U.S. Sugar 148: Steam & Sugar in the Sunshine State

Over the winter of 2024 the Sugar Express in southern Florida was running a series of excursions behind former Florida East Coast 148. Most of these excursions ran between the towns of Clewiston and Lake Placid, with a diesel leading northbound and 148 racing south. After making a side trip to the coast to catch some Brightline trains, I chased the southbound run of the February 24th "Lake Placid Limited."
The 148 was built by ALCo in 1920 for the Florida East Coast Railway and began its life hauling premiere passenger trains from Jacksonville to Miami and across the infamous "overseas railroad" to Key West. The engine was retired in 1952 and sold to the US Sugar corporation, where it would spend the next decade hauling sugarcane to the mill in Clewiston. The engine would go to the Black River & Western Railroad in New Jersey for a brief excursion career from 1970 and 1973 and then the Morristown & Erie until 1977. Over the next 40 years the engine would go through a number of owners from New Jersey to Colorado, all failing to restore the engine back to operation. 148 would be repurchased by US Sugar in 2016 and finally returned to steam in 2020 to head the Sugar Express excursion trains across USSC's many miles of track in the Southern Florida cane fields.

[@stevensainerailfanproductions]

Awesome video as always! Glad to see more of 611’s whistle being blown.

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

Thanks Steve!

[@lashendawest7509]

Great catches awesome chase and nice video

[@TNRailProductions_01]

Grand video my man! The Brightline was a nice addition as well. Last time I was down there the Orlando extension had not yet been completed. But looks like a really cool stretch of new railroad.

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

Thanks! Brightline is very cool, unfortunately the shot I got in Wedgefield is the only one you can really get on the 125mph portion.

[@robertdshannon5155]

148’s performance is sweet. Steamboat whistle is fantastic 😊

[@4-8-4Northern]

That whistle is from Class J 4-8-4 611.

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

Sugar, Spice & All Things Nice. Cute little steamy. Of course, Florida boasts one certain Magic Kingdom Park, which you've already visited I'm sure.

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

I'll be dropping three Disney videos later this week :)

[@BenBensonStudios]

Nice video! Great to hear one of 611’s old whistles on 148. If Florida wasn’t such a bad state, I’d definitely go down and see her 🤣

[@OldIronVideo]

Florida is one of the best states I've ever visited only bad thing is the heat

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

Thanks! FL's government is evil but I live in Tennessee which ain't much better.

[@armedreptile7889]

Imagine worrying about politics on a steam locomotive video😂

[@OldIronVideo]

@@SmokyMtnSteam Gunna agree to disagree on the politics 😅 nice video though!

[@christopherahlgreen9960]

I hope steam engine #148 will have a hancock 3 chime long bell steam whistle, the same type of whistle as the one on the APR steam engine #41. Unlike the steam whistle that belongs to N&W steam engine #611. Because that is my number 1 favorite type of steam whistle.

[@AhmearClayIombo-dj6di]

Awesome Video

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

Thank you!

[@AhmearClayIombo-dj6di]

You're Welcome

[@brianfalzon6739]

Sounds like the one 611 wore from the 1980s!

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

That's because it is!

[@mylesspear]

Any idea what whistle she was wearing?

[@jordonfreeman166]

I don’t know for sure, but it certainly reminds me of Southern Pacific 4449’s whistle, which I believe is a Hancock 3 chime or Hancock long bell.

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

It's N&W 611's old whistle, a Hancock 3-chime I believe

[@southernkansasrailfan1964]

They gave her an air powered bell?

[@SmokyMtnSteam]

dingdingding

[@southernkansasrailfan1964]

@@SmokyMtnSteam Indeed

[@TrainsAreReallyCool]

​​​@@SmokyMtnSteam Swinging > DingDingDing-ing