The Fort Wilderness Railroad was a 2.5–3.5-mile (4.0–5.6 km) 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge[1] steam-powered railroad located in Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The railroad provided transportation for resort guests to the resort's various campsites, as well as to the nearby River Country water park. After an operational trial period in late 1973, the railroad officially opened on January 1, 1974.[2] Because of issues with track maintenance, pedestrian safety, and noise concerns, the railroad only operated occasionally after 1977 and closed permanently in February 1980.[3] Some sections of track remain in place along with the outer areas of the campground.
History[]
The Fort Wilderness Railroad utilized four replica steam locomotives and twenty coaches built by Walt Disney Imagineering. After the railroad was closed, the locomotives and coaches were stored and forgotten for several years until they were rediscovered by Carolwood Pacific Historical Society chairman Michael Broggie.[4] Today, the locomotives and twelve of the surviving coaches are privately owned by Carolwood Pacific Historical Society members Jim Zordich of Boring, Oregon (Locomotive No. 1 and one coach); Bill Dundas of Camarillo, California (Locomotive No. 2, Locomotive No. 3, and ten coaches); and Michael Campbell of Livermore, California (Locomotive No. 4 and one coach).[5][6] While Locomotive No. 1 and Locomotive No. 4 are static displays in their respective owner's backyards, the locomotives owned by Bill Dundas can be found on his private Santa Rosa Valley Railroad, which consists of 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge track as well as 7 1⁄2 in (190.5 mm) gauge track for the miniature trains he also owns.[7] None of the Fort Wilderness Railroad locomotives are operational. In addition, a few of the coaches are still located on the Walt Disney World property. Two were located at the central entrance to Downtown Disney and used as ticket booths prior to its transition into its current form as Disney Springs. They have since been sold at auction to private individuals.[8] Another was used as a prop in the Typhoon Lagoon parking lot until it was eventually removed and scrapped.