The Atlantic Coast Line's Gulf Coast Special and West Coast Champion were notable passenger services to operate on the line from Bartow to Naples. At this time, passenger trains were running the Bartow Branch north of Bartow to access the ACL's main line at Lake Alfred. By 1949, the Atlantic Coast Line operated a daily local passenger train and a daily freight train along the line from Bartow to Fort Myers. The ACL operated mixed train service from Fort Myers to Naples six days a week.
