Ex-Train-eous Information

Walt Disney's affinity for trains has been well-documented, most notably in Michael Broggie's excellent book, Walt Disney's Railroad Story. That passion manifested in the creation of the original Disneyland & Santa Fe Railroad and has spread with the development of every Disneyland park since.

This bulletin, found on the lower level of the Main Street Station at Walt Disney World, pays homage to Disney's railroad heritage.

CAROLWOOD PACIFIC - This was Walt Disney's miniature railroad, built in the backyard of his home in Holmby Hills.

GRIZZLY FLATS EXPRESS - Grizzly Flats was another backyard railroad (albeit full size), operated on animator Ward Kimball's property. Ward was a fellow train enthusiast, and it was his invitation for Walt to join him at the Chicago Railroad Fair in the late '40s that inspired many of the ideas behind Disneyland.

C.K. HOLLIDAY/E.P. RIPLEY/FRED GURLEY/ERNEST S. MARSH - These are the names of the trains on the Disneyland Railroad, each named for a key figure in the history of the Santa Fe Railroad, the original sponsor of the Disneyland attraction.

RAINBOW CAVERNS LINE - The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train toured Guests through the Living Desert in Frontierland at Disneyland, starting in 1956. In 1960, the area was expanded, and the attraction became part of the Mine Train thru Nature's Wonderland. The line was retired in 1979 with the opening of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

RIO GRAND/COLORADO/MISSOURI/MISSISSIPPI - These locomotives operate on the Western River Railroad in Tokyo Disneyland. Different from their American counterparts, the trains in Japan don't provide transportation from one point to another. They simply run a circuit around Adventureland and Westernland, returning to the same station.

W.F. CODY/G. WASHINGTON/C.K. HOLLIDAY/EUREKA - The trains of the Disneyland Paris Railroad bear the names of William F. Cody (better known as Buffalo Bill), George Washington and C.K. Holliday (founder of the Santa Fe Railroad). A fourth engine was added after the park opened in order to increase capacity. It's name, Eureka, comes from the exclamation often used by prospectors when they found a bit of gold.

WILDERNESS LINE - This narrow gauge railroad operated from 1973 to 1980 at the Fort Wilderness Campground in Florida, taking Guests from the parking lot back to Pioneer Hall and River Country.

ROGER E. BROGGIE/WARD KIMBALL/LILLY BELLE - These trains, along with the Roy O. Disney and Walter E. Disney, run at the Magic Kingdom. The Ward Kimball, named for the animator, was only in Florida for a short time while some of the other locomotives were being refurbished. It now calls the Disneyland Railroad its home.

WHISPERING CANYON LINE/SILVER CREEK EXPRESS - These names don't refer to specific trains, but to locations at Disney's Wilderness Lodge (Whispering Canyon Cafe and Silver Creek Springs pool area). In the lobby of the adjacent Villas is the Carolwood Pacific Room, featuring a display of memorabilia from Walt's early backyard railroad.

D. CROCKETT - Apart from Fess Parker's connections to Davy Crockett, Frontierland and Disneyland, the actor also starred in the Disney film The Great Locomotive Chase in 1956.

WILDLIFE EXPRESS/EASTER STAR - This reference comes from Disney's Animal Kingdom, where the Easter Star Railway operates the Wildlife Express route between Harambe and Rafiki's Planet Watch.

This prop was added to the Main Street Station prior to the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland, so that's why there are no references to the trains from that park (Walter E. Disney; Roy O. Disney and Frank G. Wells, named for the former President of the Walt Disney Company).