Riding and Chasing the Lake Placid Limited with US Sugar 148 [4K]

On March 28th, 2026, I ventured down to south-central Florida for a ride on the US Sugar "Lake Placid Limited" pulled by US Sugar 4-6-2 Pacific #148. Built by American Locomotive Company for the Florida East Coast Railway in 1920, this steam locomotive spent decades with the FEC running passenger trains up and down Florida, including on the famed Key West Extension. After it's career on the FEC ended, it went to US Sugar, who operated 148 on its large railroad network for the hauling of sugar cane from fields to the mill at Clewiston. After US Sugar steam operations ended, it then went to New Jersey where it operated on two tourist railroads until 1977. It was then sold and moved several times but never operated. In 2020, the forces of the US Sugar Railroad restored the locomotive to operation. Since then, it has been used regularly in excursion service. On this particular day, it would be running from Clewiston to Lake Placid and return. With no facilities in Lake Placid to turn the train around, USSC GP38-2 #3802 pulled the northbound trip, which I rode. After a layover in Lake Placid, 148 took the train back to Clewiston. I was able to exchange cars with my parents (without whom this trip would not have been possible) and chased the train back. With perfect Florida weather, it was a great chase through a landscape completely different to that of the territory I'm used to. Enjoy the scenes in this video of 148 running at 40 MPH, wearing a whistle once used on Norfolk and Western 611.