Sugar Express a sweet ride aboard a steam train

Last updated on October 28th, 2024 at 05:51 pm

The Sugar Express and Santa Express are fun rides aboard vintage passenger cars pulled behind steam-puffing ‘No. 148’, a historic locomotive built in 1920 that once carried the sugar cane harvest to the refineries of Clewiston-based U.S. Sugar.

The full season for the Sugar Express runs from October until Spring to multiple destination with a seasonal nod to the holidays aboard the Santa Express.

Last November, I rode the Lake Placid Limited, an all-day adventure departing U.S. Sugar’s railroad yards in Clewiston to the historic train station in Lake Placid (FL) with a two-hour layover for lunch.

Sugar Express November

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The Sugar Express No. 148 at the historic Lake Placid train station. (Photo by Bob Rountree)

To be honest, I was hesitant to spend $99, the cost of coach. There are no Florida mountains in full fall glory to see, no cliff-hanging canyons or scenic valleys. Really, there’s not much more to see than endless fields of sugar cane and a few citrus orchards.

The trip was fun, actually. Maybe not my money’s worth, but I’m glad I went once. I like riding trains, and I can’t recall the last time I was behind the chug-chug-chug of a whistling steam locomotive.

There was, as expected, fields of sugar cane, an occasional cattle ranch, an orange grove or two, two river crossings, rural back yards and a glancing view of Lake Placid. We did not pass Lake Placid’s famous caladium farms.

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One of the passenger cars on the Sugar Express. Decorated for fall on our trip. (Photo by Bob Rountree)

The train was clean and the seats comfortable, and the ride through cane country was smooth. Rest rooms were comfortable and clean, though not spacious enough to allow persons with disabilities. The passenger cars are vintage, as the organizers explained in advance, dating to a time when little thought was given to such accessibility.

The train’s crew was polite and accommodating, answering questions about the train and the cane fields when asked. Complimentary muffins were served on the way out; chips and cookies on the way back; bottled water was available throughout the trip.

sugar express crossing the caloosahatchee river
Crossing the Caloosahatchee River at Moore Haven from the ‘open-air’ baggage car. (Photo by Bob Rountree)

Passengers were free to roam through the cars, and the “open-air” baggage car with its open doors was popular, especially for photographers who lean out to capture No. 148 as it steamed around curves.

The steam locomotive was only used in one direction, a diesel in the other. As explained in the promotional materials, there were no turnarounds at our destination.

As for destinations, Lake Placid (population 2,400) is a great choice.

The historic train depot is in the center of town, and the 2.5-hour layover allowed enough time to walk around and view the community’s wall murals, visit the tiny American Clown Museum across the tracks and enjoy lunch at one of 10 nearby eateries.

We enjoyed lunch at Morty and Edna’s Craft Kitchen, home of “The Notorious B.L.T.” We often visit the area while camping at Highland Hammocks State Park.

Clewiston Comet – Nov. 4

The Clewiston Comet originates in Lake Placid and carries passengers to Clewiston and back with a two-hour layover at the Market on Bond Street in Clewiston, featuring local farmers, fresh food, entertainment in downtown Clewiston. Total time on the train is about six hours. Fare: $99-$148. For reservations, go to sugarexpress.ticketspice.com

Highlands County Crescent – Nov. 10

Enjoy a two-hour passenger train ride from Sebring through the orange groves and along the shores of Lake Placid for a roundtrip to and from the sugar-cane loading station site at Childs, Florida. Fare: $48. For details and reservations, go to sugarexpress.ticketspice.com


Santa Express: Nov. 30-Dec. 22

Editors Note: Santa Express is popular, so book early if you plan to go. Click on the links below for details and reservations for each trip.

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Santa Express passenger cars are decorated for the holidays. (U.S. Sugar photo)

Decorated holiday trains with Santa on board departing from Sebring, Clewiston and Lake Placid for two-hour excursions through the countryside.

Base fare is $50 for adults and $40 for children ages 4-14. First-class tables (4-tops) are available for $250. Seats in the first-class lounge cars are $85.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking on the links below.

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Santa is ready to roll through the Glades for the holidays. (Photo courtesy U.S. Sugar)

‘Toys 4 Tots’ Train — December 12, 2024

On one weekend in December, the Santa Express delivers gifts for Toys for Tots at four cities in its South-Central Florida service area. There is no passage or tickets available for this special trip, but there will be plenty of excitement for kids who line the tracks along the way. Santa and his elves will be aboard the train, waving to children along the route, and the elves will distribute gifts to children at stops in Belle Glade, Clewiston, Moore Haven and Lake Placid. Details.

About U.S. Sugar Company

Old ‘No. 148’ is owned and operated by U.S. Sugar Company, the largest producer of sugar cane in the nation.

The Clewiston-based firm owns 230,000 acres in the Glades Agricultural Area of Palm Beach, Hendry and Glades counties, where more than 700,000 tons of sugar cane are harvested each year, according to Wikipedia.

In order to transport the sugar cane to processing within eight hours of harvest, U.S. Sugar operates a truck fleet and rail network to haul the cane from far-flung fields to the company’s refinery in Clewiston.

Old 148 was first put to work hauling sugar cane in 1952 after faithfully serving the Florida East Coast Railroad on freight and passenger routes for almost thirty years.

Replaced by diesel locomotives in the 1960s, Old 148 was retired, worn out and left to die in storage. Seven years ago, U.S. Sugar’s CEO ordered it out of mothballs for restoration and its new life in public relations.

Aside from sugar cane, U.S. Sugar also produces sweet corn and oranges.



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