All Aboard Walt Disney's Railroad And Walt's Passion For His Trains And Dream

All aboard Walt Disney's Railroad and Walt's passion for his trains and dream.

Walt Disney World cast member John is passionate about trains.

As a conductor for the Walt Disney World Railroad at the Magic Kingdom Theme Park for the past 12 years, John has shared his enthusiasm and encyclopedic knowledge of Disney's history with trains with thousands of guests, not just by driving the train but also by facilitating the magic behind our steam trains tour every Thursday.

The fascination with trains, John said, transcends generations and is something guests of all ages enjoy. "Everyone loves the power and noise of steam engines," he said. "Kids love them because of their knowledge derived from Thomas the Tank Engine toys. It seems everyone has a grandpa, father or uncle who was a railroader at one time, and older guests often slip back to reminiscing over the good ol' days when trains were the only way to get anywhere fast.

"And of course, some love the Disney heritage the trains represent and love how these old trains were saved from the rust heap and given a new life by Disney." But Disney's history with trains began long before John was hired. Walt Disney grew up in an era in which steam trains, and the promise of faraway travel they brought with them, were all the rage. After the Walt Disney Studio became established and profitable, Walt rewarded himself by having an elaborate miniature train, the Carolwood Pacific Railroad, built in his backyard. And when designing plans for Disneyland Park, he naturally included plans for a train.

The first railroad to open at the Walt Disney World Resort was the Walt Disney World Railroad, which debuted to Guests on the opening day of The Magic Kingdom Park in 1971. The railroad features four antique locomotives, and as many as three operate simultaneously on the train's loop.

"They're all Baldwin locomotives from right outside of Philadelphia, Penn.," said Steam Train Engineer Josh. "We've got four, and the oldest is from 1916 and is the Roy O. Disney locomotive. There are two from 1925, the Walter E. Disney and the Roger E. Broggie, which are actually sister trains, they were built one serial number apart. And the last one was built in 1928 and is the Lilly Belle."

As the resort grew, trains were added to other parks, transformed into ride vehicles for attractions and incorporated into the decor of resorts, restaurants and merchandise shops. For example, Guests at Walt Disney's Epcot today have the unusual experience of walking through a miniature village with an outdoor train set at the Germany pavilion, themed to different holidays and park offerings, like the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.

At Disney's Animal Kingdom, Guests can board Wildlife Express, which debuted in 1998 to be transported to Rafiki's Planet Watch, where they can learn more about how they can help the environment. The train can transport 240 people and travels a 1.2-mile route along 6,335 feet of track that runs from the Harambe Village area of the park to Rafiki's Planet Watch.

The theme parks also offer two options for wild train themed attractions: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad at The Magic Kingdom Park and Expedition Everest legend of the forbidden mountain at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad opened in 1980 and whisks guests through the southwestern U.S. mining town of Tumbleweed. In Expedition Everest a runaway steam engine tea train in the Himalayan Mountains of Asia travels on almost 1 mile of torn railroad tracks to escape the mysterious yeti.

Trains have been incorporated into the decor at various resorts, too. The Carolwood Pacific Room, a conference room at The Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge, offers a valuable glimpse into Disney history, with one car and pieces of track from Walt's original train on display. Cabins at Disney's Fort Wilderness Lodge & Campground are decorated with paintings of trains. The Walt E. Disney suite at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa features a replica of Walt's Carolwood Pacific Railroad locomotive among its many decorations.

Disney trains held such high interest for Guests that in 1999, Leaders at The Magic Kingdom Park launched The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour, which according to John, gives some great behind the scenes information. "Many guests are surmised to learn that they are real steam driven locomotives, not make believe ones with a diesel motor under the hood. They're also surprised that we burn fuel oil in the firebox, not natural gas. And above all, many are surprised that we clock more than 3.5 million turnstile entries (riders) each year. Not bad for a 1.4 mile long railroad."

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