MOUNT DORA BUZZ
  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Mount Dora Community Toy Drive
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Holiday Lights
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe

Business Buzz

TAVARES ON VERGE OF LANDING REPLACEMENT VINTAGE TRAIN

3/31/2017

6 Comments

 
Picture
(Update:  On April 5, Tavares City Council voted to approve negotiating a contract with the train operator and anticipates operations to begin by year's end.  Routes will not include Orlando due to track's schedule.)

​The community was left brokenhearted when its beloved excursion train, Orange Blossom Cannonball, departed the station for the last time.  On Wednesday, the City of Tavares will have a chance to mend some of those hearts.


The city council will decide on April 5 whether to approve a proposal from Orlando Northwestern Railway LLC (ONR), a vintage train operator proposing weekend "Explorer" excursions connecting Tavares, Mount Dora and Eustis with adult ticket prices of $20.00.  

The company will base its operations out of Tavares and also plans for two to four trips per month to Orlando for Magic games during the NBA season, plus trips to other Orlando sporting and special events with tickets costing an estimated $50.00 to $60.00.   Those trips will depart from Tavares and take the western and southern route around Lake Dora.


Seasonal train experiences are also proposed that include a Polar Express Train, Dead Freight Haunted Train, Peanuts Great Pumpkin Patch Train, and a State Theater Wine & Cheese Train.   Ticket prices for those trains will vary according to level of service.  

"I hated to see the Orange Blossom Cannonball leave, but we turned lemons into lemonade,"  said Bob Tweedie, Economic Development Director for the City of Tavares.   "We got really lucky.  This is like no other train service the area has had."

ONR will have five coach cars ranging from 44 to 64 seats each, as well as a dining car and a dome coach car offering expansive views.   All cars will be air-conditioned.   

The train operator is owned by Mid America Railcar Leasing, a company built around its fleet of well-maintained vintage Amtrak passenger cars.  Neil Baugus, long associated with the area's vintage excursion trains, will be managing the operation for ONR, according to Tweedie.   

The projected first full year of ridership for the Lake Dora and Lake Eustis "Explorer" trains is 15,000 passengers.

If the city accepts the proposal, the operator will formalize an agreement with Florida Central Railroad, the owner of the tracks.

For more events and news in Mount Dora, Tavares & Eustis, click here. Find out what's happening locally with just a tap on your phone by downloading the area's free mobile app.  Monthly issues of Mount Dora Buzz are available here.

Picture
News & Events for 
​Mount Dora • Tavares • Eustis
Picture
Picture
Picture
Download the free Mount Dora Buzz 
​mobile app
.
6 Comments
Debbie Patton
4/2/2017 05:21:48 pm

Yay!!!!! I'm soooo excited! Yes, please!!!

Reply
Dennis Maples link
4/2/2017 06:34:15 pm

Need any help with the train, logistics, planning etc? I have 40 years railroad experience and managed that railroad for 27 years.

Reply
Sandra Taylor
4/3/2017 07:01:55 am

This is great news. It would be wonderful to extend your service to include trips to concerts or other events at Lake Eola. Or if demand is there ,make it the "Sunrail of Lake County linking our area County to Orlando. For daily riders your fees would need to be adjusted.

Reply
Victor Maggio
4/3/2017 08:59:23 am

That's Great News... Hope the council Approves !!!

Reply
Tom V.
4/3/2017 01:44:20 pm

So the reason the Cannonball had to leave was because the tracks it ran on were going to be used for storage. How will this new train run on those same tracks if the track is being used for storage?

Reply
Sherre
4/3/2017 07:37:05 pm

Yay!!!!! Hated to see the train go! Sooooo glad it may come back! Such a big part of our charm!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    BUSINESS & REAL ESTATE

    .

    Archives

    February 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Terms of Use
Copyright Mount Dora Buzz 2022
​All rights reserved.



  • Home
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Business & Real Estate
    • Outdoor Life
    • Real Estate Buzz
    • Government & Education
    • Profiles
    • Newsworthy
    • What's Hot...
    • Development Buzz
    • Who Knew?
    • Buzz Polls
  • Calendar
  • Festivals & Events
    • Annual Festivals
    • Monthly Events
    • Fall Festivals & Halloween Events
    • Best Local Pumpkin Patches
    • Holiday Event Guide
    • Mount Dora Community Toy Drive
  • The Best of....
    • Best of Mount Dora
    • Best of Eustis
    • Best of Tavares
    • Best of Mount Dora Take-out
  • Things to Do
  • Dining
  • Live Music
  • Lodging
  • Photos
    • Doors of Mount Dora
    • City Scenes
    • Colorful Cottages of Mount Dora
    • Holiday Lights
    • Views from Above
    • Palm Island Boardwalk
    • July 4th Americana
    • Vintage Photos
    • Donnelly House
    • Sydonie Mansion
    • The Howey Mansion
  • History
  • Mobile App
  • Contact
    • News Desk
    • Advertising Inquiries
    • Writing Services & Content Marketing
    • Design Services
    • Social Media Services
    • Suggest a Restaurant Visit
    • Submit Pic of the Day
  • Subscribe