The Orlando & North Western Railway, an affiliate of Mid America Railcar Leasing, is in final negotiations to begin service north of Orlando as the Royal Palm Railway Experience. In a press release distributed on July 5, the railroad say that it has completed negotiations with the Florida Central Railroad to utilize tracks and stations through Tavares and Mt. Dora, located about an hour north of Orlando.
Spokesman Neil Bagaus says that the service is set to begin in late August or early September of 2017. The railroad will begin with daytime departures on weekends, and as the year progresses will branch out to dinner trains and other special events.
“There will be narration and entertainment on board,” Bagaus says, “It is a railroad, but we are considering this primarily an entertainment venue.”
The railroad is also making arrangements with Rail Events Inc. to offer Polar Express trains in the 2017 season. The railroad began negotiations with the city of Tavares to host the train in April.
Bagaus tells Trains News Wire that the Royal Palm trains will feature vintage diesel locomotives, dome cars, dining cars, and other preserved equipment, however specific information is still forthcoming. The railroad may consider steam-powered trains in the future, but has no plans to bring back the wood-burning Reader Railroad locomotive that until recently pulled the Orange Blossom Cannonball along the same track.
That train, operated by the Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad, ceased operations in January 2017.
For more information, and updates on the new service, go to www.facebook.com/TheFloridaTrain.
Still ‘t see why their is such an aversion to old No 2, hopefully engine 148 might be able to make a visit one day. A nice Brooks Scanlon loco or other Floridian 2-6-2 would be amazing of course.
It is such good news to hear that that the refurbished stations at the lovely lake side towns of Eustis and Mount Dora may not be shuttered. Having recently experienced the “Cannonball” and other features of the area, a connection thru to Orlando is a natural and in our future plans once service begins.