It's the turn of the 20th century again, and here in the busy eastern seaboard town of Main Street, U.S.A., the constant rolling of wheels and chugging of steam engines can only mean one thing: Progress! Here, iron horses carry intrepid explorers (and guests on holiday at Disneyland Paris) on a journey of adventure, fantasy and discovery.
The grand, Victorian station house at the foot of Main Street is an exciting point of arrival and departure for guests touring Disneyland Paris. The high, vaulted ceiling and fine detail work of the station recall a more refined era of rail travel. Posters, newspapers and other details throughout the station hint at some of the visual wonders which await passengers headed west, including "The Spectacular Grand Canyon! One of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World!"
The Imagineers recreated Walt Disney's Grand Canyon Diorama as the opening scene of the Disneyland Paris Railroad, as opposed to the finale as it is in Disneyland. The trip past tableaux of Arizona's natural wonder provides a fitting introduction to the park's Frontierland (and does a pretty good job of disguising the backside of the Phantom Manor show building).
The trains of the Disneyland Railroad in Paris may look authentic, but they're actually authentic mechanical reproductions of Disneyland's Engine #1, C.K. Holliday. The engines here include #1 William F. Cody (after the legendary Buffalo Bill), #2 C.K. Holliday (named for the founder of the Santa Fe Railroad), #3 G. Washington (for the first President of the United States) and #4 Eureka (an exclamation popularized during the Gold Rush). Each locomotive features unique details. On the G. Washington (below), for example, the headlamp is adorned with portraits of President Washington and Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette, who fought alongside Washington during the American Revolution.
The set of cars pulled by each engine is equally unique, with stained glass, finely-detailed interiors and U-shaped seating for efficient loading and great views into the park. The bright yellow rail car pictured below is one of those pulled by the W.F. Cody. Note the name "Cheyenne" on the side. Each car in the set bears the name of one of the cities Cody's Wild West Show visited on tour: Silverton, Durango, Denver, Wichita, Cheyenne.
C.K. Holliday's cars are named for popular East Coast resorts: Coney Island, Atlantic City, Chesapeake, Long Island, Niagara Falls. G. Washington carries Mt. Vernon, Boston, Philadelphia, Yorktown and Valley Forge, all prominent locales in the life of George Washington. Finally, Eureka serves as a tribute to the Miner 49-ers who headed west to California to seek their fortune, with train cars named for California destinations: San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Monterey, Sacramento.
Eureka was added to the line in 1993 as part of an enhanced capacity program in the park. At the same time, a fourth depot was added to the railroad in Discoveryland (note the poster above only lists Main St., Frontierland and Fantasyland Stations; poster art ©Disney).
Today, the Disneyland Railroad at Disneyland Paris carries on Walt Disney's love of trains and provides a suitable story anchor as we embark on a tour of Main Street, U.S.A.
Great pictures!
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