View Full Version : Trains!
Hi all,
Bit of a strange one this, but worth a try!:blush:
My son (ok, more so me!:tounge: ) would like to see some real big proper american trains while we are over in Orlando later in the year. No, we know about the ones in the parks....!:zzz:
Is there anywhere, like downtown Orlando, or out in the sticks a little bit, where you can see proper trains "in action" or even go for a short ride? We are staying in Kissimmee.
We are talking BIG freights or passenger trains, and lots of diesels here! - got a feeling there isnt really anywhere, but if anyones gonna know, they will know on here!.:wave:
Oh, is this train and trolley museum on International drive worth a flying visit? Cant find a website for it?:zzz:
Thanks alot,:thumbs-up
FLGirl-UKNow
7 Feb 07, 03:21 PM
Understanding you are aware of the trains at the park have you done this tour:
The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains - Magic Kingdom
The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains, a Magic Kingdom park tour, explores Walt Disney's passion for steam trains, while giving Guests the opportunity to join the opening crew as they prepare for the daily railroad operation at the MAGIC KINGDOM. This tour also offers the rare opportunity to visit our backstage "roundhouse".
The tour highlight is the train trip back to the roundhouse with an up-close and personal look at one or more of our locomotives, but the experience is also rich in history about Walt Disney's lifelong fascination with steam trains, how we acquired our four old locomotives, and the operating procedures we follow to serve our annual ridership of over 3 million. You will received an exclusive pin, designed by one of the engineers, at the end of the tour.
Offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays at the MK turnstiles at 7:30 am and ends approximately 10:30 am.
The cost is $40 plus tax and theme park admission is required. Guests must be at least 10 years old to participate. DVC members can receive a 15% discount.
---------------------------
Unfortunately we do not have a lot of train service in Orlando. There is Amtrak which is the passenger system but it isn't very popular.
I can check on the I-drive museum if nobody has any first hand experience. In the mean time this is the only information I see posted: Train Land (http://www.iridetrolley.com/thingsToDo/Attractions/Train_Land_International/100017.html)
This is probably not what your after but afew years back we used to go to church street station in orlando for the day and we always saw a really long train, my dad often videoed them and they had at least 70 carriages on them, and took forever to pass, not what your after I'm sure but my dad loved seeing them, we don't know whether we were there just at the right time, but always saw one.
Just thought I'd add this special bit (it's special to me),
I got married in florida on the 4th Oct at cypress grove just as the wedding was starting about 5 mins in, a train passed by and we had to wait as no one could hear what the lady was saying, my auntie shouted up to me it's your dad, he's letting us know he's here, we all agreed, might sound daft, but we thought it was nice, then on the 13th oct we went to the same place to collect our photo's and another train passed, so that's how my dad turned up to my wedding.
Hope you find out more of what you want.
FLGirl-UKNow
7 Feb 07, 04:50 PM
My Dad lives off of the same lake as Cypress Grove. Orange Avenue (which is one block from Cypress Grove) runs parallel with the industrial train track. There are trains running constantly. Most of these trains are industrial and can often be very long. They have to blow the horn at each crossing which means nearly every two blocks. It is very loud and has driven a lot of the neighborhoods out of the area.
Also, recent changes with Amtrak has now made that track the main service track. My Dad has found out that they will soon have trains every 30 minutes during certain times of the day. He is less than thrilled and his property value will suffer as well.
On another note, Cypress Grove is a beautiful place to go to. It is the only place I have ever seen cricket being played (I was shocked). It is very popular for weddings and if anyone is planning a wedding I'm sure WJD would agree it is ideal. Beautiful spot!
Thank you both SOOOO much!
There is a great few tips from you both, together with some heart warming stories/memories. It really does improve your opinion of the world when you get great replies like that!.
I hadnt heard about the behind the scenes tour at Magic Kingom - it sounds interesting and certainly different!
But, sounds like Cypress Grove is where we will head for a quick hour, knowing that each blast of the horn means different things to different people....!
Thankyou again!.
Looks like the museum on International Drive, is indeed called Trainland - the link to the i-ride site seems to be what I have heard about!. Thanx!!
FLGirl-UKNow
8 Feb 07, 11:07 PM
I'll try to find out the active times on the track to give you an idea of best time.
Watch this space! :wavey:
Suzie&Stuart
9 Feb 07, 04:54 AM
There is a railtrack that runs through Downtown Kissimmee. It stops near to the Monument in Kissimmee that has all the stones from different countries.
FLGirl-UKNow will know where I mean.
We were having a wander around Downtown a couple of years ago when they where holding the elections for the school governors and judges etc,etc.
We where walking back towards the main shopping area from the lake , when this huge passenger train stopped right across the street. The girls where much younger then, but thought it was great to wave at the passengers, and all the passengers waving back.
FLGirl , know what you mean about the blasting of horns at crossings. There is a track [could be the same one] that crosses the CR54 Loughman Rd in Davenport.................at around 4 in the morning. We have stayed very close by on 3 occasions.
Stuart
Hi,
My DH is a train freak and we found the Florida Railroad Museum when we were looking. I'm not sure how far away it is or if you have a car but we are going to give it and go and hopefully they will have a train robbery on when we are there!
Thank you both SOOOO much!
There is a great few tips from you both, together with some heart warming stories/memories. It really does improve your opinion of the world when you get great replies like that!.
I hadnt heard about the behind the scenes tour at Magic Kingom - it sounds interesting and certainly different!
But, sounds like Cypress Grove is where we will head for a quick hour, knowing that each blast of the horn means different things to different people....!
Thankyou again!.
Thank you for that, what a lovely post.
BarryandCaron
10 Feb 07, 10:42 AM
The train museum on I Drive is definitely worth a visit, it's a fantastic model railway.
Caron
KK_Cat
11 Feb 07, 02:44 AM
The train museum on I Drive is definitely worth a visit, it's a fantastic model railway.
Caron
I visited the Model Train shop and display on I Drive in May 2005. I'm going to put a few photos in my gallery in a few minutes that you can check out (still don't know how to get them in post, must check that out).
Although it does say museum, I can't particularly remember anything of a museum nature (but I could be wrong). The display is excellent, my ex was quite envious. He is a train driver here which is how come we had the interest in going. We also went into downtown Orlando to go to a model train store (the one with in I Drive isn't up to much), the one in Orlando was very good, spend quite a few $$ there, although I think his favourite purchase was a $14 US engineers cap!
We had hoped to see some real trains too, as it's something we usually did on holidays abroad, but we didn't get to do it, time restraints!
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