"The Dinky"

Q: Need info on the "Dinky" 
What beginning and end years it was it in operation?




A: Aug 1, 1896 until Nov 30, 1952.



"The Dinky" is a generic term for about a dozen different cars and engines used by the
Fellsmere RR/Trans Florida Central and their predecessor narrow gauge railroad -
The Sebastian & Cincinnatus RR.

Fellsmere RR/Trans Florida Central had four steamers and their first two motor cars
in 1910 were built by the Sheffield Company. They were light but very ornate and are
actually motor cars rather than "The Dinky".

Under receivership in 1917 (caused by catastrophic flooding Jul 30 - Aug 1, 1916), a young
mechanic named Jess Dixon began building and rebuilding motor cars and trailers in an
effort to cut costs. Dixon was rapidly promoted to Superintendent. After
reorganization into Trans Florida Central in 1924, a series of Ford Model T trucks
(some very graceful looking, some rather plain) were adapted to the rails and were
ideal for connecting with FEC Railway at Sebastian to carry mail, express and a few
passengers. These are correctly called "The Dinky".

By the mid-1930s, steam service had completely ceased and "The Dinky" was used to haul
freight cars down to the junction one car at a time. A very powerful International
Harvester truck was converted into #39 and also a strange looking double-ender with
two engines and transmissions welded together called "The Beast" was home built. They
both hauled individual cars to the junction for interchange and also hauled sugar
cane cars from the fields to the sugar mill out on Lateral S with trainmen riding the
cars to provide manual braking power since "The Dinky" lacked automatic train brakes.

In 1947-48 seven new Whitcomb diesel engines (actually 'critters' rather than dinkys)
took over freight duties at the mill and junction, but No. 39 continued hauling mail and
the occasional passenger to Sebastian until loss of the mail contracts led TFC to abandonment on November 30, 1952.

The Whitcomb critters were allowed by ICC to haul Fellsmere Sugar Producers product only (no passengers or mail) to the junction for five seasons afterwards. Laborers rode on flat cars atop 100 pound sacks of refined sugar and carried the sacks on their shoulders across the FEC mainlines to the platform of the Sebastian depot located on the east side.

Court-ordered lifting and sale of the rails to satisfy creditors occurred in 1958 and a strong young man named Jerry Petersen began bulldozing the TFC right-of-way for a General Development Corp project called Sebastian Highlands.
Today, Jerry is a kindly grandfather type best known as proprietor of Poor Boys RR out west of Fort Pierce, FL and I am delighted to call him friend.

Several members of Fellsmere's OLD-TIMER CLUB including former Fellsmere Mayor
Mr. Joel Tyson recall riding the Dinky Line and helped me identify some of the old
photos.

So ...

"The Dinky Line" ran from Aug 1, 1896 until Nov 30, 1952 if you count all the motive
power on these rails not just the specifically converted trucks called "The Dinky".


Best regards,
cabooseMikey.