TAMPA, Fla. — Freight railroads from the Gulf Coast to Miami are still assessing damages and making repairs after Hurricane Milton made landfall near St. Petersburg, Fla., late Wednesday as a Category 3 hurricane.
According to CSX’s most recent customer advisory, all routes north of Jacksonville, Fla., are open with no anticipated issues, as is the railroad’s mainline to Callahan, Fla., and south to near Anthony, Fla., on the railroad’s Wildwood Subdivision.
Washout repairs are still ongoing in central Florida on the railroad’s Carters Subdivision between Lakeland, Fla., and Auburndale, Fla., as well as its Vitis Subdivision between Lakeland, Fla., and Vitis Jct., near Richland, Fla.
CSX anticipates the 49-mile Central Florida Commuter Rail line, operated by Orlando’s SunRail and accessed by CSX via trackage rights, will reopen Friday night, providing a route into Winter Haven, Fla.
CSX has contingency plans in place for potential service issues caused by a gas pipe washout in the Miami region.
Short line railroads in the area continue to inspect track and assess damages.
Regional Rail, which operates four short line railroads across central Florida, spent much of Thursday inspecting track and assessing damages and the Seminole Gulf Railway in Sarasota, Fla., is conducting a final inspection today, with more information expected Monday.
— Updated at 9:50 a.m. CT with Florida East Coast information.
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