Have you ever ridden the steam train at Disney World? Not the one at the Magic Kingdom, but the one at Fort Wilderness!
It’s true! From 1973 to 1977, there was the Fort Wilderness Railroad!
There were four steam trains, built on a 4/5 scale that circled along a 3.5 mile long track where the Wilderness Lodge now is. Each train was 115 feet long and could hold 90 guests. The four trains were green with red heels. Guests could board from the front or the back and seats were separated by a center aisle. There were large windows, so guests could view the wonderful scenery as the train went on.
According to StartedByAMouse.com, the trains were created by Walt Disney Productions. The engines and coaches were designed by WED Enterprises and construction was done by Mapo. These were also the two divisions of Disney that designed and built all of the theme park attractions.
Unfortunately, the Fort Wilderness Railroad only operated for four years. There are several reasons for its demise. There were poor track conditions, the train’s fuel tanks were small and there was too much clay in the soil.
Once the railroad closed, you may have seen the passenger cars around. They were at Pleasure Island as the original ticket booths and they are also in the parking lot of Typhoon Lagoon!
Did you get the chance to ride the Fort Wilderness Railroad? Do you wish it was still around?
