Touring the Florida East Coast Key West Extension

Train 42, The Oversea, is the daily local from Key West to Miami. We find the 462 parked in front of the passenger station. The tall building houses the Railway Express and the Customs Service. At the North end of Trumbo Point yard, number 42 rolls by the section foreman's house and some other section gang buildings, all decked out in Flagler Yellow. The depression does not seem to have hit this part of the country yet. Tourism is still strong and so are the local produce businesses. Engine 153 leaves the land of Key West and heads to Stock Island over a short trestle. This entire route North is a mix of field, bridges, water, and hope. Hope that business remains and the hurricanes don't come. The Pacific moves from Big Pine Key and out over the Bahia Honda bridge. Leaving the bridge, The Oversea reaches an unnamed island. Then finally, part of the Seven Mile Bridge comes into view. Seven Mile Bridge features the Moser Swing Bridge. You'll notice that reduced speed is called for here. Pigeon Key sits in the middle of the bridge. The five mile portion is behind us while the two mile section awaits the 462. Most of these islands in the Keys serve as home for the railroad's workers. The B&B gang here paints the bridges every two years because of the heavy salt water exposure. At the South end of Marathon, the people on the dock could be fishermen or sightseers. The 462 will stop here for water at the twin tanks. The engineer notes the semaphore and heads off to the helix. Marathon has a track gang, a telegraph office, and a full-time REA office. Without the railroad, these jobs would not exist. Long Key Viaduct is a series of impressive concrete arches. Off the Viaduct, train 42 heads into Long Key itself. Mainly this is a fishing camp for the well-to-do. Glades is the home of more railroad jobs. A track gang is based here. The land for the buildings and track was created by dredging two canals. The front canal is fresh water, while the one toward the sea is saltwater. The trolley intersects the railroad at Flagler Street crossing in Miami. The passenger train enters the scene at Flagler Street. The Miami passenger station has facilities for the Pullman Company. The long covered building is used by the Railway Express. The Oversea eases through their grade crossing at Northwest Fifth Street. This industrial part of Miami features the Florida Power and Light Natural Gas Facility. The South end of Buena Vista yard is the banana warehouse district. The yard has an ice house for all the northbound produce and a freight platform. In back are warehouses and the Buena Vista and laundry. The North end of Buena Vista yard reaches into North Miami.