The Serengeti Express, formerly known as the Trans Veldt Railway, is a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railroad and amusement park attraction located within the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay amusement park in Tampa, Florida.[1][2] Opened on July 3, 1971,[2] the railway is about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) long, and has stations in the Nairobi, Congo, and Stanleyville sections of the park. It uses three trains pulled by one of four 4-4-0 type steam locomotives manufactured by Crown Metal Products.[3]
 The Serengeti Express in September 2022, with the No. 9 locomotive in the lead | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Locale | Busch Gardens Tampa Bay | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates of operation | 1971–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Technical | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Track gauge | 3 ft (914 mm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Length | 2.2 miles (3.5 km) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Description
editThe railway consists of a loop of about 2.2 miles (3.5 km). During the journey, the train will travel through the Serengeti Plain, where guests can see hundreds of African animals. There are stations in the Nairobi, Congo, and Stanleyville sections of the park, and though the Congo station remains, it is currently out of use. The other two stations contain a water supply that the engine crews use to top off the locomotive's tenders as necessary.
The railway operates four locomotives and three sets of open-sided passenger coaches. Two of the locomotives were built specifically for Busch Gardens and resemble locomotives used in Africa in the early 1890s; only one of these is still in service. The other two locomotives, which were acquired from previous owners, have a more American appearance, but with slight modifications to match the African theming.[4]
Locomotives
editAll four locomotives are propane-fueled steam engines.
| Number | Image | Wheel arrangement | Date built | Builder | Date entered service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | .jpg)
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4-4-0 (American) | 1971 | Crown Metal Products | 1971 | 1890s African-themed.[2] Painted in green livery. Currently out of service. |
| 5 | 
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4-4-0 (American) | 1970 | Crown Metal Products | 1980s | Painted in yellow livery. Originally built for Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. |
| 9 | 
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4-4-0 (American) | 1971 | Crown Metal Products | 1971 | 1890s African-themed.[2] Painted in red livery (originally blue). |
| 601 | 
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4-4-0 (American) | 1974 | Crown Metal Products | 1990s | Painted in green livery. Originally built for Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. |
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Park History - BGA Online". sites.google.com. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ a b c d McMorrow-Hernandez, Joshua (2017). Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Images of Modern America (1st ed.). Arcadia Publishing. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-4671-2495-9.
- ^ a b "Crown Locomotive Roster". trainweb.org. Retrieved December 9, 2018.
- ^ "Busch Gardens History". www.tampapix.com. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
External links
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