whilst happily returning from Mt Dora whilst on vacation I had cause to travel thru a town called Tavares, I had thought I heard a steam trains whistle, but pushed it to the back of my mind whilst I was driving with my wife sat besides me.
To my amazement in front of me I saw a Level crossing barrier lifting a mile or so in front of me,and so I became alive again, driving like a crazed madman to find out what it was that had just crossed me right to left on a road Id never been on before, on a road I would probaly never go along again, my sat nav USA model, had never been so helpful, there it was the track on the sat nav, and with a left here a right there, there I was, almost lakeside, with amphibious airplanes 20 yards away, a Baldwin Engine happily chugging away, 29900 on the Manufacturers plaque on its side and Boasting the No 2 at the front. I then went on to follow it as best I could for a couple of miles, even going completly off route when I realised the track was along side the road i had gone done, to take Video footage of this wonderful sight. The engineer and his crew must have been laughing at this crazy guy, they blew the whistle loads of times and waved as well, what a nice crew adn a beautiful engine and rolling stock, nothing lavish, nothing fast, just pure Old fashioned steam at its best !!!!!!! Can anyone enlighten me as to where it is based, I did try the net for info but came across very little of its current owner. And no info on the train line and operating times at Mt Dora. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
As a railworker in the UK its always spectacular to see a UK Black 5 engine at full bore running enthusiast specials, but, to be in the USA on vacation and to come across such a pretty Engine and crew, well, my wife thinks I had set it up almost !!
Regards to all with any help, Martin Dixon,Manchester England. bellrep@ntlworld.com
Early October, in a town called Tavares Fl
Just saw a article in RR and Railfan Railnews. The former Reader RR 2-6-0 No.2 is working from the Travares,Eustis & Gulf between Wooton Park in Travares Fl. and Lake Jem. It pulles the Orange Blossom Cannonball. It says here it was built in 1907 for W.T. Carter & Bros. They started ops. on Oct. 8, so you must have caught one of the very first trips.
Tim
To MartBoultonUK: You know, you English have been making exciting discoveries in the New World since John Cabot in 1497. Glad to see you haven't lost the knack!
[quote user="Firelock76"]
To MartBoultonUK:
You know, you English have been making exciting discoveries in the New World since John Cabo
[/quote]
To the comment by Firelock 76; I would add a Welcome!
I had not thought about the Reader RR in quite a while. My first contact was in the early 1970's when I was delivering Barrels, and containers to the Berry Petroleum Refinery near Waterloo, Arkansas. They manufactured Roofing Tar Products and Oils and other petroleum products. It was serviced by the Reader RR and its former USRA Steam locomotive 1702. At that time the Reader was a pretty active line and had an active tourist operation.
The oil crisis of the early 1970's managed to slowly choke it off. And it had morphed through some some ownership changes, and virtual abandonments. The only life it seems to be able to use was the use of its 19th century-looking equipment for the movie industry.
Link: http://www.movie-trains.com/reader.html
Link to photo of #1702: http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=4874
and apparently the Reader RR has morphed again!
http://therailroadnation.com/florida-steam-train-rides-set-to-begin-service/
link to photo as of the former Reader RR equipment; now operating as the Tavares, Eustis & Gulf RR :
http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?railroad=Tavares,%20Eustis%20%26%20Gulf
#2 with its diamond stack :http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=377060
and if you're interested here's a link to the history of the Reader RR:
http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=2364
Edit to add this link; http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr062.htm [consider this the cherry on top]
The Reader was an unexpected gem in Southwestern Arkansas, that found its start in those deep woods of the Ouachita Mountains and managed to hang on pulling out the petroleum products from the Smackover Formations to the world.
Minor correction: the 1702 is not a USRA engine, but a GI S160, built for the United States Army Transportation Corps. Those 2-8-0's were built during WW2 and where most of them went overseas and stayed there, a few were retained in the US for training and other purposes. The 1702 is one of the latter group.
Anyone see the picture of the Tavares, Eustis& Gulf 2-6-0 on page 64 of Januarys "Trains"? Oh, that looks sooooo cool! Can't wait for my next trip to Florida!
I read it too, as I subscribe to the mag, however the magazine picture has a different smoke stack to the one it had on when i took my pictures, and it also had lettering applied as well, many thanks to all who replied to my original post, theres steam in Florida again guys !!!!!!!!!!!!
Does anybody else know if the rest of the Reader Railroad Eqipment that is still in Reader AR will be going to Florida or not???
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