Riding Down Memory Lane on Our First Local First Mass Transit System
The history of our local railroad actually begins in 1909 with the formation of the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railway, created to construct and operate a standard-gage single-track from Lutz to Tarpon Springs.
High-speed and commuter rail have been hot topics. To me, it all seems reminiscent of the days before automobiles, when the train emerged as the dominant mode of transportation and New Port Richey became an active railroad hub. By 1900, Florida boasted more than 3,000 miles of railroad tracks. In the summer of 1913, those rickety tracks and whistling steam locomotives reached New Port Richey. The history of our local railroad actually begins in 1909 with the formation of the Tampa and Gulf Coast Railway, created to construct and operate a standard-gage single-track from Lutz to Tarpon Springs. On September 17, 1909, the railway started with a purchase of 10-miles of logging trams from the Gulf Pine Company, which operated sawmills near …
