Walt Disney World Railroad

[daveklepper]

Also:  Doesn't Disney World have the only operating HORSE CAR LINE in North America?  It did some 30 years ago.   Does it still?

 

Otherwise, the only transit system operating horse cars today that I know of is the line along the waterfront in Douglas, Isle of Man, The United Kingdom.

[Modelcar]

 

....Horse drawn street car line....Sure do....Between the castle and the depot end of main st. at WDW.  Horses only work a few hours a day too so as not to subject them to too much of Florida's heat especially in the hot season.

As for the only similar line in America....I do not know.

[Harbinger]

Back at the WGH show in Ft Worth last month Michael Broggie was saying that WDW RR is looking for a steam foreman.  The fella that did the restoration (and was ultimately foreman at WDW) work has retired.

[REI]

Back at the WGH show in Ft Worth last month Michael Broggie was saying that WDW RR is looking for a steam foreman.  The fella that did the restoration (and was ultimately foreman at WDW) work has retired.

 Yeah that was Geoge Britton. He retired last year. I don't think that there will ever be a WDW RR foreman as great as he was. I don't think the new "annonymos" foreman, I've heard he goes by the name of "Wally", isn't doing the job good. Ever since George retired and put his replacement they have been putting the trains away before the park colses! That's absurd! In the George Britton era, the trains would run really late, even an hour after park closing to assist in helping guest to the Main Street Staition to exit the park.

[Modelcar]

...Very true...When we would be sitting up on our balcony of the Contempary Hotel {while staying there}, watching all the sights, one would see the trains continue to circle the Magic Kingdom some time after the park would be closed.  And they would be started very early in the morning as well.

[StillGrande]

She's not completely accurate because she should be a 4-6-0 ten wheeler instead of a 2-6-0 mogul, the sand dome and bell are not in the right place, and the smoke stack is not the same, but hey! I find a resemblence in her. Here are some pictures of her with her Red, 100 series coach:

So what you are saying is it is exactly the same, but different?

Nice pics.  I am trying to convince the wife we need a G scale out in the yard.  I am making some headway!

[REI]

She's not completely accurate because she should be a 4-6-0 ten wheeler instead of a 2-6-0 mogul, the sand dome and bell are not in the right place, and the smoke stack is not the same, but hey! I find a resemblence in her. Here are some pictures of her with her Red, 100 series coach:

So what you are saying is it is exactly the same, but different?

 Yeah, that's pretty much what I'm saying.

[blhanel]

Hey REI, I'm going to be down in Orlando the last week in June- does anyone get lucky enough to get a cab ride on the WDW RR?

[broncoman]

Fort Wilderness is the campground/rental cabin area to the south east of the Contemporary at Disney World.  There were train tracks there that went throughout the "campground" but when I was there, the tracks were still there but the trains were gone and they were shuffling people around on multicar open air trams, like what the used in the parking lot at Disneyland.  I was hoping maybe someone who stayed there pre 86 may remember them.

[Modelcar]

 

....We certainly stayed there earlier than '86 but sorry, Fort Wilderness was not an area of interest for us...We did visit over there years ago and one thing that stands out in my mind....A push type lawnmower was almost completely covered by the growth of a tree.  How that happened, have no idea.....Someone had let a tree grow around it for years, I suppose...??  On the other hand, Knowing the Imagineers at Disney....I'm beginning to wonder if it was staged...?

Sorry, don't remember anything of the RR tracks from that one brief visit we did over there....Had a dinner and show in a building...I believe it was called Pioneer Hall....

[Tom Moran]

Mr. & Mrs. Ward Kimball, close associates of Walt Disney, had a magnificent 'backyard railroad'

at their home in Santa Barbara. Several years ago the question came up about The Grizzly Flats

RR, and what would become of it...down-the-line, so to speak.

The Kimball's were well aware of the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, CA. After many

trips and much discussion, it was the Kimball's decision that the ONLY location that would

provide the care,  love and security for the Grizzly Flats RR  would be the dedicated volunteers

at the OERM. 

Visit online<www.oerm.org>

Tom Moran 

 

[REI]

Hey REI, I'm going to be down in Orlando the last week in June- does anyone get lucky enough to get a cab ride on the WDW RR?

Well the last time I was there, it was Dec.24, 2006, anyway, I tried to get a cab ride but failed.. I aked the engineer if I could get one since I saw a little kid getting one! He told me that that little kid was related to one of the cast members, so basically that's why he was able to. I was told that I couldn't because of saftey reasons. Just try your luck, okay At the Disneyland Railroad, it is much easier to get one upon request, but you have to wait at the staition to see if C.K. Holliday or E.P. Ripley are on duty.......sometimes it could decline as well.

[vsmith]

Mr. & Mrs. Ward Kimball, close associates of Walt Disney, had a magnificent 'backyard railroad'

at their home in Santa Barbara. Several years ago the question came up about The Grizzly Flats

RR, and what would become of it...down-the-line, so to speak.

The Kimball's were well aware of the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris, CA. After many

trips and much discussion, it was the Kimball's decision that the ONLY location that would

provide the care,  love and security for the Grizzly Flats RR  would be the dedicated volunteers

at the OERM. 

Visit online<www.oerm.org>

Tom Moran 

 

Tom

Ward Kimballs RR was in San Gabriel, an LA suburb, not Santa Barbara, it was pretty much an out and back straight line about 300' long, All the rolling stock has been sent to the OERM, and the buildings are also slated to be moved to the OERM. The rumor is that they will rebuild the GFRR just as it was in Kimballs backyard so all can enjoy it,

Heck if thats true, I'll joint the OERM just to 'volunteer' for that project!

[hobi22]

I know that Walt was a big railfan. Any railfan visiting Disneyworld wouldn't want to miss this ride.

[erikem]

Also:  Doesn't Disney World have the only operating HORSE CAR LINE in North America?  It did some 30 years ago.   Does it still?

I'm pretty sure that Disneyland's horse car line is still operating - the tracks are certainly still there. Will have ot look for horse cars next time I'm up there. 

[vsmith]

The Horsedrwn Trolley is still there along with the Model T cabs, I dont think they use them on peak days though, too many people.

[REI]

The Horsedrwn Trolley is still there along with the Model T cabs, I dont think they use them on peak days though, too many people.

Yes, I believe the Horsedrawn Trolley is used 4 days a week only. Unfortunetly, with all the times I've visited, I don't think I've seen the Main Street cars operate in person...except one time in Dec. 1994, but that was at Epcot and it was a double-decker bus running around World Showcase.

[zdcatc12]

 I grew up in the area, and went to River Country one time in the late 70's when the trains were still operating.  I don't know why they removed them, probably too expensive.  Last time I was there (3 or 4 years ago), the tracks were still there.  I believe you can even walk along them.  If you are ever in the parking lot, I believe the station is still there with the tracks intact.  The trains got replaced by trams, which were then replaced by buses.  Also, the trams originally ran on LP instead of diesel, but had too many problems, so got converted.

Fort Wilderness is the campground/rental cabin area to the south east of the Contemporary at Disney World.  There were train tracks there that went throughout the "campground" but when I was there, the tracks were still there but the trains were gone and they were shuffling people around on multicar open air trams, like what the used in the parking lot at Disneyland.  I was hoping maybe someone who stayed there pre 86 may remember them.

[REI]

[broncoman]

Sorry will start a new post.  I didn't see how the horse-drawn trolleys applied to the topic, but I guess thats different.

[n012944]

Sorry will start a new post.  I didn't see how the horse-drawn trolleys applied to the topic, but I guess thats different.

You were fine.  Didn't need to start another post, some people need to lighten up. 

 

Bert

[UNIONPACIFIC4018]

My family will be at Disney world in a week!  I wish they had a railroad themed hotel to stay in.

[REI]

My family will be at Disney world in a week!  I wish they had a railroad themed hotel to stay in.

That's nice! I like to hear when people are going to see and ride my favorite Railroad in the whole world, some pictures will be nice. On a side note, I might be moving to Broken Arrow, Oklahoma which means I might not be able to go as often. I have been able to go every year of my life, or even two or three times in a year since I was born and live in Miami, Fl (it's about 210 miles away, which is about 4 hours driving). But anyway I might be able to go to the Disneyland Railroad since I'm gonna be in the middle of the nation.

 

[REI]

Which one would be your favorite? My favorites are #1 Walter E. Disney and #3 Roger E. Broggie, "the twins". #2 Lilly Belle is my third favorite and #4 Roy O. Disney is my least favorite.

 

 

 

[jockellis]

G'day, Y'all,
Standing in the long, long car tag line probably in the late '70s, I struck up a conversation with a man behind me. Turns out he was a machinist (he said) in Orlando in the late '60 and was commissioned by Disney to go to South America to purchase small locomotives. I don't know if he was telling the truth, but who knows? He had some interesting tales of his trip down there. The guy in front of me transported circus animals and often had lions and tigers at his home out in the boonies of that county. Glad none ever escaped!

[blhanel]

I just returned from Orlando this morning.  Last Friday we made it to Disneyworld, making a brief foray into the Magic Kingdom before heading over to Epcot for the remainder of the day.  I've got pictures of the Roy and Walter Disney locos which I'll try to get uploaded sometime tomorrow.  I and my family also earned our "Assistant Pilot" cards by taking the opportunity to ride up front on one of the monorails- great fun!

[Modelcar]

...Yes, in my opinion, you were at the premier fun place.  Have ridden up in the operators compartment of the Monorail many times and it really gives one a different perspective.  Especially, exiting from the Contempory Hotel and you are instantly 60 or so feet in the air....Pretty good sensation.

Disney....A great place to visit....And stay....!  {in my opinion}.

[blhanel]

OK, let's see if this works with Snapfish.  Here's the Roy O. Disney...

And the Walter E. Disney...

 

[REI]

Those are nice pictures. I will post pictures when I go this May. I'll try to take pictures of the Roundhouse in the Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour as well.

[New Haven I-5]

I know this is off subject but does anyone have Walt Disney World Railroad G-scale train sets? I have one that I love and I've added a little more stickers to make her look a little bit more like the #1 Walter E. Disney. She's not completely accurate because she should be a 4-6-0 ten wheeler instead of a 2-6-0 mogul, the sand dome and bell are not in the right place, and the smoke stack is not the same, but hey! I find a resemblence in her. Here are some pictures of her with her Red, 100 series coach:

I have a HO Scale Life Like Walt Disney Train Set with the Walt Disney 4-6-0 & two passenger cars. I never see the set anywhere(even eBay), so it must be a collectable!