Atlantic Coast Line
Savannah - Jacksonville
Introduction
Historically, if a shipper had freight, and wanted to get it from, say, Miami to New York City, it had to travel on several different roads. Today, CSX will do the entire job for you. This is the long-sought "seamless service" that CSX and NS used to justify much of the sense behind the break-up of Conrail. We're in the process of putting together a tour that you can use to follow the rails all the way from the Shared Assets Area in northern New Jersey to southern Florida, and the overall tour site is here.
This segment of the tour will eventually cover the railroad from the end of the Savannah Terminal at Burroughs to the passenger station in Jacksonville. It is now complete from Burroughs to Folkston, a distance of 99 miles. Additionally, separate segments of the Frograil CSX East Coast Tour are now complete from Rocky Mount, North Carolina to Folkston, a distance of 482 continuous railfanning miles. For more info about this piece of railroad, check out the Supplemental Data below.
For information about the Other Tours within Frograil, go to the Frograil Tour Guide. If this will be your first tour using data within the Frograil system of tours, you really should explore the Tour Guide thoroughly before venturing forth -- there is a lot of good, basic information contained therein, which could save you some serious grief.
Contents And Navigation
Other Tours
For information concerning the other Frograil tours which have been put together, go to the Tour Guide.
Contributors To This Tour
Train Gifs. All train gifs used within this tour are from the Ed Bindler's train gifs site, which is here.
Peter Furnee, CSX logo
John Buckley, who provided some supplemental data concerning Folkston.
Tony Hill, Webmaster and text provider for the entire segment. The guy who makes Frograil "go". Any first person pronouns within this tour guide refer to Tony Hill, unless otherwise noted.
Help
If you'd like to contribute to this, or any other tour, please contact me at webmaster@frograil.com, and let me know what you'd like to do. We'll work together: You supply the data/info, and I'll do the HTML stuff and upload it. You'll get a chance to review the fruits of your efforts before the general public sees the finished product, so you can let me have your corrections, additions and changes.
Supplemental And Back-Up Data.
Life Support. Most basic life support facilities are available in Jesup and Folkston, and extensive life support can be found in Hinesville. Several areas are rather remote, so make sure you have fuel, food and drink before venturing forth.
The Railroad -- Geography. There are significant differences in the countryside between Burroughs and Jesup, and between Jesup and Folkston. From Burroughs and the Ogeechee basin, all the way to Jacksonville, the land is predominantly low country. However, the Burroughs to Jesup segment has much less swampy areas, deep drainage ditches, and "wilderness" than does the Jesup to Waycross segment. When you swing south at Jesup, you are really entering an extremely rural area.
The Railroad -- Physical Plant. This is the CSX ex-ACL A-Line, and it is in very good condition. From Burroughs, the line alternates between several miles of single track and several miles of double track. From Jesup to just north of Folkston, the line is single track with 4 sidings over 9,500 feet in length, which is one every 10 miles. From the junction in Folkston south for several miles, the track has been rebuilt with new rail and concrete ties. The plant is capable of handling a lot more traffic than it currently handles.
Organizationally, the Nahunta Subdivision begins at Ogeechee, southwest of Savannah, goes south at the junction in Jesup, goes thru Folkston, and on to end in Dinsmore, Florida, which is the beginning of the Jacksonville Terminal Subdivision.
The Railroad -- Railfan and Photo Considerations. This is the deep south, and things are slower than they are in most parts of the country. This is good. For heaven's sakes, railfanning is supposed to be fun -- slow down and enjoy yourself. As previously mentioned, south of Jesup the drainage ditches make for relatively few good access points, and that problem is compounded by the fact that there are trees, trees, trees everywhere along the line. Therefore, you'll want to study the site details in the tour below, and pick your targets carefully. The trains thru here are fast, so you're better off finding a good location and letting the trains come to you. Photos are much easier to get east of Jesup.
The Railroad -- Traffic. CSX basically forms a triangle between Savannah, Waycross and Jacksonville. The traffic from Savannah to Jesup includes both Waycross and Jacksonville traffic, and is pretty heavy. When this tour heads south of Jesup, the Waycross traffic disappears, and train frequency drops by at least half. From Jesup south, the traffic is mostly hot stuff -- 3 sets of Amtrak NY-Florida Silver Service passenger trains, and intermodals. There are some manifest freights, but you probably will not see coal, grain, or other unit trains. On the other hand, the additional traffic seen between Jesup and Savannah is heavily manifest.
As you might suspect: All trains tend to be very fast and quiet. Be ready and be alert at all times.
Mapwork: Much of the tour is not easy if you have no detailed map for back country roads. I definitely recommend you get a DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, study it before your trip, and copy pertinent pages for your field work. You can find information here about Railfan Maps that are available.
Abbreviations. I try to limit the number of abbreviations to very common terms, such as CSX and NS. However, some terms get used repeatedly and are given here to help you understand them.
AG. "At-grade" -- It may or may not be a railfan location, but you can be assured that the tracks and street/road are on the same level.
NAG. "Not at grade" -- Usually, a NAG crossing is a poor place to take pix, but not always. However, you should be warned if a crossing isn't at grade, and that's why I try to always clue you in.
NARL. "Not a railfan location" -- In my humble opinion, this location is not worth the visit; indeed, it is probably to be avoided. NARL's result from no photo access, dangerous conditions, or personal security considerations.
Photographic Considerations. As I've done in several Other Tours, I've attempted to rate the photo fields for all 4 quadrants of many crossings detailed in the tour. The following format is used: NE2, SE1, SW 4, NW4, where you go clockwise around the quadrants from northeast to northwest, and numerical ratings, from 1 to 4, with a 1 being excellent, and a 4 being non-existent, are assigned. Note that I'm rating only photo field availability, not the photogenic qualities of the site. I'm a picture taker, not a photographer, and you guys who are good photographers will have to make your own determinations. Also, in trackside locations that are not crossings, I'll use an E3/W2 or N1/S3 convention, using just the compass directions and a photo rating.
Keep in mind that the railroad is relentlessly northeast - southwest from Burroughs to Jesup, and almost dead north - south between Jesup and Folkston.
WEBMASTER'S NOTE: I do not recommend or condone, walking along the tracks, as this means trespassing or exposing yourself to danger. You will have to be creative, in some instances, to avoid trespassing while getting to the detailed locations included herein, but you will either have to be creative or not visit those sites. At no point in this tour guide, or any other tour which is part of Frograil, is it recommended that you trespass or expose yourself to danger. If you are a fool and have a leg cut off (or worse), don't come crying to me: You have been warned. Trains are big, powerful, and often surprisingly quiet. Don't end up being a statistic.
Savannah - Folkston, GA -- Railfan Sites:
The Tour
Richmond Hill. If you are just starting the Frograil CSX East Coast Tour here, come south on GA -144, via I-95's exit 90, into the Richmond Hill area. If you're continuing the tour from the Savannah Terminal tour, you'll have to take a bit of a detour to get trackside once again, because you've got to skirt the broad Ogeechee Basin. From Burroughs, go back north on Chevis Road to US-17, and take a left to take you across the basin and the river itself, and turn left on GA-144 to head south into Richmond Hill.
The town of Richmond Hill is a lovely area, and the municipal buildings are on the northwest crossing of the tracks. Parking is tight here, so you might need to be creative. Photo ratings for the crossing are NE2, SE1, SW3, NW1, which is pretty good overall. Note that the tracks are at a decidedly northeast - southwest bias, and will be for much of this tour. Viewing is pretty good here, but understand that GA-144 is quite busy, and you need to pay attention to your surroundings.
One bonus to this site is that the municipal buildings have trees and lots of shade, which will be most welcome in hot weather.
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Daniel. We now begin a very enjoyable tour across rural Georgia, as Richmond Hill pretty much is the end of the Savannah metropolitan area. Continue southwest on US-17, pass I-95, and there will be several roads going to the north, towards the tracks, which are getting well away from you. MapQuest shows that Oak Hill Road will lead to a road parallel to the tracks, but the latter road no longer exists. Continue past Kelly Davis Road, and then take a right on Daniel Siding Road.
The crossing, about a mile north of US-17, is pretty nice, at NE3, SE4, SW1, NE1. There is what appears to be a defect detector just north of the crossing, but it's not listed in my station list, so I'm not really sure what it is.
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Daniel -- Clarktown Road. Go back to US-17, and take a right to continue southwest. After a couple of miles, take a right on Clarktown Road and go up to the tracks. Photo ratings are NE2, SE2, SW2, NW1. There is a defect detector just to the south, "Ogeechee", at MP 512.0. Clarktown Road is fairly busy.
MapQuest shows a road paralleling the tracks heading southwest, but it doesn't exist. DeLorme shows a road that is quite close to the railroad on the north, but that likewise doesn't exist.
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Daniel -- Cartertown Road. Head back down to US-17, take a right, and after about a mile, take a right on Cartertown Road to go up to the next crossing. NE3, SE1, SW3, NW3. The southeast quad is quite nice, and there is an intermediate signal just to the south.
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Flemington. Get back on US-17 and continue further to the southwest. A short ways after re-joining US-17, it will veer rather sharply to the south, while you should swing due west on GA-196 towards Hinesville. After about 2.5 miles, take a right onto Fleming Loop, and go up to the crossing. This location is included only because it's a quick place to get trackside, at NE4, SE3, SW3, NW4. Intermediate signals are just south of the crossing.
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Flemington -- Pate Rodgers Road. Fleming Loop will take you back to GA-196, and you should take a right to continue the tour. Take a right on Pate Rodgers Road to get back trackside. All four quads are rated as a 2, primarily because it's unobstructed, but a little tight.
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Lodge. A little further along GA-196, you'll see Pate Rogers Road going to the north. Take this road up to the tracks, where the photo ops are as follows: NE1, SE3, SW3, NW2. The viewing isn't all that good, but this is the last railfan location for a considerable driving distance. This is the northern end of double track, at an interlocking ("Lodge" at MP 518.0) just south of the crossing.
Beyond this point, GA-196 meets US-84, and veers due north to the Hinesville area. The crossing north of this intersection is NAG/NARL. Hinesville is the home of the 3rd Infantry Division, the unit that drove relentlessly into Iraq in 2003, and eventually toppled Saddam Hussein's statue. Hinesville is proud of the Division, as well it should be.
US-84/GA-196 will turn 90° to head southwest, and then make another broad turn to head much more southerly. At this point, GA-196 heads west, and you should stay on US-84. Along this latter stretch is extensive life support.
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Allenhurst. As you leave Hinesville, US-84 will once again make a broad curve, this time to the southwest. The A-Line has continued its relentless northeast - southwest orientation while we about went around Robin Hood's barn south of Hinesville. This broad curve will allow us to continue to follow the tracks all the way into Jesup. The railroad will be south of us. As you round this curve, look for Dunlevie Road to the left. Take Dunlevie and park in the sand/cement facility on the southeast quad. Ratings are NE2, SE1, SW3, NW2. Incidentally, be very careful in this quad, as there is a lot of truck traffic in and out of the plant.
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Walthourville. About 2 miles beyond Allenhurst is Walthourville, and an intersection with GA-119. Go south to the crossing, and park in the southwest quad area. You can also park in the northeast quad, which is the site of the post office and other offices housed in the relocated and renovated ex-ACL station. This area is quite busy during business hours. The photo ratings of the crossing are NE1, SE3, SW1, NW3.
There is a defect detector south of the crossing: "Walthourville" at MP 530.0.
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North Ludowici. Go back to US-84 and take a left to continue southwesterly. After 3 miles, look for Simmons Crossing Road, and take a left. Note that no road with that name appears on any map I can find, but it's there on the ground. Photo ops are NE1, SE2, SW4, NW1. This is the south end of single track coming from the north, and the North Ludowici interlocking is just to the south of the crossing. The crossing itself is at MP 533.32. Incidentally, "Ludowici" is pronounced "ludo-wissy". Also incidentally, my station list shows "North Ludowici" at MP 537.6, but the crossing is 533.32. There is an anomaly of 4 miles here, and I'm not sure what the deal is.
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Ludowici -- Macon Street. Apparently, "Ludowici" is an old Indian name that means "Sweet for Railfans". There are two locations in town that are just slam perfect for railfanning. Of all the spots from way back in South Carolina on, these are better than any, and remain the best all the way to Folkston. As you enter town via US-84, you'll pass a large church on your left, and should take the first left after the church, which is Macon Street. Macon crosses the tracks, and there is a North Railroad and South Railroad street that parallels them all the way thru town. Here are the photo ratings for the Macon Street crossing: NE1, SE1, SW1, NW1. Yeah, I know, kind of gaudy, right? Believe me, this is a terrific place to get out the lawn chairs, crank up the scanners, and take a cool drink from the cooler. This is as close to perfect as it gets east of the Appalachian Mountains.
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Ludowici -- Main Street. If you have youngsters with you, or if you want to have a picnic meal, you might prefer this location over Macon Street. Drive from Macon to Main Street via South Railroad Street and park. Here are the photo fields: NE1, SE1, SW2, NW1. The ex-ACL station is in the southeast quad, and the southwest quad is only rated a 2 because there is a large tree that is in the way of some potential shots. However, that tree not only offers good shade in the summer, there are also a picnic table and benches beneath it. There is a gazebo if you're railfanning in wet weather, and there is lots of room for the kids to run and run and run.
Take your pick: Macon Street or Main Street. Both are superb.
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Jesup -- Station Area. Continue southwest on US-84 in to Jesup. There are logging roads leading to crossings of the tracks on the islands in the Altamaha basin, but most are not accessible unless there is active logging taking place, and you don't want to be on them then. Another dead end is to pass the Rayonier wood products mill on the east edge of town, and take Doctortown Road back to the area of Doctortown. The entire area is now part of Rayonier's property, and is completely inaccessible by the general public. Therefore, from the intersection of US-341 and US-84 in the center of Jesup, go south on US-341. Within the first block, the street will rise up and go over the railroad tracks, Just before the road rises up, go right at the foot of the overpass, go one block, and turn right to get to the station area. Note that Broad Street runs on both sides of the tracks.
As you proceed west from the area of the US-341 overpass, you'll pass in order: Ex-ACL passenger depot, Chamber of Commerce, Jesup Railfan Platform. The depot is not in good physical condition, and may be too far gone to restore. The Chamber of Commerce is a modern building, and the staff inside is perky, bright, and very helpful. There is a large trash can in front of the building (on Broad Street) that can come in handy. The Railfan Platform is new, and worth mentioning.
The platform itself is small, has a good radio, and benches. You are in the northeast quadrant of the Broad Street/Orange or Magnolia (? -- not sure which) Street crossing, and the overall photo ratings are NE4 (because of the platform itself), NE1, SW1, NW1. The future looks good for the viewing in Jesup. The young lady in the CofC told me they were interested in putting in a platform on the south side of the tracks, as well as a public restroom. Even though the traffic thru here is less than that in Folkston, there is certainly enough Savannah - Waycross/Folkston volume to make a visit worthwhile. I highly recommend it.
On the southeast quad is a big Bradford pear tree that offers excellent shade in hot weather; walk just a little further east and you have unrestricted viewing east and west. At the tree is a small, circular picnic table, and just to the south of the tree is an ACL caboose. The Waycross and Folkston routes diverge just to the west of this location. See the next railfan location.
There's a Norfolk Southern line northeast of this area which goes over CSX; this is the Brunswick - Macon secondary main line, and is not within the scope of this tour. However, you can definitely get pix of trains over the A-Line here, but you'll have to be lucky, as they are few and far between.
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Jesup -- Magnolia Street. To get to the actual junction, drive south on Broad Street (on the east side of the tracks) to Magnolia Street. Actually, it's fairly easy to get to either the west or east side via streets. Therefore, it should go without saying that you do not, under any circumstances, want to walk across this junction area. It's a fairly large area, trains are surprisingly fast, and they can come from 3 directions. Trains coming up from Folkston are virtually invisible until they're right in your lap. Viewing from the west is tight, but OK from the east. Actually, other than observing the mechanics of the interlocking/junction area, this site is inferior to that south of the station described above.
Note that MapQuest shows a really excellent railfan-type road extending from a block south of Magnolia, right alongside the Nahunta Sub for several miles. Unfortunately, this road no longer exists. Therefore, you'll need to get out to US-301 to head south.
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Jesup -- Sunset Boulevard. To get to US-301, you have 2 options. If you're familiar with the southeast, you'll probably want to go back to US-341 via either Brunswick or Wayne streets, and then head south on US-341 until its intersection with US-301, and then head south on US-301. However, if you've not spent much time in the deep south, here's a much more lovely way to continue your tour.
Go southeast on Magnolia Street, and it will bend around to head due south as Oak Villa Drive. All thru this area are modest homes on large lots, with magnificent live oaks, southern red oaks, magnolias, and pines. This is the penultimate small-town southern scenery, and it is to be enjoyed. You can imagine how cooling those beautiful trees are in the heat of the summer. Oak Villa will dead end (at a somewhat awkward intersection with South Palm Street. Go right on Palm to continue south. Palm will end at a T with Sunset Boulevard. If you're in a hurry, take a left and US-301 is about 300 yards east. On the other hand, to enjoy a pretty good photo location, take a right and drive a mile or so to the crossing.
The photo ratings for the crossing are NE2, SE1, SW2 and NW2, so this is a good location. Just to the south is the Jesup defect detector, at MP A551.1. Note that the Steam Powered Video Railroad Atlas has this point erroneously as MP A511.1. The northwest quadrant is the site of a large prison, so be circumspect in your movements there, although it looks far enough from the prison itself to not be a problem. Just take your pix and get back to the other side of the tracks. With two tracks here, and a busy, noisy street, you need to be very alert in this area.
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Driving considerations: Retrace your drive on Sunset Boulevard, and travel straight east to US-301. Take a right and head south. You'll immediately be in tree plantation countryside, which will continue south all the way to Folkston. There are some navigational concerns from here on. Several streets identified on MapQuest don't exist, and others exist which are not on MapQuest. A deLorme Atlas and Gazetteer would be a real asset for you, but it also will not be 100% accurate. You can't get lost, because US-301 and the railroad closely parallel each other all the way to Folkston, but you will definitely have trouble finding some crossings. Additionally, what passes for "Such n Such Road" may be little more than a white dirt track slithering between the trees.
Alas, many of the roads have no numbers or names posted, so it's essential that you do your map work ahead of time. Without a good map, you will get frustrated and miss some sites -- guaranteed.
Be advised, however, that a surprising number of people live and work in this seemingly vast emptiness, and those little rural roads can carry a significant amount of traffic. On weekdays, especially, be alert for log trucks which seem to outnumber sedans and pickups in some places. Those truckers get paid by how much they transport, not by the hour, so they tend to hustle. One more word about rural roads. The sandy dirt roads tend to ripple or washboard very quickly after being scraped. They can be bone-rattling. Go slow, relax, and save your car from premature death. Still another thing: Along these back roads you will probably encounter quite a collection of critters out and about, including big turtles, dogs, cats, possum, coons, deer, and maybe even a gator. One more reason for taking it slow and enjoying the drive.
Broadhurst. As you drive south on US-301, you'll see some dirt roads leading towards the tracks (which are close but invisible behind the trees). You can take these and some will get you to the tracks, but others will end up in someone's yard. Be careful. You'll pass Broadhurst Road coming in from the east, and will shortly come to Broadhurst Road going to the west. There may be a sign to the Broadhurst Landfill. The crossing isn't much for photos, at NE3, SE2, SW3, NW4, but the Broadhurst siding begins just to the south, and signals are visible. If the Jesup junction is clogged up, expect to see trains waiting to go northbound here.
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McKinnon. Further south on US-301, look for a sign announcing the McKinnon community. Take Finland Road west to the tracks. NE2, SE2, SW3, NW2. This area is part of a Wildlife Management Area, and if you're properly equipped and knowledgeable, this can be an excellent point of departure for some cross-country excursions. If you don't know orienteering and basic survival techniques, don't attempt to wander around the backwoods. This is an extremely peaceful, quiet location.
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Hortense. Further south on US-301, take a right and go west on GA-32 at the crossroads of Hortense. The crossing itself is NE4, SE3, SW4, and NW1. All in all, a pretty poor photo location, except for the northwest quadrant. There is a post office on this quadrant, and the photo location is behind it, to the north. This is the end of the Hortense siding from the north, and is single track southbound.
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Trudie. Continuing on US-301 south from Hortense, you'll cross the Little Satilla River, and shortly see a dirt road going west. While it will take you to Trudie, skip it and you'll then come to a paved road. Take a right and go west to the crossing. This is very good site, ranging from excellent to good: NE2, SE1, SW2, NW1. There's an intermediate signal to the north.
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Raybon. Further south on US-301, you'll come to the "community" of Raybon. Take the Raybon Rock Road to the crossing, park, and walk back to the crossing. The photo fields are pretty good: NE2, SE1, SW3, and NW1, and there is a defect detector "Raybon" just to the north. In the southeast quadrant is a broad dirt road which will take us all the way into Nahunta. However, if you're in a hurry, get back on US-301, because you won't be able to hurry on this dirt road.
The dirt road is bone and car rattling if you go over about 5 mph. So slow down, already. On our drive thru, we saw a great big turtle wandering around on the road, and that was a hoot. There's no telling what you'll find along the road. There is the typical, large, deep ditch between the road and the railroad, but there are several driveways and one or two crossroads along the way (it can be difficult to tell what's a crossing, and what's merely a driveway. Because of the trees, you'll find no panoramic views along here.
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Raybon -- South. There is one definite crossing about 1 1/2 miles south of Raybon, per se. It's a pretty good photo site, and is well worth detailing. Photo fields are NE1, SE2, SW2, NW2. As are a few other such sites along this tour, this place is quiet, still and peaceful. It's a nice place to sit and read, or just sit and let the stress of modern life slip off your shoulders. But be warned -- trains barrel thru here.
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Nahunta. Coming into town via US-301, take a right at the last street north of the Brunswick Subdivision tracks, and drive west to the crossing. If you've been driving along the dirt road from up in Raybon, continue south, and you'll gradually end up a little east of the tracks at the last street north of the Brunswick Sub. In either case, drive west to the crossing area. The street's pavement will end northeast of the crossing, and there is parking. The east side of the crossing is wide open for photos, and the west side is fair.
From the north on the A-Line, to the east on the Brunswick Sub, is a connector track. There is a small CSX facility next to the A-Line there, and on weekends, you have a good chance of seeing a single unit parked there. What's interesting is that this unit will probably be one of the oldest in the fleet, so you might find a jewel. When we went thru in October 2001, we saw a geep in full Chessie System livery.
This is the best location between Jesup and Folkston, and the once-in-a-while train up from/to Brunswick gives you a little spice. Get your morning pix while comfy in lawn chairs, and have a cooler and bug repellent handy. There is life support, at least as far as food, gas, and modest supplies, but no motels. From Nahunta south to Folkston, the countryside is even more sparsely populated than that from Jesup to Nahunta, so there are fewer railfan locations, and you'll proceed much more quickly towards the south.
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Hickox. Four miles south of Nahunta, via US-301, is the crossroads of Hickox. You'll see a Hickox community sign, and need to take the first right to the tracks. Here are the photo fields, but you must be very careful to stay off private property. Remember, the more rural the location, the more seriously folks take the sanctity of private property. NE2, SE4, SW2, NW1.
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Winokur. Heading south via US-301 from Nahunta, you'll see a sign to the community of Bachlott, and there is a crossing, but it's not a railfan location. Continue south (a total of about 8 miles from Nahunta) to the crossroads of Winokur. Take a right on Crews Road, and head west to the crossing. There are 2 tracks, and the end of this passing siding is about 1/2 mile north of the crossing. The crossing itself is MP A588.2. Indeed, the crossing is pretty good, at NE1, SE1, SW4, and NW1. Signals are visible to the north. This is a 9568' siding, so northbounds being held will be parked south of Crews Road.
Four miles south of the crossing is the defect detector "Newell", which you should be able to hear. As you drive south from Winokur on US-301, you'll see a sign for the Newell community, and Newell Road. There is a crossing, but it's not a railfan location.
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Homeland. As you get into Homeland and Folkston, US-301 and US-1 will come together on the north side of Homeland, while the Waycross line and the A-Line come together south of Homeland. This scrunches Homeland into kind of a steel and concrete girdle. As far as the A-line is concerned, there is some viewing from the west side of the tracks along Dogwood Lane in Homeland, but you're so close to Folkston that I don't recommend Homeland as a railfan location.
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Folkston -- North Railroad Avenue. From US-301/US-1 and Main Street, go west on Main, cross the tracks, and take your first right, pass the station, take a left on West Love Street, then a right on Mills Avenue, a right on West Palm Street, and (finally, whew!) a left on North Railroad Avenue. You can drive several hundred yards north towards the actual junction, but there are residences in the area of the end of the road, so you need to be mindful of private property. The northern extreme of the street gives a pretty good view of the movements thru the junction, even though the junction itself is still somewhat to the north, at MP A602.2.
As a matter of comfort and afternoon railfan enjoyment, instead of driving up to the end of the street, simply park in an open area closer to Palm Street, and enjoy the parade. This is nice in the cooler days, because you're in the open, and your vehicle can soak up the rays. This is an excellent site.
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Folkston -- Station. Back track to the area between West Love and West Main streets. Between them sits the lovely (thankfully not modern) Folkston ACL station. It is surrounded by big, beautiful trees, and is a great place to watch trains during hot weather in the afternoons. The Chamber of Commerce is in the building, and there are also some historical artifacts in the building. A great place to spend a summer afternoon watching trains.
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Folkston -- Railfan Platform. For morning light, and indeed for most times in Folkston, this is the place to see trains. There are some real advantages to watching trains from this site. First, the platform is shady and cool most of the morning, and has a nice solid roof to keep out the rain. Second, there is a scanning radio with an excellent antenna. Talking defect detectors on the A-line at Newell and Boulogne, north and south of Folkston, respectively, and at Cypress Siding north of Folkston on the Waycross line, will keep you alert as to trains which will shortly make their acquaintance known to you. Third, there are lights and fans for your comfort, and even some platforms for writing your notes, etc. Finally, the areas on both east and west sides of the tracks are wide open and nicely mown. If you can't get good pictures here, you might want to trade in your camera for a Big Mac. Another advantage is less obvious, but that's the fact that there are usually knowledgeable fans at the platform, and an out-of-towner can learn a lot from them.
The platform is really nice, and I'd like to personally thank the Town of Folkston for providing it to us. It's a true railfan asset. The city fathers have provided a nice facility for our use, and we would be well advised to support the town by buying some food, gas, and even staying at a motel out on US-301/US-1. As a huge bonus to railfans, there is now a public restroom about 100' from the platform. Running water and everything. Thanks, Cookie, et al.
I'd like to thank John Buckley, who provided some background information concerning Folkston.
You are now approximately 603 miles from the south bank of the James River in Richmond, Virginia, on the ACL A-Line.
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This temporarily ends our CSX East Coast Tour, and we await only your input to continue it: Contact me at my e-mail account, and let's extend it both north and south.