This line was apparently built by the South Florida Railway sometime before 1893 and extended from Sanford to Mount Dora and Tavares, where it hooked up with the old St. Johns & Lake Eustis Railway which served Eustis, Fort Mason, Umatilla to Astor, and from Fort Mason to Leesburg. All of this trackage came under the control of the ACL in 1893. The section from Sanford to Sorrento, which is a few miles E of Mount Dora, served until the SCL era. It was apparently abandoned in the early 1980s. The section from Sorrento through Mount Dora to Tavares, and from Tavares through Eustis to Fort Mason and Umatilla is still operated by the Florida Central Railroad. The Florida Central also operates former SAL trackage from Tavares through Plymouth to Orlando.
The former right-of-way crosses over SR 46 numerous times between Sorrento and Sanford. The ROW is easy to make out in most places.
Thanks to Madison Holmes for the picture and information on this abandoned line.
Old ACL/SCL line between Mount Dora and Sanford, 5 miles E of Mt. Dora looking east. The Florida Central Railroad operates the line from Mount Dora out to this point, which is near Sorrento. (photo by Madison Holmes)
