[8E][4k] Trains on the Space Coast, Florida East Coast Railway, FL 07/15/2021

This part of the "Expedition to the Deep Southeast" Series (for the complete playlist click here: • Expedition to the Deep... ) contains the last footage shot on the Florida East Coast Railway. On returning north, we stop in Rockledge, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Oak Hill, and Daytona Beach. These places frame what is commonly called the Space Coast, because NASA's Kennedy Space Center is located in this area near Cape Canaveral. The highlight of the video is FEC rock train 336 with two SD40-2 engines in red/yellow livery. He has to wait in Rockledge for southbound 103 to pass. This mixed intermodal/manifest has a typical LNG ES44C4 lashup used on these "long-distance" trains connecting Jacksonville in the north and Miami in the south. Similarly set up, we meet northbound train 204 in Melbourne, FL. A surprise catch in Palm Bay is northbound Herzog ballast train AFW1 with a pair of GP40-2 locomotives leading. In Oak Hill, we watch a local train out of the New Smyrna Beach yard going south toward Titusville. Eventually, southbound FEC train 105 completes the series at one of the nicest locations for railfanning in the northern part, the golf course in Daytona Beach. Enjoy!

[@Zsolti0NYM]

It's obvious your Florida trip was productive. The FEC trains are tidy and colorful. The locations are exotic and we can enjoy the big machines from great angles. This is another very fine episode, thank you for the upload. 😊

[@mbmars01]

It definitely was productive. I did some research, before I traveled there, but didn't really know what I can expect. For someone not familiar with the area, FEC is not easy to railfan because of the low density but high speed of the trains. I wouldn't have caught many of these trains without ATCS Mon, which thankfully still works in most parts of the section I visited. You're welcome!

[@rolpfeiffer4011]

Thanks airing the outstanding video and Magnificent Locomotives.Your endeavors are preponderating.Bliss

[@mbmars01]

Thanks very much! Very cool you enjoyed the video.

[@rickrogers2649]

Thank you for another video. FEC is really impressive. Even the work train locos are shiny. The class 1 roads could learn a lot from this regional road.

[@mbmars01]

You're welcome! I was also impressed by their performance, but to be fair, its a comparatively small, regional railroad compared to the Class Is.

[@timmyfrierson2684]

I’ve noticed that too that all of their engines are clean from the road engines to the local engines they’re all shiny and clean

[@anscrailfanner6812]

FEC seems to be the only railroad that does PSR “the right way” to where it doesn’t anger shipping lines and other customers.

[@mbmars01]

I was very pleased with what I saw, especially how they kept operating flawlessly despite the massive Brightline construction effort.

[@backalleyrailroading2835]

Excellent coverage of the FEC action !!!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks very much, appreciated!

[@mikehowey4869]

Nice to see the FEC again.very cool catches.

[@mbmars01]

It was an awesome trip and, thankfully, quite productive. Thanks!

[@scottmccullough6136]

Another amazing job MB, i will re-watching all of your FEC videos when I finally get back down to Florida hopefully sooner rather than later. Looking forward to more of Folkston as well .

[@mbmars01]

Cool, you like this one, too, Scott!

[@iusetano]

Nice to see a train with locomotive long hood forward. I don't see much of that anymore. Excellent video as always.

[@mbmars01]

The best guess for an LHF run is a local train with a solo engine nowadays. Southern used to run LHF casually, but NS put an end to it. Good you enjoyed the video!

[@ThatNerd.]

I'm in love with the FEC paint scheme. By far my favorite.

[@mbmars01]

The red/yellow livery somehow really fits well to Florida.

[@robertbate5790]

Greetings from Birmingham UK. I am recently new to KZbin, ex British Rail man, and just found your channel. Watched specifically because it was FEC. Not seen any others from the area. Great video, and I like your style of presentation. I also noticed the dancing hopper, quite alarming, especially at that speed!! I've subbed for more. 😀😀😀😀😀

[@mbmars01]

Awesome and welcome! The channel has a lot of followers from the UK and that is great. The crazy hopper was indeed alarming; I hope they fixed it. There will be more videos, but before the next goes online feel free to check out one or the other of the 500+ videos already on the channel :)

[@robertbate5790]

@@mbmars01 I'm sure I will, but it will take a while to catch up, lol.

[@mbmars01]

Take your time lol.

[@Brianrockrailfan]

Awesome video

[@mbmars01]

Thank you!

[@tbfilms3427]

Welcome to my home road! They run it pretty well down here

[@mbmars01]

Yes, they do. It was fun railfanning down there :)

[@matthewarentzen7465]

Great attention to the FEC! Another great video!

[@mbmars01]

Cool you enjoyed it!

[@matthewarentzen7465]

@@mbmars01 Always do!

[@mbmars01]

Awesome, keep watching :)

[@matthewarentzen7465]

@@mbmars01 I plan on it.

[@cameronreason]

Thanks for sharing this great video.. nice lashups ..ballast trains ..and lng. 511 long hood forward definitely a highlight for me. Look forward to your next video..🙏🏽

[@mbmars01]

You're very welcome! Indeed, this video shows quite an interesting cross section of traffic on the FEC main. I was particularly happy to get 336 twice during my visit.

[@shawnpowell5876]

I know one thing, the FEC rolls those trains down South! Even seeing the LOCAL MANIFEST TRAIN w the GP38 was cruising along. Man I'd love to be down there for a week to get some AMAZING videos.

[@mbmars01]

You should do it. FEC is an interesting and well-managed line.

[@quirkrail]

Superb video.

[@mbmars01]

Thanks so much!

[@Enjoyer.762]

0:36 Signal aspect capture 3,000 bonus points. 2:00 Bouncing locomotives - boing, boing, boing 1,000 bonus points. 2:17 Wobbling... time to inspect that track gauge 1,000 bonus points. 2:23 Fuel tender bonus 26,848 bonus points. 3:13 Fallen Flag SCL-Family Lines hopper 5,000 bonus points. 5:29 All EMD power bonus. 6,000 bonus points. 7:53 Fuel tender bonus 26,848 bonus points. 9:37 Fallen Flag CR autorack 3,000 bonus points. 9:51 The shimmy shake lol. 3,000 bonus points. 10:00 All EMD power bonus. 6,000 bonus points. Leslie horn bonus 3,000. 10:13 Herzog bonus. 3,000 bonus points lol. 10:50 All EMD power 2,000. Long-hood forward 3,000. Leslie horn bonus salute 6,000. 10:58 Highballin' speeding lol 3,000 bonus points. 11:45 Fuel tender bonus 26,848. Close clearance railfanning 3,000. *194,944 total YT competitive railfanning points awarded*

[@mbmars01]

Thanks for the diligent work :) What about extra points for catching the wobbling car on this New Smyrna Beach local? This looks really spectacular.

[@Enjoyer.762]

@@mbmars01 Possibly I missed it. I was eating dinner when watching the video yesterday lol.

[@mbmars01]

Lol

[@DouglasP201]

Excellent video mbmars!!

[@mbmars01]

Good you like it, thanks!

[@Javerrijumar28]

Awesome !!!!!!

[@mbmars01]

Thanks!

[@cdiddles.]

Gotta love FEC's RS3L's. Great video!

[@mbmars01]

Cool, thanks!

[@ICE6365]

At 10:50, that hopper behind the engine was about to wobble off the tracks! I grew up on the FEC, so all of your recent FEC videos have been hitting home for me :)

[@mbmars01]

This was crazy. Since I have to focus on my small camera display while filming I didn't even initially notice it. I hope this car has gotten fixed in the meantime as it certainly isn't safe to operate it in this condition.

[@nolancain8792]

That horn is awesome too.

[@timmyfrierson2684]

The FEC, they just Ron from Jacksonville Florida down to Miami because I don’t see their engines or nothing anywhere else I’m just wondering if you could answer that

[@mbmars01]

There are yards in New Smyrna Beach, Fort Pierce, and other spots, where they might "hide" their engines. Most trains are indeed Jax-Miami, but there are also the locals out of the yards and some specials like the rock train 336 in the video.

[@RailStalkerAdventures]

Man, oh man. Those FEC Trains don't play when they transport their stuff on the high iron in Florida. Awesome stuff as always, MBMARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Matt

[@mbmars01]

Absolutely! Thanks very much; great you enjoyed the video.

[@RailStalkerAdventures]

@@mbmars01 I apologize that I haven't been able to watch your content lately

[@mbmars01]

Oh, please, don't apologize. The videos are still online and it's never too late to watch them :)

[@gragor11]

Sure looks like a construction site alright. Good choice of locations. Lots of interesting asides to scope out on the edges. That looks like a hell of a lot of ballast they are transporting down there judging by what I saw on the ground and the trainloads moving in two different unit trains. Thanks for posting this vid mbmars. I've been enjoying your efforts for a long time.

[@mbmars01]

Oh yes, Florida needs a lot of construction material in general as the state's population continues to grow on a rapid scale, but also the Brightline extension to Orlando consumes a lot of ballast. I know that you have already followed this channel for a long time and this is simply AWESOME :)

[@edwardleecaliforniausa]

Nice video brother especially ummm these carriages a lots of the containers seems like a lot of work which it's surprising and that had 100 wagons too I guess keep it up champion

[@mbmars01]

Great you like the video. Yeah, I'd think, too, that it takes some time to put these blocks together. Thanks, I will.

[@edwardleecaliforniausa]

@@mbmars01 Ok all good 👍

[@liatapaya]

Kereta api yang sangat bagus kawan Panjang banget kereta api nya

[@mbmars01]

Very cool, thanks! Oh yes, these trains between Jacksonville and Miami tend to be very long.

[@VojtovySumavskeVlakyCZ]

Nice video like and subscribed from Czech Republic 🙂👍👍👍👍

[@mbmars01]

That's awesome! Welcome to the channel!

[@VojtovySumavskeVlakyCZ]

@@mbmars01 you're welcome and thank you 🙂

[@borisobrucicov8630]

Great video bro

[@mbmars01]

Thanks, Boris!

[@BOATNIAGARA]

Nice video !

[@mbmars01]

Thank ya!

[@hendrixarchives186]

I see you found a few of my spots😊

[@mbmars01]

Nice!

[@syahdanalwiardinsyah7821]

Nice

[@Buzz5663]

What kind of lens scrunches up the locos like that?

[@mbmars01]

I guess you mean the foreshortening effect? The loss of perspective due to the lack of reference points in zoom shots makes objects appear foreshortened to the human eye.

[@privacyprivacy8708]

Training ?

[@ryankruchowski1951]

Me and my family are going to Florida soon. My father and I are railway junkies and we want to know were to find a great railway spot to see CSX and FEC down in Florida. What would you recommend? Please respond to my post, I would love to see these trains. I am from Alaska and I see the Alaska Railroad freight trains from time to time, from Fairbanks to Wasilla (my home town) to the railway seaport in Seward.

[@mbmars01]

Very cool! I think the best is to watch the videos in this series and take note of the locations that I provided for every single catch. Also, I strongly recommend to get familiar with ATCS Mon, because it is almost impossible to catch a train without knowing where they currently are. ATCS ist still working for large sections north of West Palm Beach. There's also this website: www . botecomm . com / bote / rail (remove the blanks), where one can find some train schedules and a documented timetable for railfans, which I found very helpful. Have fun!

[@j.padron8531]

Best place to see both Railroads in 1 spot is IRIS by Hialeah, Fl. Its a 4 track diamond that FEC, CSX & Tri-Rail commuters all go through and it sees over 50 trains daily, best time to go is early morning till afternoon, then evenings. You'll see easy over 30 trains. Have a scanner with you. You'll be in between both Miami terminals, I have videos of the area if your interested. Pm me for info.

[@terrywallace4109]

I ain't putt no logs powered locomotives on my railroad! This type of fuel is prone to explode and causing injuries and deaths!

[@mbmars01]

Well, we hope they know what they're doing.