Disney World Railroad closes for 1-2 years.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 16, 2018 1:16 am

The various comments here bring to mind something about Disney World, and possibly Disneyland as well. . .and that is that at least the Disney World engines have no brakes on locomotive or tender, relying on train brakes only. They also lack working sanders, which means it can be hard to control slipping now and then.

I've even had someone comment on a Facebook page that the brake system is essentially straight air. Given the management's understandable obsession with safety, it's probably something else that is fail safe (the old straight air wasn't), but the lack of engine brakes and sanders seems strange.

Steve DeGaetano · **Joined:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:06 pm **Posts:** 174

J3a-614 wrote:

The various comments here bring to mind something about Disney World, and possibly Disneyland as well. . .and that is that at least the Disney World engines have no brakes on locomotive or tender, relying on train brakes only. They also lack working sanders, which means it can be hard to control slipping now and then.

The engines of the Disneyland Railroad all have operational brakes and sanders. Yes, the brakes on both engines and cars are straight air.

Mount Royal · **Posted:** Sun Dec 16, 2018 11:41 pm

The engines at Disney World do not have brakes. The crews are trained and occasionally make stops using the reversing gear. The engines are equipped with sanders, but they are not in use.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1800

Here at disneyland now. 3 steam trains operating each day. Currently 2 of the 3 are historic engines. Flying proper green flags. Passing by a steam powered paddle wheel, transfer to a horse drawn trolley. Or go across to the california adventure park and ride a replica red car trolley while passing working wig-wag signals. Sure some things have been polished up but it's hard to beat from a historic transit point of view!

Steve DeGaetano · **Joined:** Mon Feb 22, 2010 5:06 pm **Posts:** 174

Crescent-Zephyr wrote:

Yeah it's funny how some people are. Disney's engines even properly fly green flags on the front, something that many tourist lines and museums can't seem to understand.

I was at Disneyland once, when the railroad was closed to guests (I think they just had the track replaced, back in 2004/2005). They were testing a train on the new track. The locomotive wasn't wearing the green flags.

As an unscheduled "extra," it was properly flying white flags on the pilot beam!

buzz_morris · **Joined:** Thu Feb 03, 2005 9:32 pm **Posts:** 344

Once asked a fellow volunteer where they get flags from thees days. He said the better American restaurants supply white flags with your meal, Chinese red, and Italian green.

Enjoy your Holidays!

tweetsie12 · **Joined:** Thu Feb 01, 2018 11:09 am **Posts:** 170

Steve DeGaetano wrote:

parktrains wrote:

Considering Magic Kingdom is the only place in the world where you can watch 4 nearly century old Baldwins (including a 4-4-0 that actually IS a century old) being worked like they were built to do, I was surprised how few railfans came out to document the closure.

It's hard for foam...I mean railfans, to accept park trains--no matter their lineage--as real steam locomotives. They're simply too shiny, or their crews are called "ride operators" and the like. "Real" steam engines have to be all black, except perhaps for smokebox and firebox, crews can only wear blue denim overalls--no stripes--and diesel can never be accepted as an authentic fuel.

The fact that more people today have had their only steam train experience behind a Disney locomotive--there are nine operational in this country, even more world-wide--than those who have ridden behind "real" steam, means nothing.

That is the biggest piece of bullcrapery I've ever heard! If it runs on steam, then it's a real steam locomotive! I'll admit that I'm a bit of a foamer myself, but I'm not picky with my locomotives. So do the crazy foamers not consider Southern passenger locomotives as “real locomotives” Just because they're painted green? The Nerve of some people! The point being, to me, Steam is Steam, no matter what form it takes.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1800

I also hear the argument “well the Disney locomotives don’t look anything like they ever did in regular operation” - well then let’s never visit TVRM when 610 is running, or GSMR when #1702 is running, or Essex when the “New Haven” etc. etc.

Ed Kapuscinski · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2019 1:43 pm

Crescent-Zephyr wrote:

I also hear the argument “well the Disney locomotives don’t look anything like they ever did in regular operation” - well then let’s never visit TVRM when 610 is running, or GSMR when #1702 is running, or Essex when the “New Haven” etc. etc.

Or WMSR 1309.

Crescent-Zephyr · **Joined:** Wed Jan 20, 2016 1:15 pm **Posts:** 1800

Eh... that’s a paint scheme. The engine will still resemble what it looked like in working life.
If we get that picky even the engines at Durango say “Durango & Silverton”

o484 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 15, 2019 6:47 pm

Crescent-Zephyr wrote:

Eh... that’s a paint scheme. The engine will still resemble what it looked like in working life.
If we get that picky even the engines at Durango say “Durango & Silverton”

Or any other place that has their name on the tender for that matter.