| This abandoned segment of track never hosted any hot-shot cross country freights, nor never had any fancy streamlined passenger trains. Its history is far more important, this rail, spiked to several rotted ties on a Pine and Palmetto choked right of way, was once an artery of the mighty American war machine during World War II. According to a local historian a trio of Alco built 2-8-0 consolidation called the 20 miles of rails here home. Camp Blanding was a massive training and supply post during the height of the war. Everything from beans, bullets, and German POWs came to Camp Blanding on these rails. Camp Blanding is now owned by the state of Florida, half wildlife refuge, half National Guard training site. About a mile of rail is still serviceable connected to a rocket motor storage facility once used by Lockheed to store Atlas V rocket motors. Another six miles of rail connect Camp Blanding and a nearby DuPont sand pit to CSXs Wildwood Subdivision at Starke, FL. |