Inland Lakes Railway - Tracks - Tavares To Orlando

Tavares To Orlando

The line from Tavares to Orlando was charted as the Tavares, Orlando & Atlantic Railroad Company (TO&A) in 1881. Construction began in Tavares in 1882 and the 5’- 0” gauge line reached Orlando, 32 miles, via Lake Jem, Zellwood, Plymouth and Apopka in 1884. The TO&A negotiated an agreement with the St. Johns & Lake Eustis (StJ&LE) to share the right-of-way around the west side of Lake Dora for a distance of about one mile. This saved building another trestle and bridge over the Dora Canal. It also created an unusual four rail dual gauge arrangement with the TO&A’ 5’- 0” gauge rails on the outside and the StJ&LE 3’- 0” gauge rail in between. The TO&A also had financial difficulties after failing to pay interest on bonds and was sold at a public auction to The Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad Company (TFC&P) in 1891.

TFC&P was a fairly large system, reaching from Fernandina Beach to Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Ocala, Wildwood, Leesburg and Tavares. TFC&P had financial difficulties as well and reorganized as Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad Company (FC&P) (“The” omitted from name) in 1893. The Seaboard Air Line Railway bought controlling interest in the FC&P in 1900 and fully merged it into their system in 1903. The SAL had financial difficulties and was reorganized as the Seaboard Air Line Railway Company in 1915 (“Company” added to name). The SAL again reorganized as the Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company (SAL) in 1945. In 1967 the SAL merged with the Atlantic Coast Line to form the Seaboard Coast Line Railroad (SCL).

With the exception of a few farm spurs, no abandonments have occurred on the original TO&A line and the entire original 32 miles are intact and fully operational today.