A local fishing in the Big Manatee river glances at the Tropicana Juice train as it rolls northward. This pier was damaged in 2004 during the hurricanes, reopened this year.

Tropicana Juice walks onto the water as the train crosses the Big Manatee River. This view had been impossible for years due to hurricane damage. But now rebuilt as part of the riverwalk.

CSX rolls into Bradenton while residents enjoy the ending days of summer on this Labor Day 2012.

CSXT O854 trundles into Bradenton with juice empties. This view looks right up the river and into the Gulf of Mexico. Not many railroads look into an open body of water in Florida.

The hot Tropicana Juice Train is watched by the "hot" RP contributor Maryann Norvik. The Juice Train departs Bradenton most mornings allowing for this shot.

During my two week vacation to Florida in June I was unable to fit any railfanning in. So while on my way home from a family gathering, I was ecstatic to see this GP9 sitting on an industrial sp... (more)

View from retired PRR steam engineer Don Blaum's condo overlooking the Manatee River and CSX bridge.

Picture of Don Blaum in his PRR cap, retired fireman and engineer, spinning yarns about his adventures operating J Class steam in the good old days, from his condo overlooking the Manatee River.

A long wait for the drawbridge to close.

What a day for a Toronto railfan. Just missed the morning orange juice train out of Bradenton Tropicana yard where it crosses the Manatee River. Saw the drawbridge operator leaving his post, and f... (more)

Tropicana Juice rolls northward out of Bradenton and across the warm tropical waters of the Big Manatee River. I had stepped in a fireant hill and did not know it until about 200 of them were on m... (more)

Southbound across the river to pick up the juice cars.

CSX Sister GP39-2's 4303 and 4301 head up this consist of mostly orange juice empties, headed for the Tropicana yard a short distance ahead. The train passes through the lowered drawbridge, and m... (more)

Southbound juice train arrives in Bradenton, Florida. The trailing unit is fellow GP38-2 CSXT 2729.

After setting out the high and wide at Palmetto, the W994's power continued into Bradenton over this half concrete, half wood bridge.