Stephendare. It had to be one of the most fun threads we've ever had. Each person just took off with stories of "Jacksonville as-if".
If you (or anyone else) REALLY do want to ride on a railroad just like this in the metro, I'll put you in touch with my club. We have an extensive system in Bostwick near the river. Between Green Cove Springs and Palatka. We run both 7.5" gauge large scale riding trains as well as a much larger (like these photos) 2' foot gauge track. Send me a PM and I'll get you a club link for information on the next steam days and work days. On steam meet days the public is invited, any other time interested parties are always welcome.
LIVE STEAM IS A BLAST... The only "Living Machines".
OCKLAWAHA