[1] The Florida Central Railroad branch from Tavares to Umatilla was originally part of the St. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway.

In 1980, the Seaboard Coast Line's parent company merged with the Chessie System, creating the CSX Corporation.

On November 21, 1986, the newly formed Florida Central Railroad Company, Incorporated leased the lines from CSX from Toronto west and each of the branches.

On October 1, 1998, an agreement was signed between the railroad and other affected parties to abandon the line between Ocoee and Winter Garden west of Boyd Street, and the line to Diamond R Fertilizer west of 9th St, and build a new connector east of Winter Garden.

As the West Orange Trail was built before this, there is a fence separating it from the former railroad east of downtown Winter Garden.

On November 24, 2003, the Florida Central Railroad was granted an easement for a new connector track in the northwest corner at Toronto.

Renovations to 57 miles between the CSX connection in Orlando, and the terminus in Umatilla, Florida, began in September, 2013.

Upgrades to the line are in hopes of future commuter rail use, connecting Apopka, Tavares, and Orlando along FCEN track.