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Ignoring all comments regarding theming and whether or not it fits, I will miss the California Zephyr train when it leaves DCA. When I was a kid my parents took me to ride it and it still remains one of my fondest memories.
Does anybody know what will become of the train? Will it be saved, or scrapped?
From what the Ice Cream CM told me last night, the whole structure and building is being demolished. She figured they would just redo the existing infrastructure (the actual buildings, not the train) but she was told total demo. I too will miss the Zephyr. I actually enjoyed the interiors of both the Ice Cream and Bakery. I jokingly told the CM last night that Disney could donate the lights, tile, glasswork, and metal work inside the two places to me.
well most of the train is just a facade, the engine i am sure will be saved and hopefully in the future they find a place for it.
I wonder if they could somehow incorporate it into an addition to Carsland, after all a train stop is not out of the question out on the desert
To be honest, I didn't see why that was demolished. It fit in with the new theme, IMO, and I liked the trains also.
Yeah, it's too bad they couldn't sneak at least the engine in somewhere. I think it would have been kinda neat if just the engine was sticking out of a tunnel or train station facade next to the Carthay somehwere, but I understand why they didn't do that.
I will be sad to see it go, because I have a great affinity for not only trains, but historical stuff from that era and the golden age of the railroads.
From what I've heard, the "train" is not an actual train. It was just a decoration built by Disney.
Nope. It's an actual train. And according to a poster on LP, it's heading for the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, CA.Quote:
Originally Posted by Theoretical
Long-time MiceChatter Steve DeGaetano probably knows all about it.
:D
The engine itself is real (it's essentially gutted, of course, but it's a real shell). The passenger-style cars are not real, and were newly manufactured for DCA.
The locomotive (though shortened) is actually from a Canadian Pacific "F-7" (the EMD engine classification). It's original number on the CN was 9165. Disney went so far as to restor the interior with original engineer seats and a control stand. I did hear something about it heading to Portola, but nothing more than rumors from this end.
The cars are actually masterfull recreations--the details have actually fooled some very knowledgeable folks.
I really hope they keep it somewhere. I know it's corny and he didn't have anything to do with DCA, but trains were Walt's thing!
Here's what the engine looked like in 1971:
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/pic...2010-10-15.jpg
Here's some pics from today that Dusty posted on the comments part of Dateline Disneyland.
Great info about the Zephyr and glad to hear it's being saved.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dustysage;bt18726
You can't beat the 1940s-1950s for automotive and rail designs.
Is this the exact one?Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve DeGaetano
It doesn't look like it. The windows are completely different.
Of all the things to take out, the zephyr? I can understand GGB taken down and other modifications but if anything it would have been a nice touch to the area. It might not have fit completely with the theme but it at least looked really well done for that part of the park in comparison to some of the other stuff.