End of Steam at Disney World?

Easier for the "college aged" cast member to run a diesel and text on his/her iphone at the same time.

As far as the protest. 99.999% of the general public could care less about any train as long as its not blocking the crossing when they're trying to get to work.

I haven't been there in several years feeling the economic "pinch" like most. It doesn't help that the train being elevated, running on the outer perimeter, and  somewhat hidden behind trees and such most of the time, most people don't even notice it.

The only time I even recall seeing it was when it happened to be stopped above the main entrance.

I'm not saying it should go, just that I can see why Disney thinks there will be  a "lack of protest".

If Walt was alive today, it would never happen. Sad news indeed.

I hope it's not true.  When you refer to the diesel hydraulic engines, if they look like diesel engines, that would just not feel right.

I think there are a lot of disney fans not necessarily into trains in general that would miss it, but maybe more in CA.

I can understand the technical concerns (not in detail, but in a big picture kind of way).  I don't know if it's common or if I just got unlucky, but when I did the Steam Trains tour, there were technical issues with 2 trains they tried to get running to get us back from the service area to Main Street Station.  I still enjoyed the tour, and I think we got a lot more discussion from our guide while maintenance cast members tried to get the trains ready to go.  Ultimately we needed to take an SUV back to the front of the park, but I still enjoyed the tour.

The tour does still seem to get interested parties to attend, I think the only reason it's not more popular is that you have to get there several hours before the park opens to attend.

-Dave

I may be mistaken and maybe it's a different ride that I'm thinking of since it's been a number of years since my family and I were there, but isn't the steam train part of a ride where it gets robbed? I seem to recall riding along and then somewhere in Frontierland it gets waylaid by a masked bandit or two. How's that going to play with a diesel or gas powered engine?

I did the steam tours the last two times I was down there.  They are indeed "real" engines and their loss would be a big one to the foamer world.  I got some nice shots of them taking on water etc.

Kent in SD

Not sure about any kind of "robbery" since it's nearly impossible to walk between the cars.

The new engines would be "steam outline," like they use in Hong Kong, or Disney's Animal Kingdom--engines that outwardly look like steam locomotives, but have internal combustion engines hidden inside.

What I meant by the robbery was, you're riding along enjoying the view and then all of a sudden masked gunmen emerge from a saloon or somewhere, flag the train down shooting guns into the air, the train stops and the gunmen "threaten" the passengers. The conductor then shoots back with his own weapon, the gunmen retreat, the train continues on its way and a good time was had by all. I think the wild west feel of the ride would be lost with a diesel or gas engine but I guess if it looks like a steam engine and they play a chuffing sound through speakers so it sounds like a steam engine, most folks won't know the difference.

(And if Walt were alive he'd be 113 years old and he might not care either!)

The Chance C. P. Huntington's seem to be pretty popular with the general public, even with their Blomberg trucks.

Are the Disney World steamers coming due for FRA recertification? 

Rusty

As insular railroads, the steam locomotives and trains of Disneyland and Walt Disney World do not fall under the purview of the FRA. Their insurance carriers enforce boiler safety. In fact, the steam engines in Florida don't even have engine brakes!

If there is truth to this, then the executives at Disney waited for Roy Disney's passing before even considering it. No living Disney would stand for the elimination of the steam engine from Florida or California. It is inexorably tied to the magic kingdom.

I wouldn't be surprised if Walt's daughter protests this.

A Hong Kong Disneyland railroad diesel-hydraulic:

I figured Air Quality standards would take them out first.

I'd be suppressed at THAT, since the Disney steam locomotive burn "bio-desel" and/or recycled vegetable/frenchfry oil.

The Disneyland engines in CA burn bio-diesel. The ones in FL still burn No. 2 red.

Even so, the visible emissions are practically non-existent.

Agreed, but if and when the go to some internal combustion contraption, I'm sure the emissions will be WORSE.

On a side note just slightly related to the topic here - has anyone seen the film 'Saving Mr Banks' about Walt Disney and the author of Mary Poppins?

Really good flick and Tom Hanks (as Walt) never has to change his wardrobe.

Only a brief shot of a train however...

Huh?

Wasn't it proven a long time ago that internal combustion (33% +/-) was much more efficient than steam (8% +/-)?

I never said anything about EFFICIENCY! Just smell some of the exhaust that is emitted from lots of diesel powered mechanical devices.

And you don't think that the less emissions from a more efficient source will trump more emissions from a less efficient source? Witness 8444 against a diesel.

OK, you win.  By the way, what is 8444?

Steve, Could not agree with you more.  I took the behind the scenes tour when I was there a couple of years ago.  There is certainly value to these engines being historically preserved and operated.  I hope this plan to mothball them does not come to pass. 

Did they not just get done with a rebuild on "Lilly Belle"?

Walt, Lillian, and Roy are spinning in their graves right now! 

As I understand it, the current plan is that once the Lilly Belle returns, she will be put on display.

Don't forget about Roger.

And Earl.

I enjoyed Mike Broggies book "Walt Disneys Railroad Story". Walt Disney was a model train live steam enthusiast along with Ward Kimball. I don't think this would fly but he and his generation are all long gone.  Who in the general public besides a small few, care. I happen to be a Lilly Belle fan.

Well the disney type steam locomotives are a little to early for me.But as big as the disney corp is.I mean they bought abc and marvel comics.They have themparks in different parts of the world.And they have not done to badly in the movies and tv shows.What I am geting at is this just does not add up.They take in billions of dollars per year.So they arn,t hurting for money by any means.And I,ll say this if walt wree around.Some body would find thmselfs outside and looking for another job.

As if you didn't know.

Oh, sorry. I don't acknowledge "8444". That photo does look a lot like UP 844, however.

According to Wikipedia, from 1962–1989 the above locomotive was numbered UP #8444 because the railroad had given 844 to a EMD GP30 locomotive. After the GP30 was retired from service in June 1989, 8444 was renumbered back to 844.

Steve,

What is the track gauge for the Disney locos?

8444 is a Union Pacific SD70ACE

That the thing I'm more familiar with.

Wasn't there a forum member that use to run this train or was that in Florida?

Odd, considering Universal is adding the Hogwarts Express down the road!

LONE RANGER was a flop.  Burnt more $$$ than a Bakken Play unit train wreck!

I assumed the steam engines at Disney World were fakes already.Profit is number one,of course the main reason of my visiting the park would be to see live steam.I guess they consider me in a small minority that doesn't matter.I hope they don't kill the live steam operations at Disneyland too,that park I would like to visit someday.

Dan

There is a forum member who runs the Disneyland train in CA, but I'm ashamed to admit his name escapes me at the moment.  He posted some dramatic photos of what the sky looked like in the Disneyland Area a few years ago when the wild-fires got so close to Anaheim.

The post topic is the trains in Florida (Walt Disney World) going away(or at least becoming something other than real steam engines). 

The OP stated that the trains in CA (Disneyland) are not yet in danger due to having the actual connection to Walt (since that's the only park he lived to see built).

-Dave