Back in 1889, a railroad was installed to connect Orlando to its northern neighbor, Winter Park, where the Dinky Dock Park now stands. The Dinky Line, as it was nicknamed by Rollins College students making fun of its diminutive size, wound its way by Lake Highland and Lake Formosa on what is now the Orlando Urban Trail.

The train would travel at top speeds of 6 1/2 miles an hour and would derail often because the tracks were basically just laid on top of sand and stray cattle would wander onto the tracks until the conductor got up and shooed them away.

The Dinky Line ran for 70 years and stopped in 1967.

But wait, there’s more. There was a Dinky Line song that the riders used to sing together in what we can only imagine as a blissfully human moment when everyone thought public transit was great and the air still smelled like orange blossoms.

We want to know what that song sounds like, so we go our hands on the sheet music below! Will you take this challenge and sing the song at home? Tag us on your social media singing this song and maybe we’ll give you something fancy for your troubles.

Brendan O'Connor

Editor in Chief of Bungalower.com

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  1. I know this song, Brendan!
    My Dad taught us the ‘tune’ as a kid, just with different words.
    And I happen to be a Rollins College grad!