Steam & Excursion > Tavares, Eustis & Gulf shutting down at end of month

The Tavares, Eustis and Gulf steam operation between Mt. Dora and Tavares, FL is shutting down at the end of January according to its website.

http://www.orangeblossomcannonball.com/2017/01/orange-blossom-cannonball-leaving-lake-county/

 

I looked at the link and noticed no mention of either storage or movement to a new location.  Will there be any word released as to what the disposition of the locomotive and rolling stock will be?  Having lived only a couple hours from there for the last few years I'm kicking myself for not going to see and ride.  Hopefully it won't go too far as I'm currently overseas on contract and would maybe like to try to get out to see it.

All of the equipment is actually owned by the Reader Railroad in Arkansas, likely that it will head back there for the time being.  Neat little operation they had.

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Hmmm, where abouts in Arkansas?  I have a sister-in-law with family near Little Rock.  There are a few events held up that way I'm interested in attending.  This could just add to the motivation to go back out that way.  It's a long drive from Florida.....

Southern3205

It's very unlikely that Reader will resume operation in the short term.  They shut down about 25 years ago due to track conditions and very little has been done in that time beyond keeping the 'yard limits' usable.  

Reader RR is in Reader, Arkansas.  It's private property however the principal owner Richard Grigsby is generally pretty friendly if you can track him down.

This will be the 2nd or 3rd operator of the line (excursion wise) to close. I recall when it first opened in the 1990's and ran out of Mt. Dora with the rebuilt Edwards rail car that later was sold to and remains at the Black River and Western. The also was a later operation that ran with 2-6-2 #4, also from the Reader Railroad I believe.

They seemed to always be busy.

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Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/17 05:00 by nhiwwrr.

Was this a common carrier?  Were there any freight customers?

The common carrier that they ran on is the Florida Central.  There may be some customers in Tavares, but between Tavares and Mt. Dora, as well as in Mt. Dora, I do not believe that there are any freight customers.  

Glad I saw & rode it when I did, back around Christmas 2015.

Here is Reader RR #2 during the filming of "There Will Be Blood" in June of 2006.

​Filmed on location at Tinaja, Texas on the former KCM&O.

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This loco looks like WT Carter & Bro. #1.

Brian Ehni

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twin_star_rocket Wrote:
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> This loco looks like WT Carter & Bro. #1.

It is her sister.  #1's stack was borrowed for #2 when the latter was converted from oil to wood firing a few years ago.

Not only that, but #2 lost the rear sand dome as well.

Brian Ehni

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The rear sand dome was removed for the filming of the movie "There Will Be Blood" in 2006. Gave the engine the look that was needed.

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