Wilderness Train

[montyz81]

Yep, it's the correct building. It must have been re-roofed fairly recently. The other building has always been the Service Building to support the Campground operations and .... maybe they need a new roof, too. Years ago after the trains had stopped and before the cars were turned into Pleasure Island Ticket Booths they sat in that building and later they were just tossed outside to make room for golf cart repair. There are some train fan groups that purchased the remaining trains and are restoring them (hopefully) but I haven't seen or heard about their progress. It would be nice if somewhere one full train existed.

If you've read much about these trains while pretty they were loaded with design issues - insufficient road bed, undersized rails, undersized water tank, poor maintenance and poor/dangerous layout (too many road crossings) etc. I think they the wheel trucks didn't pivot either contributing to the jerky ride.

That all said, I love'em! Nothing some $$$ couldn't have fixed.

and likely not all that much money to fix the entire system. This train system was officially shut down as Micheal Eisner took over correct? Minimal money spent on this system including extending it to the Wilderness lodge would have attracted more then enough to help pay for its upgrade and ongoing operation I would think. Oh well, just another great thing that "used" to be at the Parks. I have to say, they are getting dangerously close to "Just another park" in my opinion.

 

[Florida_is_hot]

I read there is for the most part no track, no trains.

Sound expensive to me.

 

[montyz81]

I read there is for the most part no track, no trains.

Sound expensive to me.

Sorry, I was talking about in the early 80's when they made the decision to abandon it. My point was that the upgrades to the system were likely minimal at that point. Then again, they were in the middle of spending $1 billion on Epcot Center.

 

[Timon]

I don't know if I would hang that one on Eisner as it was pretty much moldering away for several years before he got there, but most likely said it won't come back and that was the beginning of the track pave overs, bridge removals and re-purposing the cars.

Here's the front today

Here's a Fan Restored Car

 

[montyz81]

Here's the front today

The tracks in the ground are solid proof along with the fact that it looks exactly the same as it did in the other picture.

Here's a Fan Restored Car

Way cool. Is that inside the Wilderness Campground somewhere? I see RVs in the background!

 

[Timon]

A Fan restored the car, put it on a trailer and brought it to Ft Wilderness on 2011(?) vacation. I would guess it caused quite a bit of interest. Beautiful job too.

 

[Hoop Raeb]

If you look at the dog park down the street from the main pool on Google Maps, you can still see an elevated area where the tracks used to run and the bridge across the creek. Pretty cool.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.409959,-81.556651&spn=0.00096,0.002059&t=h&z=20

 

[Timon]

If you look at the dog park down the street from the main pool on Google Maps, you can still see an elevated area where the tracks used to run and the bridge across the creek. Pretty cool.

True, this was where it jogged over to Chickasaw Creek . FYI: Even thought the RR bridges are gone, the concrete abutments are still there and visible via rented canoe. Other RR roadways are now side walks and are easy to spot since they barely zig-zag compared to normal Disney sidewalks which are laid out by a drunk monkey.

 

[WorldKey]

I had read somewhere that the old Fort Wilderness train (at least the engine) is now being used at DAK to take people to Rafiki's Planet Watch. The article said that it was shut down at Fort Wilderness because of maintenance costs vs. use. I am no expert - just something I read.

 

[Timon]

Sorry the engine at Animal Kingdom's Rafiki's Planet Watch in not from Ft Wilderness and (cough, cough) not a steam real engine. Try diesel powered with with fake steam and sound effects.

 

[montyz81]

If you look at the dog park down the street from the main pool on Google Maps, you can still see an elevated area where the tracks used to run and the bridge across the creek. Pretty cool.

http://maps.google.com/?ll=28.409959,-81.556651&spn=0.00096,0.002059&t=h&z=20

Look closely here. You can see that some tracks are still there... http://binged.it/M6sp3U
And here is another angle http://binged.it/NHj9jM

 

[Timon]

Look closely here. You can see that some tracks are still there... http://binged.it/M6sp3U
And here is another angle http://binged.it/NHj9jM

You are right, I thought it all had been pulled up. I spun the image for a better angle take a look.

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Wow I'm so thankful for this thread! I recently added an article about the FWRR to my site here and the information you all have dug up has inspired me to make an update! I'll have to add a note about the building etc. At the bottom of that page is a link to a video by "Adam the Woo" (a great YouTuber for anyone interested) where he recently treked back into what's left of the railroad etc. Interesting watch if you have the time.

Here's the front today

Love this! I am always so happy to see things repurposed rather than abandoned or demolished.
Timon do you mind if I use that shot on my site (if it's yours)?

 

[Timon]

Sorry, I'm not the owner of the picture, I just Googled for pictures.
Do you know if the Carolwood people finished restoring any of the FT W engines, yet?

 

[ExtinctJenn]

Sorry, I'm not the owner of the picture, I just Googled for pictures.
Do you know if the Carolwood people finished restoring any of the FT W engines, yet?

Awww shucks oh well... I'll have to grab a shot of my own next time we're on property.

Here's the Carolwood site: http://whatwouldwaltdo.com/pages/legacy.shtml - It looks like they they have one engine and one car but the site hasn't been updated in forever either so who knows!