You don't have to like railroads to enjoy the Mount Dora scenic. Mount Dora is a destination all its own, with quaint shops, excellent restaurants, and lots to do. The village hugs the shoreline of one of the many lakes in fact dot the central Florida countryside. Many of the homes date from the time when those engaged in the business of supplying a nation made Thirsty by prohibition came south to spend their winters. Legends of the Chicago and New York mobsters abound. A classic waterfront resort adjoins the village, just across the tracks from the preserved Atlantic Coast Line station which now serves as the chamber of commerce office. Your visit begins a short distance away in an old seaboard passenger car, which serves as the ticket office and boarding platform. We were greeted by Neil, who presented us with a pair of complementary tickets. Train time was still almost an hour away, so we walked across the street and ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe. We boarded the Dora Doodlebug at 12:20, and promptly at 12:30 we were underway. The initial part of the trip takes you eastbound through a residential area with the Lake on your right. There are several grade crossings, fills, and bridges. Soon the line is in the country, and the bug is assaulting a one and a half percent grade. A brief stop at the Mount Dora Industrial Park, where a Connecticut Valley doodlebug is undergoing restoration, and we are eastbound again through the woods. The train crosses highway 441 on a steel girder bridge and continues for about another mile. At the end of the line, passengers are invited to reverse their seating, the motorman moves to the "A" end of the car, and we're headed back down the hill. The car passes through the village of Mount Dora, and out along the shore of the Lake. The track at this point is about 25 feet above the level of the lake, providing a spectacular view. The line hugs the shore of the Lake for about two miles, and you're almost sure to see a wide variety of wading birds, including blue heron. After changing ends and reversing seats again, we returned to Mount Dora. The total ride is about eight miles round-trip, and takes just over an hour. The Mount Dora scenic, headed by Steve Torrico and Chris Welch, is undergoing substantial renovation to its operating plant. Almost completed is the replacement of 3000 ties between Mount Dora and the interchange with the Florida central Railroad at Tavaras. The Railroad has obtained a turn-of-the-century Baldwin Prairie locomotive and four coaches, and plans are being made for the introduction of steam-powered trips by early in the summer. Also in the works is a proposed dinner train, and eventual service via the Florida central all the way to Orlando. The Dora doodlebug, by the way, is a hybrid. It was constructed using an old Brill car, replacing the ends with new coachwork to resemble an Edwards. If you want to buy a doodlebug, by the way, this is the place to come. Steve has reformed the Edwards Motorcar Company. Cars are actually being manufactured in a shop along the right of way about four miles west of Mount Dora. One car is nearing completion and a second is just underway. These are the first Edwards to be built since the Sanford, North Carolina plant closed in the early 1940s.We didn't ask the price. The next time you're in central Florida, make a point to visit. |
