West Orange Trail

The West Orange Trail was built mostly on rights-of-way from the Orange Belt Railway, Tavares and Gulf Railroad and Florida Midland Railroad. It is in western Orange County, Florida.

West of Winter Garden

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  The trail ends at the county line. The Killarney Station building, formerly County Line Station, is just behind.

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  Just past the above photo, this right-of-way continues along the Orange/Lake County line. There are plans to build a continuation west to an existing trail in Lake County. The old railroad grade is at the end of this corridor, just before it meets old SR 50; the trail leaves it on the east side of Killarney Station.

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  Eastbound, just east of the Killarney Station building, at milepost 0.

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  Eastbound leaving Killarney Station.

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  Westbound entering Killarney Station (still called County Line on this sign).

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  Westbound at the bridge over Florida's Turnpike, a rehabilitated railroad bridge (from the Orange Belt).

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  Most of the West Orange Trail is part of the planned Lake Apopka Loop Trail. This sign is located at Oakland Nature Preserve, west of Oakland.

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  Westbound approaching the above bridge.

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  Westbound leaving Oakland. This sign, unlike most, has been changed from County Line Station to Killarney Station.

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  Westbound in Oakland, shifting to the Orange Belt alignment from the Tavares and Gulf. The Tavares and Gulf split to the left here, turning back west on the south side of Oakland.

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  Westbound at an old Orange Belt milepost (801).

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  The side of the above milepost (35 miles from Sanford).

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  Westbound at Tildenville School Road. Behind, the trail is on the Orange Belt alignment; it shifts to the Tavares and Gulf here, as the Orange Belt is in use as a farm access road. East of here, the trail shifts back to the Tavares and Gulf at Lakeview Road.

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  Westbound at milepost 3.5.

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  A building on the north side of the trail, which is on the Tavares and Gulf alignment here. The Orange Belt was in the clearing.

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  Westbound just past downtown Winter Garden. The trail is on the Tavares and Gulf alignment; the Orange Belt was to the left (and in use until recently).

Winter Garden

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  When the trail was built, the Florida Central Railroad operated two lines into Winter Garden from the east, which junctioned west of downtown, just east of this spot. This is looking east at the former crossing of the track used to connect the two lines. The Tavares and Gulf is still in use until a few blocks east of here, while the Orange Belt has been cut back to east of downtown Winter Garden due to a new connection being built. The trail runs roughly along the Orange Belt alignment through Winter Garden.

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  Westbound at the above former crossing.

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  Westbound down the middle of Plant Street.

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  Westbound at Boyd Street. Both directions pass around the north side of this monument.

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  Westbound at Main Street, where the trail crosses to the center of Plant Street, passing under the arch.

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  Westbound at the old train station in Winter Garden.

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  The front of the old train station, built by the ACL.

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  Westbound after the Winter Garden Station, heading into downtown. This area was recently rebuilt; there were once tracks to the right of the trail here.

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  Westbound leaving the Winter Garden Station; tracks are no longer present here.

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  Westbound approaching the Winter Garden Station; there used to be tracks to the left of the fence.

East of Winter Garden

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  Westbound just after rejoining the Orange Belt alignment. When the trail was built, there were still tracks on the other side of the fence.

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  A view of the above from further back.

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  Eastbound as the trail leaves the Orange Belt; tracks now begin ahead.

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  Looking east at the new beginning of tracks, just east of the above photo.

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  A closeup of the sign in the above photo.

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  Westbound just before rejoining the Orange Belt alignment, at a bridge over a creek.

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  A side view of the above bridge.

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  Westbound approaching the crossing of Division Street (the road to the left). This is along the new right-of-way; a downgrade like this would not be present on a typical railroad.

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  Westbound as the trail curves away from the Orange Belt alignment, which is in use ahead by the Florida Central.

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  Westbound at milepost 8, with a bridge over a creek. The railroad crossed the bridge to the left, which now carries pipes.

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  Westbound at the crossing of CR 437.

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  Westbound heading under West Road, with the SR 429 interchange just to the left.

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  The trail leaves the Orange Belt alignment for a second time, now to avoid an awkward crossing of SR 429.