orange blossom cannonball

what can i say but this train is the movie train and Russell Crowe was actually on it in 3:10 to Yuma !! It goes from Tavares to Mt. Dora(and reverse that too) about 5 miles. I took the STEAM locomotive instead of the diesel and what an experience. Just make sure you don't sit downwind of the steam because sometimes it smells. Sit in an enclosed car for that part. They stop and load 2 hoppers of wood for fuel, go into the town and you can stay and come back later ie 3 hours or so or take the next train back. The movie train was in several movies even I think with John Wayne-that's how old it is. What a treasure-JUST DO IT

Thanks for the kind words and great review! Glad you had a good time.

We had a great time traveling the rails. The day we went the train was not very crowded, we were able to move about with ease. We found some hidden seats that ended up to be the best on the train, they were in the caboose on the upper deck. It gave us great views along the way and kept my 3 year old interested.

This train is so noisy, uncomfortable, expensive and just travels by boring areas.I think We should have taken the Segway tour--They even take those thru trails in the woods!

What a horrible waste of money. Noisy, stinky, wasn't impressed, NOT scenic in any way. Very short, the town of Mt. Dora and Tavares was the worst part of town. Money would be better spent to put a bike path through there.

This is a really good trip on an historis train the steam engine is the last wood fired one the sounds are incredible and the scenery on the trip is amazing again although not equipped with lift for wheelchair the people around us all helped with getting my husband on and off

Thank you for your great review! We look forward to having you back again and again and again...Its customers like you that make all the hard work that we do worthwhile!

Very disappointing ride. It's a short, expensive ride to nowhere thru the trashiest parts of town and trash everywhere along the track tracks. We thought it was going to be a scenic ride along the lake...wrong, wrong, wrong! There is very, very little to see in Tavares. Nice park and couple of restaurants...that was it. The train itself was pretty neat...but not worth the price of admission. The man who gave some tidbits of the train's history while enroute was a very pleasant, nice young man, tho. Save your money and have a nice dinner in Mount Dora instead.

Kids Adults Grandfathers everyone loves old steam engine wood burning trains. I don't know why maybe it's the excitement of riding the rails in an antique train or perhaps just nostalgia for a simpler time. Don't miss this opportunity to travel back in time even if it's only for a pleasant ride with a view of the lake. The whole family will have fun. Enjoy.

We were there on a Sunday and the town had a little festival going on with food, vendors, and music. Very welcoming!

Stopped off at at Mount Dora en route and first of all had trouble finding the mount but then this is Florida whose highest point is the Jacksonville St Johns River bridge. Then spotted the sign advertising a scenic train trip by the lake which was just about to leave. Being accustomed to other railroad excursions in the USA, I thought I'd get tickets. Didn't really have time to investigate the details. The ticket s cost nearly $60 dollars for two and no discount for seniors. Well expensive but I went for it anyway. Frankly the highlight of the journey was the conversation with the staff. They had plenty of time to chat as there were only us and a small family on board. The steam loco was being serviced so it was a diesel shunter hauling the train. The train cranked it's way past residents' back yards, several rundown industrial units, a dump, occasional glimpses of the lake and pitched up in a very nondescript place called Tavares. We didn't stop but caught the first trip back so we'd be back in time for lunch in Mt Dora (which is worth a visit by the way). Now, it's not really the fault of the railroad company that the track was hardly scenic but I really have to protest at the ridiculously high price of the ticket. $10 apiece with a free soft drink would have been more appropriate.

The best part of this train ride is the Tavares park and playground and they're free. At least at one time there was an old steam engine that was interesting, though the smoke from it made one wonder if the CO2 emissions and environmental damage were worth the effort of pulling the half empty cars. Unfortunately now the ride is a diesel hauler, with the ride itself a total bust, smelly, poorly maintained, rotting windows, and way way way overpriced. Forget ADA compliance, strollers, and keep an eye on the kids, the passengers on this train are in for accidents waiting to happen. Seems to me the city of Tavares and Mt Dora could afford to do a lot better, but until then the $100 it cost us to view junk cars and roadside litter should have been donated to help with the sad housing conditions of the poor people living in this county.

We booked this online in the expectation of seeing what is claimed to be the last wood fired steam engine in the USA. After a drive of 21/2 hours, we arrived in plenty of time to pick up our tickets and have lunch. On returning to board the train, we were dismayed to see the carriages were being pulled by nothing more than an old diesel shunting engine. This had not been mentioned by the ticket lady or on the Internet. When we complained to the ticket lady that this was not what we paid for, she merely shrugged her shoulders and told us the steam engine was having safety checks. However, we decided to board the train to enjoy the scenic view, as mentioned in the advert. Another great disappointment was in store as two-thirds of the trip were either back yards or graveyards for vehicles and other machinery. The short narration may have been interesting but even in the front carriage, the sound quality was poor. This is obviously run by a bunch of enthusiasts and one of them we encountered, Chris, was absolutely charming. If you are also a train fanatic ( or a small child ! ), you may feel this is worth the money but for us, it was a wasted journey !

we visited mount dora and the lake in December , we heard the train and bought the £35 ticket and waited to be amazed !! (still waiting), ok I get the whole anorak thing about it being a national treasure and all that but come on !!, a 2 mile trip with sporadic lake views to a place with a toilet block and a couple of squirrels as the wow factor. All at about 3mph, we at least expected a trip round the lake. Not one to rush to unless you get really really excited by steam trains

I had the unfortunate opportunity of experiencing your christmas train ride to the North Pole. I have to say your santa was a huge disappointment. He passed right by my kids, I had to call him to come and acknowledge them. When he came over he only told my kids to stand up to take a picture. He was wearing sunglasses and didn't even smile. Picking up and dropping off Santa on the side of the road is not what anyone would consider going to the North Pole. The cut out for the reindeer barn and toy shop were as sad attempt to fool children. My six year old daughter was so upset and confused. Also, having a luke warm shot of hot chocolate and cookie that was obviously store bought was another sad attempt of giving an "experience to remember". Well, actually it was an experience that I will always remember from the disappointment. My four year old even pointed out that we saw the same dumpster twice while traveling to the North Pole. Then you had the audacity of trying to charge me $20 for a picture where my eyes were closed and my son wasn't looking. You people should be ashamed of yourself! I wish I could give "0" stars. When I went back into the office to speak with someone about how disappointing the "trip" was and misleading in adverstisement, I was told to call the office during business hours and when I called no one was there because everyone is "enjoying their time with their families for christmas" so nice that my money went towards you enjoying your family while mine had to drive 52 minutes each way to sit through your horrible version of a christmas experience to remember.