I took this trip back on Labor Day in 2007; they've raised the "fare" substantially since then. A nice trip, nonetheless.
For Mr. Norman, it had more "positives" than "negatives."
Incidentally, the trip now is entirely over the route of the Florida Central Railroad (a Pinsley short line), not CSX. Of course, as the link notes, these rails were once those of ACL and SAL.
Apparently, the February trip above will not be affected.
notelvis Member # 3071
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I suppose that a former tourist operation known as the Mt. Dora Doodlebug is kaput as well?
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Yes, David, it's gone. It was run by another company not connected with the above, but is now defunct.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Ocala Mike (or anyone else who may know)-- What ever happened to the Florida Central "dinner train" which used to run from Mt. Dora to Altamonte Springs on the Florida Central? -- a couple of their old passenger cars are still parked up in Plymouth along Hwy 441 in an industrial area. Is this the same train that this thread has been referring to?
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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RRRICH: Florida Rail Adventures (formerly Inland Lakes Railway) still runs what they call the "Evening Star Dinner Train" every Fri. and Sat. Don't know if this is the same trip you're thinking of or not.
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Thanks, Mike -- I don't know if it is the same trip or not -- it could be. I thought the operation I was thinking of went out of business many years ago, but this could be a revival of the same train. It seems the one I was referring to was actually operated by the Florida Central, but it certainly could have been Inland Lakes Railway or some other entity. If I recall, I believe it was actually advertised as the "Florida Central Dinner Train."
GBN -- you always seem to be able to "pull out of nowhere" historical info on things like this. Do you have anything in your vast railroading archives about the former (early 1990's) "dinner train" I am thinking of?
palmland Member # 4344
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Ocala Mike, so when the dust settles what, if any, tourist operation around Orlando will still be in business in March? We'll be down there for a few days with friends and a dinner train ride might be a nice diversion from WDW and baseball.
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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Eustis is around 35 miles from Orlando, and as far as I know is the nearest rail tourist operation to Orlando that should be going in March.
The dinner trains currently run on Fri. and Sat. nites. I posted the website above, but here it is again:
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The general manager of Florida Central (who is an old friend and former co-worker of mine) acquired some passenger equipment and ran the above-mentioned dinner train for a few years. Florida Central is a Pinsly short line property. I don't know the details, but I suspect the GM was told to spin the excursion train off to a separate organization (hence Inland Lakes Railway) and concentrate on his freight business.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Still thinking about the Mt. Dora Doodlebug -
They were running an internal combustion 'doodlebug' that was a replica of the 1920's Edwards Rail Cars.....
I wonder what became of their 'rolling stock'. Anyone have a clue?
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Thanks, rresor -- that sounds like the train I remember.
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