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Walt Disney World Railroad

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REI
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Posted by REI on Sunday, February 17, 2008 10:59 PM
I have it too. It was sold at Disney World in 2003 only, I believe. It was then discontinued. Since I never took up HO scale, mine sits stored away in a box in the garage. Also that easy-snap track that it comes with is very bad and they break easily.
"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"
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Posted by New Haven I-5 on Monday, February 18, 2008 10:53 AM
 I got mine at Disneyland to run on my layout. I think it was 2003 or 2004 when I got it. Is your's have the Walt Disney 4-6-0?

- Luke

Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's

REI
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Posted by REI on Monday, February 18, 2008 2:11 PM
Yeah, I've heard before that Disney sells most of their merchandise at either Disney World or Disneyland. I'm pretty sure that they stopped selling it by 2005, then. Mine is the HO scale 4-6-0 Walter E. Disney set. The body design and frame are realistic, but what I don't like about it is that it has no lights, no smoke, or sounds, also there are no railings on the passenger coaches.
"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"
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Posted by erikem on Thursday, February 21, 2008 8:21 PM
 daveklepper wrote:

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

This is kind of a long delayed reply... I saw a horse car running at Disneyland yesterday morning, so WDW is not the only place with an operating Horse Car Line in North America.

Another item of note was noticing that DRR #5 is named 'Ward Kimball' (a 2-4-4T Forney), it brought a smile to my face having met the gent a couple of times while helping out with the Grizzly Flats Enginehoouse at OERM. One of the crewmembers mentioned that Ward's nephew is involved with the Disney Parks and liked to tell stories of firing the Chloe. 

REI
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Posted by REI on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 6:35 PM
I'll be returning to Disney World on May 2-May 3 as part of my Florida trip. I'm really excited cause I last went to Disney World in Dec. 2006. I'll be at Magic Kingdom on the 3rd and this time I'm finally gonna get to do the Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour. I'll take as many pictures and some videos of the tour and the Railroad to show here.
"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"
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Posted by rrandb on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 9:38 AM
 Modelcar wrote:

...We're all intitled to our opinions for the most part and yours {emmar}, sure is clear.

I find we {my family},have dealt with reality probably as long as most on this forum and we also have had major enjoyment at Disney's WDW many, many times....For days on end.  Beautiful place and we have wonderful memories from all the family fun being there and enjoying it all.

As a resident of the area in florida where your beloved park was built you have only see disney public side. They are a nightmare to have in your backyard. Many residents pray for it to return to pristine swamp land. The company is many things but the only thing that motivates them is greed. Not concern for the enviroment.
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Posted by Modelcar on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:04 AM

....I'm sure with a complex system as large as WDW there are items of action that some people take issue with.

I also would like to see the figures {if possible}, of how many of the folks would be on the other side of the opinion at hand....of how WDW has effected Florida on the positive side.

I'm not a resident of Florida so all of the above is not something I can vote on one way or another at their annual election process to effect change, etc...

I did bring money to Florida for the 8 winters we stayed there though and maybe helped a little and for our part, we enjoyed wintering there those 3 or 4 months yearly.

And once again, we thoroughly enjoyed our many times of vacation spent at WDW...{before we started to spend winters there}....Back in our working life era.

Quentin

REI
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Posted by REI on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 10:09 PM
 rrandb wrote:
 Modelcar wrote:

...We're all intitled to our opinions for the most part and yours {emmar}, sure is clear.

I find we {my family},have dealt with reality probably as long as most on this forum and we also have had major enjoyment at Disney's WDW many, many times....For days on end.  Beautiful place and we have wonderful memories from all the family fun being there and enjoying it all.

As a resident of the area in florida where your beloved park was built you have only see disney public side. They are a nightmare to have in your backyard. Many residents pray for it to return to pristine swamp land. The company is many things but the only thing that motivates them is greed. Not concern for the enviroment.

 I believe Disney has done nothing but good for the Florida economy, and that of the whole U.S. And Disney happened to create the most beautiful and best railroad on earth that is the WDWRR. Apart from the Railroad, there is no other place on earth like Disney World. And I dislike those that oppose Disney, I find them ignorant and backwards. It was Walt Disney's dream to create his parks for everyone to see and enjoy and those types seem to dishonnor that great man's dream. He was also an avid railfan which contributed to his beautiful railroads at the parks. There is absolutely nothing wrong about Disney. I became a steam railfan, for the most part, because of Disney, ever since I began my visits to WDW when I turned just one yr old. I have been extremely blessed that I have been able to par-take because of my numorous visits there. And the WDWRR, in particular, became a very big and important part of my life, because my love for steam railroading soley lies there. And I proudly have my #1 engine named for him, Walter E. Disney. I also believe that Disney has not harmed the environment in any way at all. Just look at WDW! So many trees and all.

"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"
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Posted by RABEL on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 11:00 PM

Walt Disney would be embarrased by what his dreams have become today.

The company that  exists today is not what he envisioned.

REI
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Posted by REI on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 11:43 PM
Well, yeah maybe it would have been different if Walt would have lived on, but even after his passing I think the company has carried on very well. Magic Kingdom and it's Railroad is just what he asked for before passing...Epcot is quite different to what he envisioned, I will say that. It is known that in 1966 in his death bed, while discussing the Florida project, he told Roger Broggie and his brother, Roy Disney that the Railroad will have its engines already built and they would search and acquire those engines, instead of like at Disneyland where its first two engines were built by Disney. And that's how the WDWRR was born.
"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"
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Posted by RABEL on Thursday, April 10, 2008 12:57 AM

I was referring to the Company's holdings in total.If Walt was anything it wasn't greedy

or let's say sleezy.

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Posted by Tharmeni on Thursday, April 10, 2008 1:53 AM

Well, I AM a resident of Florida and will tell you that without WDW, Orlando would be a forgotten, dying town.

We Floridians take pride in providing a good vacation experience and value for everyone.  We realize we live in a very beautiful and WARM state.

WDW is criticized because it is a BIG target.  But judge for yourself.  Come down and experience it!

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Posted by 4merroad4man on Thursday, April 10, 2008 2:25 AM

The railroad at the original Disneyland was the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad, and the depots had Santa Fe shields on them.  ATSF Engineering personnel assisted in the design of the depots and if I am not mistaken, ATSF MOW crews assisted in tracklaying and bridge construction.  If I remember correctly, the crew positions were for a time, protected off of the Santa Fe's Hobart Extra List. 

Once Santa Fe opted out of the sponsorship deal, Disney hired their own crews and the shields came off the depots, or so old ATSF and Disney employees related this to me.

As a side note, Walt Disney's Carolwood Pacific was his brainchild after he and his pals visited the legendary Billy Jones' live steam railroad in Los Gatos, CA.  They flew up to the Bay Area, using a limo or some other such means to get to Los Gatos.  Sneaking into town was thwarted when the driver asked for directions to Jones' ranch, and the local media got wind of the visit.

Photos of the visit are in the book Railroads of Los Gatos.

Serving Los Gatos and The Santa Cruz Mountains with the Legendary Colors of the Espee. "Your train, your train....It's MY train!" Papa Boule to Labische in "The Train"
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Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, April 10, 2008 6:46 AM

...I must agree with {RABEL}, Walt no doubt would be shocked to see some of the massive company changes that have taken place since his passing.  Now, having said that.....

I'm not here to support any of the changes that Walt would not have approved.

My only thought is towards the original {speaking just of WDW}, Florida complex.  I've studied the background how the land was aquired and developed and how the park itself was designed and built, etc....and it's that original concept and reality that had {has}, provided much pleasure and entertainment for me and my family and countless others.

Have spent Christmas there twice and other extended stays {in the Contemporary Resort}, many, many times.  Much fun and pleasure and memories were taken away by my family from our stay there.

That's the part of the whole concept I believe has really worked well and was Walt's original dream....The fun and pleasure families have and memories they take away with them.

Quentin

REI
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Posted by REI on Thursday, April 10, 2008 10:32 AM
 Tharmeni wrote:

Well, I AM a resident of Florida and will tell you that without WDW, Orlando would be a forgotten, dying town.

We Floridians take pride in providing a good vacation experience and value for everyone.  We realize we live in a very beautiful and WARM state.

WDW is criticized because it is a BIG target.  But judge for yourself.  Come down and experience it!

 Since I'm a Floridian too, I totally agree with you, Tharmeni. If it wouldn't have been for WDW, Orlando would be just another "small" town like any other. And WDW is indeed a humongous part of Florida and Floridian life.

"Howdy folks! And welcome aboard the Walt Disney World Railroad!"

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