The Railroad
The St. Johns & Lake Eustis Railway was originally conceived as a land "bridge" to link the steamboat traffic that came down the St. Johns River to the Lake Eustis and Lake Harris steamboats that carried passengers and freight into the interior of Florida. Passengers would disembark at Astor and travel by train to Fort Mason on Lake Eustis and Lane Park on Big Lake Harris where they would board steamboats to continue their journey.
The Early Years

SJ & LE Railway Stock Certificate
The St Johns & Lake Eustis Railway Company was chartered in 1879 (see Charter). Under the terms of the Charter an initial stock offering of $100,000 was provided (see Stock certificate) and the Company had the "right and privilege" to construct a railway line "from some point on the St. Johns river on or near Lake George, or the most practicable and eligible route, to be determined by said company, to some point on or near Lake Eustis".
The Charter required that construction commence within two months and the section of track from the St. Johns to Lake Eustis be completed within two years.
As a further inducement to the company, certain parcels of land would be donated by the State for every five miles of track completed. Alternate parcels of land would also be provided if the company reached Leesburg within twelve months and extended the route at twenty miles per year thereafter - provided - they charge passengers no more than five cents per mile!
It would appear that construction commenced as planned with the 12 miles from Astor to Summit being completed in 1879. This was immediately followed by the Summit to Eustis section (15 miles) being completed in 1880. Eustis to Lane Park (7.5 miles) followed in 1882 - 83 with the final section from Fort Mason to Leesburg being completed in 1884.
NOTE: The railroad was initially constructed as 3'-0" gauge and was changed to 4'-9" gauge in 1896.
The Charter required that construction commence within two months and the section of track from the St. Johns to Lake Eustis be completed within two years.
As a further inducement to the company, certain parcels of land would be donated by the State for every five miles of track completed. Alternate parcels of land would also be provided if the company reached Leesburg within twelve months and extended the route at twenty miles per year thereafter - provided - they charge passengers no more than five cents per mile!
It would appear that construction commenced as planned with the 12 miles from Astor to Summit being completed in 1879. This was immediately followed by the Summit to Eustis section (15 miles) being completed in 1880. Eustis to Lane Park (7.5 miles) followed in 1882 - 83 with the final section from Fort Mason to Leesburg being completed in 1884.
NOTE: The railroad was initially constructed as 3'-0" gauge and was changed to 4'-9" gauge in 1896.
Operations & Organization

Like many other railroads in Florida and also the nation, the St. Johns & Lake Eustis Railway had a somewhat checkered history as can be seen on the adjacent chart which shows the Astor to Eustis section.
It is interesting to note that the longest period of continuous ownership was the Astor to Eustis section was under Atlantic Coast Line (ACL), which operated the line from 1902.
Continuous ownership, however, did not ensure the absence of issues, and in 1921 the uneasy relationship between Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) and the Clyde Steamship Company, which operated the steamboats on the St. Johns River erupted into a situation which made its way to the Florida Supreme Court and the Interstate Commerce Commission. (see Florida Supreme Court Records Volume 81, January term 1921, p. 171)
At issue was the responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the wharf at Astor.
The Railroad Commissioners had inspected the wharf and issued an order to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and Clyde Steamship Company and
each of them "to rebuild and repair the wharf adjacent to and lying immediately between the depot of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and the St. Johns River, in Astor, Florida, by placing the same in such condition that freight or passengers can be safely, securely and conveniently transferred over the said wharf from one of said carriers to the other."
It is interesting to note that the longest period of continuous ownership was the Astor to Eustis section was under Atlantic Coast Line (ACL), which operated the line from 1902.
Continuous ownership, however, did not ensure the absence of issues, and in 1921 the uneasy relationship between Atlantic Coast Line (ACL) and the Clyde Steamship Company, which operated the steamboats on the St. Johns River erupted into a situation which made its way to the Florida Supreme Court and the Interstate Commerce Commission. (see Florida Supreme Court Records Volume 81, January term 1921, p. 171)
At issue was the responsibility for the repair and maintenance of the wharf at Astor.
The Railroad Commissioners had inspected the wharf and issued an order to the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and Clyde Steamship Company and
each of them "to rebuild and repair the wharf adjacent to and lying immediately between the depot of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and the St. Johns River, in Astor, Florida, by placing the same in such condition that freight or passengers can be safely, securely and conveniently transferred over the said wharf from one of said carriers to the other."
The Rolling Stock

St. Johns & Lake Eustis #1 somewhere on the line. The engine had stopped to take on water, the pump for the tank is run by a windmill. The engine was built by Baldwin in August of 1879, serial number 4727 and was named "James E. Drake". The train has some Florida Southern cars, but as the railroad was owned by the FS for many years that's not unusual
The complement of equipment included 3 locomotives:
#1 4-4-0 Baldwin - August 1879 "James E Drake" Serial # 4727
#2 4-4-0 Baldwin - September 1879 "Ida" Serial # 4764
#3 (Unknown)
Also included were 2 passenger cars, 9 boxcars and 9 flatbed cars.
Credit: Donald R. Hensley, Jr. - SE Shortline, Industrial & Narrow Gauge History: www.taplines.net
Decline and Abandonment
Over the years passengers and freight gradually migrated from the steamboats to the major railroads thus steamboat traffic on the St. Johns River started to become extinct.
It is ironic that this particular railway line found itself inexorably tied to the declining fortunes of the steamboat era. Without the steamboats on the lakes and river the original need for the land "bridge" was no more. This fact, coupled with the effects of the Great Depression on the Astor area finally led to the gradual abandonment of the line starting in 1941. Only the section from Umatilla to Eustis remains today.
It is ironic that this particular railway line found itself inexorably tied to the declining fortunes of the steamboat era. Without the steamboats on the lakes and river the original need for the land "bridge" was no more. This fact, coupled with the effects of the Great Depression on the Astor area finally led to the gradual abandonment of the line starting in 1941. Only the section from Umatilla to Eustis remains today.