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Just got back from a trip to Disney World and wanted to share our brief train experience.  We were there for the marathon activities but still found time to hit the parks.  Had wanted to do the steam train tour but unable to make it (the tour and the runs were at the same time in the morning) but we did the next best thing.  We rode around on the train.   Disney does a nice job of maintaining their locos and we enjoyed our train time.  Wish we could have done the monorail but maybe next time.

 

Here are some pics and a video I took.   Some of the older pics are displayed on the ground level of the train station.  Very nice.

Walt Disney seems to have been a big train fan.  His layout is way cooler than mine. 

 

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And if the Notch 6 interview isn't enough, I reccomend Michael Broggie's book, "Walt Disney's Railroad Story."  It is amazing, and one of the best train books I have ever read.  It is available from different sources, including directly from the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society.  They also sell a companion DVD.

 

I met Mr. Broggie at the World's Greatest Hobby on Tour show in Pittsburgh and he is great to talk to in person, too.

 

Andy

I don't know if you'd already know, but Disneyworld does a train tour before the opening of the day there. I went on it in 2011, it was great, you hop on the first train of the day as the park opens (you get into the downtown USA area before anyone else walks in), go to the shops on that train, get to look over all the equipment, then take a tour of the line. You then go back to the station for a discussion on Disney the man and his RR interests.

Also got to see this cool monorail worker vehicle:

That latter part is really just for hardcore Disney fans and people without kids. It probably depends on who your guide was.

They give you a neat pin for the tour as they're done, but if I had to do it over again, I would have taken my wife and parents the other direction once we got off the train. I would have missed the pin, but could have avoided a very dull and boring experience where several people were nodding off and our guide didn't seem to notice...

Or care.

Glad you were able to ride and enjoy the Disney train, always a pleasant, fun trip.

 

As it happens, I booked a trip to Disneyland few weeks ago for Jan 26-30 but just found out the Disney train is closed for refurbishment. Too bad but I think I'll try a day trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Clemente. I understand it's a pleasant ride along the coast and that it is best to upgrade to business class. Any thoughts or suggestions on this train/trip will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

I did the tour a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Each person was brought into the cab and shown all the valves, controls, etc. It was a big thrill to sound the whistle. I was very tempted to move it forward (it was fully steamed up at that point), but figured it wouldn't be worth the lifetime ban, especially after buying the vacation club!

 

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Originally Posted by Dan986:

I read a thread that Disney World was canceling their live steam engines.From the looks of your pictures,this has not happened yet.Did you hear any news if the live steam engines are going to continue running.It would be the highlight of a trip there if I ever go.

Dan

 

Because of the louder-than-expected outcry, the plan to discontinue steam was reversed. They are making changes to the engines to make them, *ahem* safer, including installing electric starters.

Originally Posted by smd4:
Originally Posted by Dan986:

I read a thread that Disney World was canceling their live steam engines.From the looks of your pictures,this has not happened yet.Did you hear any news if the live steam engines are going to continue running.It would be the highlight of a trip there if I ever go.

Dan

 

Because of the louder-than-expected outcry, the plan to discontinue steam was reversed. They are making changes to the engines to make them, *ahem* safer, including installing electric starters.

Electric starters? What in the world is that?

Originally Posted by raydrs:

Glad you were able to ride and enjoy the Disney train, always a pleasant, fun trip.

 

As it happens, I booked a trip to Disneyland few weeks ago for Jan 26-30 but just found out the Disney train is closed for refurbishment. Too bad but I think I'll try a day trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Clemente. I understand it's a pleasant ride along the coast and that it is best to upgrade to business class. Any thoughts or suggestions on this train/trip will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

In fall of 2013 we rode the Surfliner round trip from San Diego to Anaheim. We left around 11 AM and returned from Anaheim at about 5:30. A short distance from the east side of the Anaheim station is a small pizza joint where you can get an inexpensive meal. The trip was very enjoyable. Since San Diego was the first stop we had no trouble getting seats on the ocean side of the car.

 

The return train from Anaheim was more crowded and we still managed to find seats on the ocean side. The two cars we rode in had markedly different rides. The northbound car rode smoothly and quietly, the southbound car was noisier and jerked a bit over track irregularities (kind of like riding on the Long Island Rail Road).

 

We rode in coach and the accommodations were fine. We bought our tickets the day of the trip so we could go on a nice day.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

 

Love that train and the steam loco t Busch Gardens in Tampa. I grew up in nearby Clearwater and rode on it many times - every time I went to Disney. I was lucky enough to ride in the front of the monorail one time with the pilot. My group accidentally got off at the wrong station and could no reboard after the doors had shut, so the pilot invited us to join him. It was a different perspective than I was accustomed to, ride the elevated rail - seemed pretty precarious!  

Originally Posted by J 611:
Originally Posted by smd4:
Originally Posted by Dan986:

I read a thread that Disney World was canceling their live steam engines.From the looks of your pictures,this has not happened yet.Did you hear any news if the live steam engines are going to continue running.It would be the highlight of a trip there if I ever go.

Dan

 

Because of the louder-than-expected outcry, the plan to discontinue steam was reversed. They are making changes to the engines to make them, *ahem* safer, including installing electric starters.

Electric starters? What in the world is that?

Apparently a "risk manager" type was in the roundhouse and was shocked--SHOCKED!--that the way the fireman started the fire in the engine was by lighting a piece of waste IN HIS HAND  and throwing that into the firebox. THE HORROR!! So they are trying to make some kind of sparking device to place in front of the burner to ignite the atomized diesel fuel that can be operated without having to, you know, actually burn something.

Last edited by smd4
Thanks for sharing your experience. It answered some questions I wondered about.  I'm planning on a mid morning trip out and mid afternoon return, hopefully to avoid rush hour. 

On Friday, January 23, 2015 7:55 AM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:


Reply By Trainfun: Disney World Train--Love it== To reply by email, write above this line. == Hello, raydrs: We're sending you this notification because you are either following the forum, the content, or the author listed below. New Reply To Topic
| Subject: Disney World Train--Love it Reply By: Trainfun In: Train Forums / Real Trains | |

Originally Posted by raydrs:Glad you were able to ride and enjoy the Disney train, always a pleasant, fun trip. As it happens, I booked a trip to Disneyland few weeks ago for Jan 26-30 but just found out the Disney train is closed for refurbishment. Too bad but I think I'll try a day trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Clemente. I understand it's a pleasant ride along the coast and that it is best to upgrade to business class. Any thoughts or suggestions on this train/trip will be greatly appreciated. Thanks In fall of 2013 we rode the Surfliner round trip from San Diego to Anaheim. We left around 11 AM and returned from Anaheim at about 5:30. A short distance from the east side of the Anaheim station is a small pizza joint where you can get an inexpensive meal. The trip was very enjoyable. Since San Diego was the first stop we had no trouble getting seats on the ocean side of the car. The return train from Anaheim was more crowded and we still managed to find seats on the ocean side. The two cars we rode in had markedly different rides. The northbound car rode smoothly and quietly, the southbound car was noisier and jerked a bit over track irregularities (kind of like riding on the Long Island Rail Road). We rode in coach and the accommodations were fine. We bought our tickets the day of the trip so we could go on a nice day. Enjoy your trip!     View This Reply
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Originally Posted by smd4:

Electric starters? What in the world is that?

Apparently a "risk manager" type was in the roundhouse and was shocked--SHOCKED--that the way the fireman started the fire in the engine was by lighting a piece of waste IN HIS HAND  and throwing that into the firebox. THE HORROR!! So they are trying to make some kind of sparking device to place in front of the burner to ignite the atomized diesel fuel that can be operated without having to, you know, actually burn something.

Ah yes, the "risk Managers" and Attorneys, are slowly destroying the good old U.S.A.. People wonder why manufacturing has gone to other countries, i.e countries without OSHA, and all the legal liability issues. 

Originally Posted by p51:

..........., you hop on the first train of the day as the park opens (you get into the downtown USA area before anyone else walks in), go to the shops on that train, get to look over all the equipment, then take a tour of the line. You then go back to the station for a discussion on Disney the man and his RR interests......

I just did this tour yesterday.  Only comment on the above is the sequence is slightly different if it's an Extra Magic Hours morning in MK (it was yesterday).

 

Instead of the train being at the station when you arrive, since it's EMH, the Welcome show happens first for the EMH crowd, you then get on the train the characters came in on and ride around the stations and head for the roundhouse.  the rest of it is the same.  The tour guide gave us the talk about the different locos next to the pictures in the lower part of the station while we were waiting for our time to board.  We also got to look down Main Street before all the EMH people rushed in.

 

Originally Posted by smd4:

Apparently a "risk manager" type was in the roundhouse and was shocked--SHOCKED--that the way the fireman started the fire in the engine was by lighting a piece of waste IN HIS HAND  and throwing that into the firebox. THE HORROR!! So they are trying to make some kind of sparking device to place in front of the burner to ignite the atomized diesel fuel that can be operated without having to, you know, actually burn something.

That's one of the highlights of the tour!  Oh, well.....

 

-Dave

Originally Posted by raydrs:

Glad you were able to ride and enjoy the Disney train, always a pleasant, fun trip.

 

As it happens, I booked a trip to Disneyland few weeks ago for Jan 26-30 but just found out the Disney train is closed for refurbishment. Too bad but I think I'll try a day trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Clemente. I understand it's a pleasant ride along the coast and that it is best to upgrade to business class.

If you want to ride along the coast, San Clemente is not where you want to get off the train.  That's where the track begins to run along the coast.  (Okay, technically it comes up next to the ocean at Serra, between Capistrano and San Clemente.)  The tracks follow the coast most of the way to San Diego.

 

You might as well take the whole ride and see the very beautiful Santa Fe station at San Diego.  You'll be going 90 MPH most of the way after you leave Santa Ana.

Thanks for the tip - San Diego it is!!

On Friday, January 23, 2015 8:11 PM, O Gauge Railroading On Line Forum <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:


Reply By Number 90: Disney World Train--Love it== To reply by email, write above this line. == Hello, raydrs: We're sending you this notification because you are either following the forum, the content, or the author listed below. New Reply To Topic
| Subject: Disney World Train--Love it Reply By: Number 90 In: Train Forums / Real Trains | |

Originally Posted by raydrs:Glad you were able to ride and enjoy the Disney train, always a pleasant, fun trip. As it happens, I booked a trip to Disneyland few weeks ago for Jan 26-30 but just found out the Disney train is closed for refurbishment. Too bad but I think I'll try a day trip on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Anaheim to San Clemente. I understand it's a pleasant ride along the coast and that it is best to upgrade to business class.If you want to ride along the coast, San Clemente is not where you want to get off the train.  That's where the track begins to run along the coast.  (Okay, technically it comes up next to the ocean at Serra, between Capistrano and San Clemente.)  The tracks follow the coast most of the way to San Diego. You might as well take the whole ride and see the very beautiful Santa Fe station at San Diego.  You'll be going 90 MPH most of the way after you leave Santa Ana.   View This Reply
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