MK Rail Road scheduled re opening summer 2019?

[OSUZorba]

I went in Nov and I thought it was cool for the zero people main street -- the solo ride on the train and the history of the trains at WDW. I also enjoyed the ride from the roundhouse to Main Street station -- AS the park was opening. Felt like the old park opening show -- except we were the train riders (not characters).

I could have done without the last 30 minutes, it sorta dragged. The talk about Disney's backyard train. Fun to know and all .. but by that time (2 1/2 hours) I was ready to hit the parks as the rest of my family was waiting for me. Would have skipped out, but that would have been rude to the GREAT tour guide.

But for the price -- a very interesting tour -- especially if you know nothing about Steam Trains and how they work (my dad and I (being train buffs) did. So -- ya .. we were bit disappointed in the tour not being as technical as we were hoping. But we are still glad we did it. (just REALLY early start to your day .. whew).

Yeah, I do think you miss out on a lot only going to and from Fantasy Land Station as opposed to Main Street.

 

[jknezek]

We really missed the train last week. And the Tron construction site is still pretty much a muddy puddle. I saw the new permit that was just filed, and get that summer is quite a few months away, but I'm having a hard time believing they will reopen the train much before Tron opens. There is just going to be a ton of heavy equipment and construction stuff moving through that area for a very long time.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think I'm in the minority but I didn't like it that much and it wasn't really what I was expecting. The biggest thing is I thought you got to go into the roundhouse, but you don't, you just stand outside of it while they give individual tours of the engine cabin area. It didn't help that it poured on us the whole time and it was pretty cold.

The tour was also given by a tour guide, not an engineer or maintenance person.

I am a mechanical engineer and understand steam engines pretty well, so I probably had different expectations than most people. I thought it was going to be in the roundhouse and discuss their upkeep much more and be given by someone that actually knew the trains.

Edit, I don't want to sound too down on it. I think I would've still done it if I knew what it really was, but my wife would've probably skipped it. I don't foresee myself doing it again, though. I am also a tightwad, so $54 is a lot of money to me .

Seeing main street and fantasy land with literally zero people in them was pretty cool though.

I went in Nov and I thought it was cool for the zero people main street -- the solo ride on the train and the history of the trains at WDW. I also enjoyed the ride from the roundhouse to Main Street station -- AS the park was opening. Felt like the old park opening show -- except we were the train riders (not characters).

I could have done without the last 30 minutes, it sorta dragged. The talk about Disney's backyard train. Fun to know and all .. but by that time (2 1/2 hours) I was ready to hit the parks as the rest of my family was waiting for me. Would have skipped out, but that would have been rude to the GREAT tour guide.

But for the price -- a very interesting tour -- especially if you know nothing about Steam Trains and how they work (my dad and I (being train buffs) did. So -- ya .. we were bit disappointed in the tour not being as technical as we were hoping. But we are still glad we did it. (just REALLY early start to your day .. whew).

I appreciate your takes on this as this is a tour I hope to do something in the future when my son is old enough for it as he loves trains. I am probably not as knowledgable as you both are, though I do have a bit of a mechanical mind (do have an engineering degree) and my dad was a big model train guy so have a bunch of pre-World War II Lionel trains from him ... so seems like I might still enjoy this quite a bit but good to know what to expect

 

[Joe Arkansas]

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but during Tron construction, why don't they just run the train in an out-and-back fashion from Main Street to Storybook Circus, then back again over the same path? Are the locomotives able to travel in reverse and "push" the train? Is it too disconcerting for guests to travel backwards?

 

[rteetz]

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but during Tron construction, why don't they just run the train in an out-and-back fashion from Main Street to Storybook Circus, then back again over the same path? Are the locomotives able to travel in reverse and "push" the train? Is it too disconcerting for guests to travel backwards?

They can but probably is a bit of a hassle.

They do bring a train out to the Main Street Station during the day so guests can still see the train.

 

[mcjaco]

There is flattening of some land around the Tron area. Rumors are it might be for the UofE dinos.

There are also strong rumors that both the Roger and Roy will be sent to Strasburg for rebuilds, like they did for the Lilly Belle.

 

[rteetz]

There is flattening of some land around the Tron area. Rumors are it might be for the UofE dinos.

There are also strong rumors that both the Roger and Roy will be sent to Strasburg for rebuilds, like they did for the Lilly Belle.

That area is for expansion of the retention pond there. No Dinorama.

 

[tlmadden73]

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but during Tron construction, why don't they just run the train in an out-and-back fashion from Main Street to Storybook Circus, then back again over the same path? Are the locomotives able to travel in reverse and "push" the train? Is it too disconcerting for guests to travel backwards?

I was wondering the same thing .. since they obviously bring the train backwards into Main Street station during this construction.

Maybe they are spending the down time to refurb some of the animatronics on the back half of the train loop?

 

[OSUZorba]

They can but probably is a bit of a hassle.

They do bring a train out to the Main Street Station during the day so guests can still see the train.

I'm pretty sure it is just living there right now, not going back and forth. They have its track into the roundhouse torn up right now doing some kind of repair. Some of its rolling stock is still in the house, too. (its shorter than normal)

There are also strong rumors that both the Roger and Roy will be sent to Strasburg for rebuilds, like they did for the Lilly Belle.

I think the Walt is currently in for overhaul, IIRC.

 

[Blarnson]

The locomotive and cars at Main Street Station are on static display - the tracks are ripped up in the direction of Adventureland.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Perhaps this is a dumb question, but during Tron construction, why don't they just run the train in an out-and-back fashion from Main Street to Storybook Circus, then back again over the same path? Are the locomotives able to travel in reverse and "push" the train? Is it too disconcerting for guests to travel backwards?

I was thinking the same thing. We really like jumping on the train in the mornings and riding to Frontier Land for Splash and BTMRR. It sure beats the crowds on main street! I was hoping it would be open for our April trip but I doubt it will be. We missed riding it during Christmas week and it does help with the crowds as it does eat people and keep them off the streets. Hopefully if will be open this Christmas!

 

[OSUZorba]

They are doing a bunch of track work and refurbishment while the train has to be down otherwise. So I think it is better for them to knock out as much work now as they can, as opposed to doing a crippled operation now and have to take it down for refurb latter.

 

[Matthew Caito]

hopefully it is re-opened by november it will be my daughters first trip

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I know people were asking about the track and why they can't just run the train back and forth part of the way .... I know some people mentioned other track work being done and here are some photos that WDWNT just posted: