Regarding Palatka, Palatka is important to the CSX for two reasons:
1. As mentioned, the large electrical generating plant north of Palatka is the Seminole Electric Generating Plant, powered by coal brought in via trains from Port St. Joe, FL (where the coal was off-loaded from sea-going barges from loading points on the Ohio River) and up the Apalachicola Northern RR to Chattahoochee, FL where the cars are turned over to CSX for the trip to Palatka and return. This plant generates electrical power that is sold to FP&L, Progress Energy, Jacksonville Electric, and possibly other buyers.
2. A very large Georgia-Pacific paper mill is located on the NW side of Palatka, and is jointly served by CSX and NS (via trackage use rights over CSX from Jacksonville as part of an agreement made years ago that allowed NS to abandon its line to Palatka from a point on the SE side of Lake City, FL.)
In exchange, the agreement allowed CSX to use the NS's former South Georgia RR trackage between Perry, FL and Quitman, GA, so that CSX could abandon its trackage between Thomasville, GA and Perry, FL (another joint use paper mill is located on the SE side of Perry, at Foley, FL). CSX trains operate out of the CSX yard at Thomasville, GA eastward to Quitman, GA, where the switch is made to the former NS tracks (now the Georgia-Florida Railnet) for the trip to the paper mill at Foley, FL and return.
The CSX line between Palatka and Orlando has very few carloadings, and two major manned bascule-type drawbridges across the St. Johns River. These two drawbridges represent high maintenance costs to the RR.
Incidentally, CSX has very recently indicated that it would consider offers from shortline operators also for the section of trackage between Orlando and Auburndale, FL. This section of track serves the large OUC coal fired electrical generating plant and the large Taft Intermodal Terminal on the south side of Orlando, in addition to a rather large general freight cargo base in the Orlando area. Quite surprising!
CSX has made major trackwork improvements to the former SAL "S" line between Baldwin Yard (west of Jacksonville) and Lakeland - Tampa, FL.
The former ACL line through Orlando is referred to as CSX's "A" line.
I didn't to keep rambling! Sorry! I just got carried away!
ACLfan