Historic photos courtesy of the Plant City History and Photo Archive
If you live in Plant City, you’re probably familiar with the sound of approaching trains, maybe so familiar that you hardly take notice of them at all. Perhaps you’ve been downtown at the right time and heard the ringing bells as the crossing gates lowered and one of the Amtrak trains rushed by on its way to Miami. Nothing gives you a sense of the immense power of a speeding train like standing just feet away as one charges by.
Located right here in the heart of downtown Plant City, the historic Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum has big plans for 2026 with the goal of expanding its operation. On the morning that I visited, I met a local named Ben and his young daughter Amelia.
“She loves trains. Loves them.”
We are standing outside on the elevated viewing platform, which gives anyone the opportunity to enjoy a front row seat as the trains pass by. It’s a clear, bright January afternoon. “We come here a lot, at least once a week.”
Ben is a railroad enthusiast, or Railfan, and he shows me an app on his phone that tracks the location of various passenger and freight trains. “There is one due by in about fifteen minutes,” he points out, and Amelia is excited. I am impressed that she can identify the silver, red, and blue passenger trains as “Amtrak,” especially considering she is not yet three years old. Apparently, people of all ages find the magical allure of trains to be irresistible.
“A lot of younger people are really into trains, too. I see them ride up on their electric scooters, then set up and take videos,” Ben tells me. These fellow rail enthusiasts share their videos online, posting them on YouTube and various Railfanning websites. The museum recently installed a video camera on the viewing platform, which provides a live stream of the east-west line, and in 2025, they reached almost a million views.
It is this kind of interest and enthusiasm that the museum wants to help foster. A little over five years ago, a plan was hatched to make use of the two-story freight tower building, which was relocated almost 40 years ago to make room for a second rail line. The museum’s goal is to feature the important role the depot played in the development and growth of Plant City.
The freight tower building was part of the original construction and completed in 1909. At its peak, the train station accommodated 44 passenger trains daily and was one of the largest railroad distribution points and transportation hubs in the state of Florida. Not only did the depot handle freight and passengers, it played a key role in the development of the city by offering services essential to its citizens. The staff handled the mail as well as provided Western Union telegraph service. The museum wants to honor all of this by featuring a display of items and memorabilia that relate to the building when it was in full operation.
Railroads have always been a key part of Plant City. Henry Plant, for whom the city is named, led an effort to introduce railway lines throughout Central Florida at a time when Tampa was a small town of several hundred inhabitants. The Plant System of steamships and railroads brought his Southern Florida line down to Tampa, and the rest is history.
The train station in Plant City, originally called the Plant City Union Depot, operated from 1909 until 1971, serving both the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line railroads. The rise of long-haul trucking and resulting decrease in demand for rail transportation spelled the end for the depot, and it was scheduled to be demolished. Fortunately, an effort led by the Plant City Arts Council successfully saved the building by securing the depot’s place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 1987, the two-story freight tower was no longer in use and slated to be torn down to accommodate a second parallel rail line. Fortunately, the city chose to undertake the monumental task of moving this historic building just across the tracks to where it sits today.
Now, they are ready to incorporate this original depot building and make it part of the museum. Interim Director Lloyd Thomas explains: “Our main goal, as a non-profit, is education. We want to highlight the important functions that the depot served, and the critical role it played in the city’s history. Without the railroads, Plant City wouldn’t be on the map.”
And it’s true. The location, between Tampa and Lakeland, proved to be a vital rail junction, critical to the transportation of produce such as melons and strawberries at a time when long-haul trucking, which has since taken the place of rail in many cases, did not exist.
“Our vision for the freight tower building is to update and renovate the existing structure in order to bring it up to current standards and permit the museum to expand its collection into the space.”
The lower floor will be dedicated to displaying items relating to the building and its history, with the second floor slated as additional space for cataloging and archiving the many railroad-related items that are donated to the museum each year.
And they are ready to get started. The plans have been drafted and presented, with final approvals anticipated soon. The museum hopes to begin construction in February, with the goal of completing the project and opening the doors to the public later this year. But they are going to need some help.
“We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers,” Lloyd explains, “And as a non-profit, we have to get creative.” One example of this is working with a local Girl Scout troop to beautify the courtyard beside the tower. There are plans to add some flower beds, update the landscaping, and provide additional seating for visitors to sit and enjoy the surroundings.
Are you a local business or resident who might like to support this historic restoration project? Contact the museum and see how you or your business can get involved in this exciting addition to the museum.
Even better, come out to the museum’s annual RailFest and Chili Cookoff, hosted by the Arts Council of Plant City. This fun, free event takes place on Saturday, January 24, from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
Another way you can show your support is by visiting the museum or checking out the viewing platform. And bring your kids! If they are anything like Ben’s daughter or several others I observed there during my visits to the platform, they will love it too. Admission is free for all visitors, and you will be amazed at the sizable and unique collection of railroad memorabilia that draws visitors from all over the world. They even have a beautifully restored Seaboard Air Line Railroad caboose built in 1963 that you can walk through.
Admission is FREE, and the museum is open from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. every weekday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays. The viewing platform is open 24 hours every day of the year.
For more information, call the Robert W. Willaford Railroad Museum at 813-719-6989, visit their website at www.willafordrailroadmuseum.com, follow on Instagram, or find them on Facebook. Look for the museum’s streaming camera on virtualrailfan.com
Happy Railfanning!!!
