BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 From the Disney Parks blog... All Aboard Fort Wilderness Railroad for a Trip Down Memory Lane at Walt Disney World posted on July 6th, 2011 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager Just when I think I know Disney history, something always pops up to prove to me wrong. This happened to me the other day when I was flipping through my copy of Dave Smith’s “Disney A-Z” book and caught a glimpse of a listing for “Fort Wilderness Railroad.” Huh? Although I’ve spent nights at the campground before, cheered along the Hoop-De-Doo Revue and taken my son to see the horses at Tri-Circle-D Ranch, I had no idea the property used to have a functioning train that shuttled guests around the resort’s 700 acres. So, I looked into it. It turns out that the railroad ran only for a short time, operating from 1973 to 1977. The system featured four stream trains that circulated through the campground on a 3½-mile track. The trains’ cars were themed after “plantation locomotives,” a specific style of open-air cars that shuttled consumables, like sugar cane and pineapples, around Hawaiian islands. Each of the four trains – decorated in forest green, red, and gold colors – measured just under 115 feet and could seat 90 guests. The railroad eventually closed due to a number of operational challenges, including the small size of the trains’ fuel tanks, and track problems due to a high amount of clay in the soil. Cars from the Fort Wilderness Railroad were later repainted and used as funky ticket counters at Downtown Disney. These cars were later sold at a private auction and one of the railroad’s locomotives was donated to a local Central Florida museum. That said, does anyone remember taking a ride? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gemstone1952 1 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 From the Disney Parks blog...I remember it well... I also recall the little "chuck wagon" truck that came around the loops in the morning bringing fresh fruits and other foods. I recall when trams were used to move guests around the campground, not busses and there were no guests in golf carts. Most people were in tents or pop-ups, though there were a few motor homes. I have a picture of me with a deer that came onto the campsite. It was eating out of my hand and quite willing to "pose" for a picture. The beach was open. You could swim out to a small floating dock. There were a lot fewer loops back then. Yeah, I've been coming here for a very long time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FWRR3 10 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I rode it last Monday! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Thanks for posting this Monique.I don't recall ever seeing either of those black and white photos.I have not yet figured out where the second one was taken.I was thinking maybe at the entrance to the 500 loop, as you can see campers in the right background of the photo (maybe that's the 100/200 loop in the background?), but I'm not sure.It's kind of sad to me that a writer for the official Disney World blog has never heard of the FWRR.TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mouseketab.....Carol 1,261 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 It's kind of sad to me that a writer for the official Disney World blog has never heard of the FWRR.TCDThose were my exact thoughts too Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FWRR3 10 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 Thanks for posting this. The photos are beautiful! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I rode it last Monday! That is a great photo!Can you give us a brief explanation about the different logos used on the locomotives?The logo on your engine is different from the one in the first black and white photo, but it looks like it matches the one in the second.Until I saw these photos, I never realized that different logos were used, but clearly there was more than one design on the engines.TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FWRR3 10 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 Thanks, TCD! I believe the engines (and models) are all the same, but what you have discovered is that the lettering on the left side is in a smaller area due to the space available, and the artwork designer (Bob McDonnell) used different designs to fill each space. Strangely, the word "Railroad" is spelled out in the smaller space, put on another line, but written as "R.R." in the larger space, with the whole name on one line.By the way, if decorating rules don't get too restrictive, I'm hoping to bring "The Little FWRR" back to the Fort for Halloween 2011. I already have a Premium site reservation. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 TCD after looking at the photos and the track layout and the train’s direction I have come up with this. It’s not 100/200 loop the train ran on the other side of the road and didn’t have a station. As for the 500 loop the train did run on that side of the road but didn’t head in that direction and I don’t think it had station ether. I’m thinking it the 800 loop the train ran in that direction it’s on the right side of the road and it had a station. In the photo you took you can kind of envision that blk&white photo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tri-Circle-D 2,059 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 TCD after looking at the photos and the track layout and the train’s direction I have come up with this. It’s not 100/200 loop the train ran on the other side of the road and didn’t have a station. As for the 500 loop the train did run on that side of the road but didn’t head in that direction and I don’t think it had station ether. I’m thinking it the 800 loop the train ran in that direction it’s on the right side of the road and it had a station. In the photo you took you can kind of envision that blk&white photoTodd-I will have to defer to you, as I, unfortunately, never got to see the train in action.But, based on the remnants I have seen, I don't think the train crossed over the entrance to the 800 loop. The tracks went by the Meadow Trading Post, and then traveled along where the 600 loop extension is now, and then crossed over Fort Wilderness Trail between the 800 loop and the 700 loop, and then went behind the 700 loop, and curved toward the Settlement. The train did not cross the 800 loop entrance.That roof line on the left of the photo is throwing me off too.TCD Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 You are right after looing at the map again I see it. I bet it's the 1100 loop it kinda looks like that now Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 As far as the Logo go’s here is what I have found. This is engine number 3This is the right side you can see Railroad is spell outThere is the left side you can see it just says RR not spelled outSo it looks like they have a differant Logo for each side Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HillBillyWhisperer 20 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 The kids loved riding the trains. Heck, so did I. But, as with many Disney decisions, all good things usually come to an end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 The kids loved riding the trains. Heck, so did I. But, as with many Disney decisions, all good things usually come to an end.You had kids that rode the train? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FWRR3 10 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 About the location of the second photo in the blog, Dave Leaphart (author of the FWRR books), said on Burnsland.com that it's at the Possom Path station. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 About the location of the second photo in the blog, Dave Leaphart (author of the FWRR books), said on Burnsland.com that it's at the Possom Path station.Does it say witch loop that is on the right? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FWRR3 10 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 Discamper, according to the maps in David's book, it appears that is the 1100 loop. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Discamper 394 Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 Discamper, according to the maps in David's book, it appears that is the 1100 loop.That sounds about right. knowing todays layout of the Fort Disney must have moved the station across the street after they stopped the train service Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.