I used to live in the Tampa area and the most activity (number of trains) around Tampa is the phosphate business. Quite a few trains head to Tampa from the Bone Valley (about 20 miles east of Tampa) where the phosphate mines are located and processing occurs. One of the phosphate facilities has a rotary dump. This facility loads boats that take the phosphate and it's products (soap and fertilizer to name a few) all over the world.
The main yard in Tampa is Yeoman Yard located on RT 60 east of downtown. The mainline crosses RT 60 and heads south at the yard towards Bradenton. This is where most of the phosphate trains head for unloading. CSX did not go below Tropicana at the time, not sure if that has changed at all. Coal trains are also common for the power plants in the area.
There is also an intermodal yard just north of Yeoman Yard. The intermodal yard and Yeoman Yard each have their own eastbound/northbound mainlines that cross in Plant City. They both share the westbound/northbound mainline to Ocala and Jacksonville.
Most trains heading to and leaving the Tampa area go thru Jacksonville. There is a junction In the Ocala vicinity where the southbound (Tampa) mainline branches and heads south to Plant City and Lakeland. These cities are east of Tampa. Plant city is a great spot for railfanning. There is a diamond there and most trains for Jacksonville cross there with the exception of those heading west, railroad north, out of Yeoman Yard and the intermodal yard. Trains passing east thru Lakeland will eventually pass thru Orlando on the way to Jacksonville.
The Valrico sub branches off the mainline to the Bone Valley in the town of Valrico, RT 60 east of Yeoman Yard, approx 5 miles.
There was a large auto unloading facility on the St. Pete side of Tampa Bay. Not a whole lot in St. Pete although the newspaper used to get cars with newsprint.
Hope this helps and is not too confusing. I haven't lived there in about 10 years so things may have changed. Rt 92 towards Plant City and Lakeland is a great for railfanning. The mainline parallels the highway for quite a few miles with a lot of spots for viewing. Google earth is great for checking out the area.
Dennis
