By Jeff Stagl, Managing Editor
Before Hurricane Ian struck southern Florida as a destructive category 4 storm on Sept. 28, the Seminole Gulf Railway (SGLR) was prospering. The buzz word at the Fort Myers-based railroad was “growth.”
Launched in 1987 after acquiring 118 miles of track from CSX between North Naples and Arcadia, and Oneco (Bradenton) and Sarasota, the short line had just landed a new customer and was steadily building traffic in 2022.
But after Ian tore through SGLR’s operating region as well as much of Florida, the word used more often by the short line’s leaders is “hiatus.” As in putting additional growth, some operations and several customers on hold for a while.
In SGLR’s Fort Myers Division between North Naples and Arcadia, the hurricane tore apart four bridges and caused major damage to two others. A locomotive barn, some storage trailers and equipment in the Fort Myers yard were destroyed, while some motive power and heavy equipment was damaged by flooding. In addition, tracks in some areas were covered by sand, debris and water.
SGLR leaders project it’ll cost north of $20 million to completely recover. The Fort Myers Division likely will be out of commission for several months — perhaps up to six months — while all the infrastructure work is performed. Plus, SGLR had to cancel its Murder Mystery Dinner Train that was set to run a number of excursions in October and November.
“It’s just devastating,” says SGLR Executive Vice President Robert Fay. “It’s going to be a long road to recovery.”
Shown: One of the railroad’s bridges over the Caloosahatchee River was nearly completely destroyed. SGLR’s total storm recovery costs are estimated to exceed $20 million. Seminole Gulf RailwayHe compares Hurricane Ian’s power and destruction close to that of Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 storm that struck New Orleans and other areas in 2005. SGLR dealt with some track washouts in 2004 after Hurricane Charley pummeled southern Florida, but the aftermath was nothing like Hurricane Ian, Fay says.
“This is the worst damage we’ve ever had from a hurricane,” he says. “There is no other short line in Florida that’s as affected as us because of where we are on the Gulf.”
Water submerged Arcadia entirely, as well as the short line’s yard just north of the city. SGLR has several bridges in the area over the Peace River, which reached a record flood peak of nearly 24 feet before it slowly receded. The railroad’s bridges over the Caloosahatchee River also were damaged by pounding floodwaters.
The shutdown of SGLR’s operations between North Naples and Arcadia has hampered local storm recovery efforts since the railroad hauls a significant portion of the region’s propane, lumber and building supplies, including drywall, plywood, rebar and concrete materials. The short line typically handles about 2,500 carloads annually, but that amount can triple when storm restoration efforts are in play, SGLR officials say.
Until the railroad can resume shipments to Fort Myers and Naples, freight for some customers will need to be diverted to SGLR’s Sarasota Division for transloading from truck to rail, says Fay. The railroad is trying to increase its Sarasota line capacity to accommodate the diverted traffic.
The Peace River reached a record flood peak of nearly 24 feet before waters slowly receded. By that time, the short line’s bridges over the river had been battered and twisted. Seminole Gulf RailwayFay’s biggest concern: that some customers who are cut off from the short line’s service won’t be customers again after SGLR’s damaged infrastructure is restored.
“Not all the freight that we handle in the Fort Myers Division can be transloaded now,” says Fay.
SGLR leaders have been reaching out to officials from federal and state governments and rail industry associations for help with restoration costs and lost business, including the U.S. Department of Transportation, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida governor’s office, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency and American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA). There currently are no laws or programs that provide funds to short lines for storm damage, says Fay.
ASLRRA officials have lent a hand to SGLR executives in contacting Florida congressional offices to seek help with disaster relief efforts. The association aims to get short- and long-term relief measures passed after lawmakers return to Capitol Hill following midterm elections.
In the meantime, SGLR will keep plugging away at recovery efforts. The unexpected destruction from Hurricane Ian is similar to receiving a surprise outcome from a dental exam, says Fay.
“You go in thinking it’s just a cavity in a tooth that needs to be refilled, but it turns into a full implant,” he says. “We didn’t think any infrastructure would be completely extracted.”
