Clearwater Subdivision

The Clearwater Subdivision begins just east of downtown Tampa in Gary, connecting with the Tampa Terminal Subdivision. From Gary, the Clearwater Subdivision heads north through some of Tampa's suburban neighborhoods. In Sulphur Springs, the Clearwater Subdivision connects with the Brooksville Subdivision, which runs north while the Clearwater Subdivision turns west. Five miles west of Sulphur Springs, a short spur runs from the line south to Drew Park. Further west, the Clearwater Subdivision turns and runs west through Oldsmar, where it crosses Tampa Bay. It briefly shifts south running through Safety Harbor, and then heads west again to Clearwater. In Clearwater, it turns southeast, running through Largo and Pinellas Park before terminating at Fifth Avenue North in St. Petersburg near Tropicana Field.^[1]^[2]

From Tampa north to Sulphur Springs, the Clearwater Subdivision runs along the former Tampa Northern Railroad, which was built in 1908. From Sulphur Springs west to Clearwater, it runs along the former Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad, which was built in 1914. Both the Tampa Northern Railroad and the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railroad were absorbed by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad (SAL) in 1913 and 1915 respectively. From Clearwater to St. Petersburg, the line runs along the southern end of the historic Orange Belt Railway, which was built in 1888. The Orange Belt Railway later became part of the Plant System, which soon after became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL).

From the 1910s to the 1960s, both the ACL and SAL operated long-distance passenger trains over their respective portions of what is now the Clearwater Subdivision. SAL trains ran the line between Gary and Clearwater, with stations in Oldsmar and Safety Harbor.^[4] Beyond Clearwater, SAL track continued south along the present-day Pinellas Trail to St. Petersburg.^[5] ACL trains ran on the now-CSX Clearwater Subdivision's tracks between Clearwater and St. Petersburg. The ACL's line previously continued north from Clearwater to Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, and Trilby.^[6] When Amtrak took over rail passenger service on May 1, 1971, it operated the Silver Meteor and Silver Star deluxe passenger trains over the line via Tampa, providing Clearwater and St. Petersburg with daily overnight service to New York and intermediate points.

Both the Atlantic Coast Line and the Seaboard Air Line networks merged on July 1, 1967, to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL).^[7] In the years following the merger, the SAL track was abandoned south of Clearwater, replaced by a new crossover built in North Clearwater at milepost SY 873.0 to permit use of the former ACL line south to St. Petersburg.^[8] On November 1, 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line became part of CSX.^[9]

Regularly-scheduled passenger rail service on the line ended on February 1, 1984, when Amtrak discontinued its rail services in Pinellas County, choosing to terminate its trains at Tampa Union Station.^[10] Substitute Amtrak Thruway service has been provided since then between Tampa Union Station and Pinellas Park. The old SAL passenger stations in Safety Harbor and Oldsmar were demolished in 1965 and 1967, respectively.^[11]

Recent history

In March 2008, the Clearwater Subdivision's trackage in downtown St. Petersburg was pulled up, along with the South Side Spur, which ran south of Central Avenue and east of 34th Street South (part of the former Seaboard line).^[12]^[1] That right-of-way, as well as the right-of-way of several other former CSX railroad lines in the county beginning in the 1990s, was converted into a section of the Pinellas Trail. Today, the line ends at 5th Avenue North in St. Petersburg. Though, some severed track segments remain between I-375 and Tropicana Field.

Clearwater Subdivision

Route description

Operation

History

Recent history

See also

References

Bibliography

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