CLEWISTON, Fla. — U.S. Sugar has released the schedule for its Sugar Express steam-powered excursion trains for the 2023-2024 season, which runs between October 2023 and January 2024. Trains will mainly be powered by U.S. Sugar’s former Florida East Coast 4-6-2 No. 148. The Pacific was built by American Locomotive Co. in 1920 for FEC. In 1952 it sold to U.S. Sugar to pull sugar cane trains. After going through a succession of private owners from the 1970s into the 2000s, it was reacquired by U.S. Sugar in 2016 and restored to service in 2020.
This season, the Sugar Express offerings include trips between Clewiston and Moore Haven, all-day excursions alternating between Lake Placid and Clewiston, holiday trains operating out of Sebring, Lake Placid, and Clewiston, and a rare mileage tour of the entire South Central Florida Express railroad in January.
Ticket sales for December’s Santa Express began on Sept. 5. All other event sales start Sept. 13. All trips are round trips; trip itineraries, amenities, and schedules will vary based on the event.
Scheduled trips include:
- The Lake Placid Limited operating between Clewiston and Lake Placid. No. 148 will pull the train from Clewiston to Lake Placid, Fla., in the morning, while diesels will pull the return trip in the evening. Trains will run Oct. 14 and 28, Nov. 25, and Jan. 14. First-class tickets are $148 and deluxe coach tickets are $99.00.
- Moore Haven Meteor on Oct. 15 and 29, and Nov. 26 with two-hour rides between Clewiston and Moore Haven. Tickets are $48.00 per person. Children three and under ride free.
- Clewiston Comet operating Nov. 11 from Lake Placid to Clewiston with a layover at the Bond Street Market in downtown Clewiston featuring local farmers, fresh food, and entertainment. First-class tickets are $148 and deluxe coach tickets are $99.00.
- The Sebring Special with hour-long, round-trip rides departing Sebring for a two-hour layover in downtown Lake Placid Nov. 12. Ticket price is $48.00.
- A Toys for Tots train will run on Dec. 7 in partnership with Toys for Tots. This steam-powered holiday train will deliver gifts throughout the Glades Communities to children and families in need.
- Santa Express trains will run Dec. 2-3 out of Sebring, Dec. 8-10 at Lake Placid, and Dec. 15-19 out of Clewiston. Trains will offer a 1.5-hour trip and include a visit with Santa Claus, cookies, refreshments, and a commemorative ornament. Tickets are $50.00 per passenger ages 15 and up, $40.00 per child ages 4 to 14, with children 3 and under riding free.
- A rare mileage train will operate between Jan. 20 and Jan. 22, 2024. This multi-trip, three-day event will feature No. 148 as the primary locomotive on the first two days and a diesel on the third. Three-day individual tickets are $550 and first-class table packages for a quartet of passengers are $2200.
Sugar Express also announced it has created two new jobs: a Customer Experience and Event Manager to oversee guest services and a Passenger Rail Mechanic to support the growing needs of the heritage railroad operation.
“Expanding the Sugar Express underscores our commitment to investing in South Central Florida’s communities. Our events offer residents new amenities and attractions, and invite visitors and tourists who otherwise might pass the region by,” Scott Ogle, Superintendent of Sugar Express said in a press release. “We’re excited to be at a point where the operation can now create two new jobs in the community and hope that we can bring more talent to the area in the future.”
For more information and to order tickets go to sugarexpress.com.
Sugar Express steam locomotive No. 148, a 4-6-2 type steam engine, is the company’s pride and joy. It is a 100-year-old icon of American ingenuity. No. 148 is now again back operating on the U.S. Sugar rail lines, after it has seen multiple owners, and many uses over its hundred year career.
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