Fla Central's Ethanol Train at Winter Haven

[@keonisan]

I wish they still had 56 and all the other CF7's that have met the torch.

[@johnholstun5128]

I love the horn on this locomotive.

[@rbpray]

Hey Danny, This must have been a thrill for you to watch. Thanks for documenting the move. I'm telling you, you could document grass growing and I'd watch it. Thanks a ton! Great work.

[@jetlaw_1]

Your videos are really awesome, Danny. Thank you for taking the time to make them for us.

[@HyperActive7]

Nothing beats the backbone of American railroading. Them's the little enjines that could! Those little engines give 3985 and 844 a run for their money!

[@michaelmccarthy4615]

The last engine was blue smoke. Burning oil Rings, valve guides, turbo seals. Etc.

[@davidkreider942]

What an awesome video of the FC locomotives pulling those cars up that small grade!! You can see the “bend in the line” as they crest the small hill. Thank you Danny. You’re the best!!

[@distantsignal]

Thanks David.

[@distantsignal]

That's a nice compliment. Many thanks!!!

[@mhgs13]

You are right of course,the CF-7s did use cabs from the F-7s,but then,Santa Fe decided to build their own cabs instead.The early CF-7s had the rounded cabs from the F units and the later CF-7s had the angled cabs.

[@andrewschannel4259]

The Florida Railroad Museum operates the final CF7 that retained its round cab during conversion.

[@FloridaTrainKid]

There's also Indiantown and Miami coal trains that run through Winter Haven, though they don't run as often as the trains you mentioned. Excellent video as always and great job with the ethanol train! Keep up the great work!

[@chuckgilly]

The engine on the point looks like an ex-Santa Fe GP-7R, love those CF-7's

[@gordonvincent731]

I did 5 years on the Santa Feces Ry Valley Div. out of Fresno,CA. Had the Mormon turn local (Fresno to Stockton) as an engineer. I got stuck with 2 of those worthless machines for a time. For some reason, the exhaust would blow up into the cab. We had to hang our heads out the window like Casey Jones! Santa Fe, route of the Super Cheap! They cost $10,000.00 a copy. You gets what you pay for!!

[@Landaux]

3:02 Love that SOUND!! Sends chills up my spine! :-D

[@billmoran3812]

It's good to see and hear those old non- turbo EMD's working hard. The biggest problem with short line power is they spend most of their life idling, or moving light loads. The result is wet stacking and carbon build up. Even new engines would suffer the same fate under those conditions.

[@rdgk1se3019]

Cypress Gardens also for a long time had an HO scale model Railroad.

[@TolgaEastCoast]

Awesome catch of the Ethanol train, Danny! Heard it initially had two UP AC44s. CSX has been improving its business lately, and it shows with more carloads, higher stock, and these new trains. I wonder why the Ethanol can't be taken to Tampa directly by train, though... Keep up the great work!

[@SFLRailFan]

Had to return to watch it again, Danny. Definitely a favorite of mine. ;-)

[@mhgs13]

Granted,they were rebuilds,but only the trucks and the 567s.Everything else was pretty much built from scratch at their Cleburne,Texas shops.Forom what I have read,the CF-7 stood for Converted F7.These are actually one of my favorite units that Santa Fe had,other than thier FP-45s.Have a great day.

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

Thanks Danny for sharing this video! I agree that you make even the dullest train runs fascinating! You are an asset to the hobby of railfanning.

[@t0cableguy]

I wonder this myself. This train regularly interrupts my morning commute... Not that I mind the business but those trains sure take their time at the Bartow Air base.

[@mafarnz]

Cool video, and nice narration. It's really neat to see those old Santa Fe units still running.

[@distantsignal]

Thanks Johnny! Yeah, I wish I'd had the HD camera for this one.

[@anjuarunderwood6869]

Ohhhhh yeaaaa smoke it up love it

[@waywardplotts3599]

wow i learnd about too more railroads going through winter heaven

[@Mercatoyd]

Wow!!! that was awesome footage Danny... Always good stuff comes from your camera. Thanks for sharing.

[@pdfsmail1]

That is the longest train I have seen on this track!! Glad to see business is picking up! Too bad I missed it!!! I would have loved to see how they loaded the cars at the plant. I have only managed to catch the smaller trains. Excellent video!!

[@vlogarchives702]

Nice catches dude! Omg 703s horn😧

[@SFLRailFan]

Oh yeah, baby!!! ... Awesome catch, Danny. You really outdid yourself this time my friend... Bravo!

[@BudmanPackfan]

they were rebuilds, originally EMD F7's build in the 50's. they still have their original 567C prime movers.

[@ncplantdoctor]

Clagtastic video. Those GP-7s were really working.

[@andrewschannel4259]

Locomotives 56 and 50 were CF7s. Locomotive 57 was the only GP7 in this consist.

[@walterrogers359]

Excellent video, Danny. Too bad Rockport didn't have action like that. Just lots of phosphate.

[@RailfanFox]

First CF7 that's in good condition, great catch!

[@LocalRailfan]

DistantSignal's work is magnificent, Great video 5/5 and fave!

[@brakie44820]

CF7s-Alco wanna bes! Great video! Thanks for sharing!

[@jjj11330]

Cool video! Practically in my back yard. The yard I think he's talking about is about a mile past the point where the track starts on a downgrade after the crossing with the not-so-bright pick-up driver. There's a storage siding as well as a siding where he cars are offloaded to the trucks. Driveway comes out onto U.S. 17. Might not be visible from aerial pics as it's only been there about a year or two.

[@bobbyanderson9633]

How many grass fires have those old dogs started. My cousin worked at the ATSF Clebune,Tx Diesel Shop where all the F-7s were reborn as CF-7'S. Its amazing those units are all over the country and into Mexico

[@Orangeblossomtrains]

i love that horn on the GP7 wana say its an RS3L horn but i know musically its a high Db you have some of the best videos on youtube Mr. Harmon. Keep em comin

[@ericposey3782]

The first unit is a GP7U and the second and third are CF7s.

[@distantsignal]

Yeah, I put that in a graphic

[@TPB-OPA]

Nice cf7's

[@centeroftheearthmining4095]

Great footage

[@mhgs13]

Nice to see that Santa Fe did such a fine job when they built the CF-7s.

[@gordonvincent731]

I did a total of 8 years with that lousy company as an engineer. Five years on the Valley Div. out of Fresno, CA. I operated the Fresno-Stockton Mormon turn. I got stuck with 2 of those worthless junkers for a time. For some reason the exhaust blew up into the cab. Complained loud and long enough, they sent them somewhere else. $10,000.00 per engine, what a waste of money.

[@BudmanPackfan]

They are former Locomotive Leasing Partners units, orignially EMD Demonstrators 5-7.

[@K-Rail]

Great Video, Excellent job on the Narrating, 5 stars.

[@mhgs13]

Even the lead GP-7 is a rebuild and Ex Santa Fe unit with the Topeka Cab.

[@RealJeep]

Those old CF7-s are about to have a hernia with that consist! That's not exactly your normal Florida Central type train. And was that Choo-Choo Charlie Hoggin' that lead engine?

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

Yep, Charlie running and Chris bending iron. Good guys both of em.

[@Canesfan7012]

Excellent Video Danny, nice RS5T on that FCR 50

[@Heyde1979]

good job Danny

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

@jutlandblue FRA requires there be at least one "cover" car between locos and these type of HAZMAT cars.

[@ncrailfan]

Great work!

[@norfolksouthernjb]

once again, awesome video bud, they are truly the best around :D

[@flymanjg]

Excellent video and narration Danny. As good if not better that PENTREX. Thank you for the videos.

[@CameraManJohnny]

Very nice! Thank you very much for sharing! Just a suggestion, at the scene for the crossings at 3:39, maybe wait for the narration as some people would want to hear the horn on the lead unit from far away as up close, But that is just an idea from me, like i said before, VERY NICE!!!!!!!!!!

[@thaw345]

The way it was...

[@SteamMasterGaming]

florida central has been operating in tavares for the past week they ate pushing tankers around.

[@Saltrainrailfanning]

Excellent video

[@distantsignal]

+Saltrain Thanks Sal! I've got lots of others, too. Just search Distant Signal here on KZbin. Thanks!

[@dwkcamman611]

Excellent!!!

[@Railfanable]

Those CF7s look like Geeps

[@JessicaKasumi1990]

They were remanufactured from F-7 covered wagons by the ATSF. Later, they were sold off to carriers including Amtrak.

[@RealJeep]

Hey Danny, You said the Florida Central has a "Tiny Yard" in Eagle Lake, FL between Bartow and Winter Haven but as far as I know and from aerial views there is not so much as a pass track in Eagle Lake. There's a spur just before they get to the CSX main line in Winter Haven but not much between there and the Bartow Air Base. I would assume that they get diesel at either of those places from trucks but I think they use Winston Yard for other maintenance.

[@TimThatTrainGuy]

the station looks a little bit shabbier now but still a good place to film amtrak was there several days ago

[@stevenmichael2845]

Someone really needs to do a CF7 in O Scale....

[@dougks2008]

holy crap! is that a pay phone at :40? havent seen those in years!

[@distantsignal]

+dougks2008 Yeah, I just noticed that when you pointed it out. Pay phones are few and far between anymore.

[@EdEddnEddyonline1]

There used to be a pay phone in the East End part of East Liverpool,Ohio

[@CraftyFoxe]

There's still a lot of payphones here in New York City, although I don't think people use them at all.

[@jasonking2943]

What's a pay phone lol

[@TheMonstertrucker]

Great videos and you have another subscriber.

[@tommy4trains]

all autoracks thru winter haven go to palm center somone needs to get footage if csx in palm center!

[@DJHOGHEAD]

Good job = 5 stars!

[@OhioRails]

very cool

[@Grainexpress]

Danny, where do the ethanol trains go to at Tampa? Do they take CSX all the way or is it still operating like in the video? They pass me in Indiana and wonder where the final destination is at Tampa. Thanks!

[@kamala2111]

Enjoy the vids

[@paprna]

Agree.

[@iceman977th]

Love the RS5T (I'm guessing right, i hope? Lmao.)

[@BudmanPackfan]

please don't mis understand, I wasn't disagreeing with u. I didn't understand the context of what you meant by built. I don't recall, as it was a long time ago I read the article on CF7s (the C could stand for Converted or Cleburne, depends on who you talk to) but I think the long hoods were new from EMD, the cabs were from the F7's but chopped (used the same control stand, elec. cabinet, etc, refurbished). I don't remember if they used/made new frames however. I think they used the same ones.

[@davesb45]

Too bad theres not a cash for clunkers deal for Florida Central. Where did CSX get GP60's? I thought they were pretty much a western road phenom.

[@randyfleet9968]

Doesn't that become Summer Haven when we switch to daylight savings time?

[@anjuarunderwood6869]

love them smoking they sound awesome

[@andrewschannel4259]

The old 567s have a classic whine to them.

[@railhunterproductions]

If you don’t care about the bad smoke, you are truly a bad person, because we are killing ourselves doing that.

[@andrewschannel4259]

@@railhunterproductions The last locomotive on the Florida Midland train likely had some kind of gasket leak or was burning oil.

[@ggstephens50]

Seem odd that they would take the Ethanol half way across Fl and transfer to trucks to Tampa when a railroad goes to Tampa.

[@lostinthe619]

I'd give it a 10* rating if I could.

[@richintalent]

SMH at the fool at 4:02: "I'll pull in front of a loaded ethanol train, what could possibly go wrong?"

[@SFLRailFan]

Serving as a buffer car per 49 CFR 174.85

[@HotForgeChaos]

4:28 Here trees, have some coal....

[@seaboardspastic]

??? CF7s are diesels, they run on gasoline fuel, not coal. This ain't a steamer.

[@DannyTOG]

It was a metaphor...

[@sethpacholko2112]

@@seaboardspastic 😂

[@deputydog332]

I think those babys need a tune up.

[@bcrnfan]

The CSX diesels are actually GP40-2's, not GP60's. CSX never purchased any of those. The lead Florida Central unit is a former ATSF GP7 rebuild.

[@walkerwood2955]

bcrnfan you're wrong. CSX purchased 3 of EMD's GP60 demonstrators. They are different looking from the GP40s and they have a different number series.

[@Firebird_876]

bcrnfan CSX did purchase 3 GP60s. You can clearly tell the difference between them and their other GP counterparts. What I’m referring to is the air intakes for the radiators section is much larger than the gp40s. Also the CSX GP60s have different noses than the GP40s and what I’m referring to on that is the 3rd head light is horizontally oriented and it is placed in the nose of the locomotive.

[@aaronrowland7452]

Q453 CSX mix fright train Waycross Ga to Miami FL

[@SouthWye]

What’s your point? Your on pretty much every one of his videos. He puts the info in the video. There’s really no reason to do this.

[@jeffrumbach150]

Danny how much of a local rail fan are you ? Would you be interested ever doing local cutoff lines like up here in Ocala about the old Atlantic coasr line that run from Lowell down to Sliver Sogs shoes north and south of the C S X main S - l ine that comes thru Ocala train thru the diamond at the train station

[@jutlandblue]

Is that a buffer flatbed between the ethanol and locos? For safety?

[@agentadq]

Smoke it up! :-)

[@lewisbradford3305]

Seems counterproductive to put the ethanol on trucks to go to tampa

[@LeChungProduction]

i want a GP60

[@DaMeng3000]

So Danny, did this ever become anything? As in the CSX and FCEN relationship?

[@CFRF13]

After Kinder Morgan built their state of the art transfer facility at the Port of Tampa they cancelled the contract with FMID, however FMID was able to pick up Amerigas as a customer at the same facility and now transfers Liquid Propane Gas at Eagle Lake.

[@TravisMackey-l1s]

does FCEN still get ethanol trains?

[@charlesgreathouse7376]

No, new ethanol terminal is in Tampa at the port.

[@vitissubrailfan2540]

That train no longer runs on the FCEN. They Complained about something about the power..

[@steveamurray59]

Wow, too much smoke, need some service.

[@andrewschannel4259]

The last one needed servicing, based on the white smoke. That's probably oil burning or gasket problems. The other two engines were just working hard.

[@CSX4772]

Would it be practical to put a turbo on the cf-7's

[@Theoddinator]

Does anyone know if Florida Central Railroad is a good company to work for?

[@ClearwaterSubProductions]

3:59 what a dumb move by that truck!

[@mattyboy3576]

I know

[@762Media42]

dose Florida Central and its associates still exsist?

[@CFRF13]

Yes they do and most of them are doing pretty good. The only line that's in potential danger of shutting down is the FNOR Newberry branch.

[@762Media42]

CFRF13 ah ok thanks, from Australia

[@fredpohl5202]

I heard they are ex Santa Fe units

[@arceus6793]

They are ex-CN units.

[@Slv2therhythm]

Fred Pohl The CF7 ARE all ex Santa Fe ultimately. They were rebuilt in house in Texas by Santa Fe from F units.

[@CMOTrains783]

+Dat Scout they are ex Santa fe units CN never had cf7s

[@geezer652]

@@Slv2therhythm - True, at the old ATSF shops in Cleburne, TX

[@SD40Fan_Jason]

There's plenty of pics floating around the internet of these engines right after Florida Central got them from Santa Fe, sitting at their office in Apopka (Plymouth) with the blue and yellow Santa Fe paint. All the engines were renumbered a short time after they were painted red. 2474 became the 47, 2507 became the 50 and so on. They would knock the first and last numbers off and keep the middle two. Here's some of those photos: www.rrpicturearchives.net/archiveThumbs.aspx?id=46041

[@Canesfan7012]

57 i ment

[@BudmanPackfan]

???

[@tommy4trains]

*of*

[@bonnieedwards8172]

Hi Danny it's Bonnie do como to Tillsoburg Ontario Canada 🇨🇦 do ctsx please send me a message thank may God bless you all so very very very very very much