Orange Belt Railway

The Orange Belt Railway was a bold and quirky chapter in Florida’s rail history—stretching ambition, citrus, and Russian flair across the state.

The Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad) was a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge railroad established in 1885 by Russian exile Peter Demens in Florida. It was one of the longest narrow-gauge railroads in the United States at the time of its completion in 1888, with a mainline 152 miles (245 km) in length between Sanford and St. Petersburg. It carried citrus, vegetables, and passengers.

The railway changed hands several times in its early years due to debt run up during various phases of construction and a citrus freeze that affected freight cargo. Demens lost the railroad to financier Edward Stotesbury, who reorganized it as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad in 1893.

After the Great Freeze of 1894–95, the railroad was put up for sale. It was purchased by Henry B. Plant in 1895, who converted it to standard gauge, and made it part of the Plant System. Plant would build a hotel along the line, the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel near Clearwater, in 1897.  The Plant System became part of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad system in 1902.

The Orange Belt Railway line brought settlers to towns along its route and fostered development in the region.

A 2012 musical titled "Orange Belt Railroad" and based on the railroad line's history was created by Richard J. Budin, a member of West Coast Players in Clearwater, Florida.