5/1: Will It Go Round in Circles, Part III

[Steve DeGaetano]

I'd forgotten that these trains move backwards. Just for novelty's sake, wouldn't it be fun if the park operated the trains backward one day. The could call the event, "Backtracking The Park". All Aboard! Hold On! Let's Ride!

Not as far-fetched as it may sound!

Back before the 50th, there was talk among some Imagineers to take the locomotives, turn them around, attach them to the other ends of their trains, and pull the trains counter-clockwise. This would have served to suggest "going back in time."

The idea didn't last long...

[JK020489]

Not as far-fetched as it may sound!

Back before the 50th, there was talk among some Imagineers to take the locomotives, turn them around, attach them to the other ends of their trains, and pull the trains counter-clockwise. This would have served to suggest "going back in time."

The idea didn't last long...

they should of done that it would of been really cool

[Ride Warrior]

Not as far-fetched as it may sound!

Back before the 50th, there was talk among some Imagineers to take the locomotives, turn them around, attach them to the other ends of their trains, and pull the trains counter-clockwise. This would have served to suggest "going back in time."

The idea didn't last long...

They should try that again. Today's theme park goers just might be open to something fluky, different and fun like that.

they should of done that it would of been really cool

Right on!

[Ride Warrior]

Back during the construction of Splash Mountain at Walt Disney World, the trains did in fact run backwards. Frontierland Station was replaced as part of the construction, so the only two stations available were Main Street and Mickey's Starland (now Mickey's Toontown Fair).

Passengers could board at Mickey's Starland and ride forward to Main Street. Or they could board at Main Street and ride backward to Mickey's Starland. All passengers had to exit the train at each station, because of the greatly reduced capacity of only running one train.

Not quite "Backtracking the Park", but posters at the Magic Kingdom urged guests to "Ride the Rails in Reverse!"

What an awesome sight that must have been. I like their little slogan, "Riding the Rails In Reverse."

[Cousin Orville]

You have made this sometimes overlooked attraction very compelling by illuminating our understanding of what it takes to mount this show every day. I'm sure every reader has a renewed appreciation. Every time a train blows down, we'll think of you! Thanks!

[sediment]

I object to Steve's characterization of me:

Blowing down the boiler several times a day is a vital procedure in the safe operation of a steam locomotive, and this is the first of many the crews will perform during the course of a day. There can be up to 12 pounds of dissolved sediments to every 500 gallons of water, not to mention the residue from the several pounds of the anti-foaming and anti-corrosion chemicals that are added to the water several times a day. This sediment can build up inside the boiler, at the lowest point of the firebox, called the mud ring.

I've never been inside a boiler. Or near the mud ring. 12 pounds of me, indeed!!
You'll hear from my lawyer!!

Sediment, called "mud" and other unprintable expletives by the railroad men, can build up to such a point that water would no longer make contact with the sidesheet of the firebox. No matter how hot the fire gets, the water on the other side of the firebox sheets will absorb the heat. The sheets themselves merely transfer this heat, and remain relatively cool. If the mud is allowed to build up, water will lose contact with the sheet, and the side sheet may begin to soften or melt, possibly leading to a boiler explosion. Opening the blowdown allows this sediment to be jettisoned from the boiler, in dramatic fashion.

"Mud"? "Unprintable expletives"???
I'll show you dramatic...

[TikiRoomLiz]

Steve, wow ... now when I ride the Disneyland trains it is a whole new experience. Thanks so much for such a great series on the railroads ... I'm thinking about buying those books now.

[JK020489]

Hey Steve, did you have help/consent from Disney making your books or did you just do it on your own?

[Steve DeGaetano]

Hey Steve, did you have help/consent from Disney making your books or did you just do it on your own?

I conducted all the research on my own. This included interviewing current and former engineers, firemen, conductors and Imagineers, reviewing papers at university libraries, studying Disneyland Railroad souvenir collections--both my own and those belonging to others, utilizing the California State Railroad Museum to obtain locomotive specification sheets, reviewing old steam locomotive operations textbooks, tracking down old magazine articles written about the Disney trains, and of course studiying more recent sources such as Issue 19 of "The E Ticket" magazine, and Micheal Broggie's "Walt Disney's Railroad Story."

[TheDude]

One thing that I have always enjoyed doing inside Disneyland was shareing my love with other people who didn't love the park as much as myself. Disneyland has always had a special type of magic, which seems to spill over into others when shared. I have never known what it was like to be the student end, patently listening to an enthusiast discuss their love of Disneyland until now.

Steve, I truly appreciate your stories about the trains, as I now know what it is like to be the one on the receiving end of this shared sense of love. You have allowed me to notice and discover things that could only be shown through the eyes of a true enthusiast.

From one Disneyland fan to another, thank you for your time and dedication.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Thanks, Dude! Hopefully I can continue to bring out information about these very interesting and historic machines that fascinated Walt Disney so much.

[Ride Warrior]

According to what you have said, Steve, the E.P. Ripley was the star of last year's Fullerton "Railroad Days" celebration. So, happy that Disneyland engine numero uno will grace the event this year. Which locomotive would you like to do the honors in '08?

And tell us more about the new clean running biodiesel fuel. Do the benefits far outweigh any higher fuel price that might exist? I think that this would make a good thread topic in and of itself. You should do one.

Sorry 'bout posting what you had already covered. But, we (actually you) have certainly put the trains in the foreground. People are excited about them to no end.

[Steve DeGaetano]

And tell us more about the new clean running biodiesel fuel. Do the benefits far outweigh any higher fuel price that might exist? I think that this would make a good thread topic in and of itself. You should do one.

I did!

http://www.micechat.com/forums/showt...ght=bio-diesel

[Ride Warrior]

I'm repeating what I said in the Diesel Fuel thread. If the trains are going to be more energy efficient, I shall be more word efficient.

Awesome thread! I now have a better understanding of the benefits of bio-diesel fuel, a more meaningful view concerning "chugga chugga"...and a profound ldisgust for the name, Ward Tinkerbell as a locomotive name.

[The Dog]

Just to add my two cents to the story, first, the OE's never polish the locomotives and if the locomotives are polished it is only at night. Now once and a while when the OE's are hosteling the locomotives in the morning, water gets puked on the jacket from the pump clearing its throat and not being fully warmed up.
When the crew jumps on in the morning one of the first things done is to walk the locomotive and train to insure there is no obstructions and that everything is hooked up. It is at this time the condition of the locomotive is assesed and if there is water on the jacket and the loco isn't looking good, then a quick wipe down is in order. But once the crew (Engineer and Firer) come online there is only ten to fifteen minutes to get the locomotive up to pressure, checked and ready to go!
The Fireman will check the stack and if necessary remove the stack cover and the yellow reminder pipe attached to the blower pipe.
Next the Fireman will climb onto the tender and first check the fuel level, next the toolbox for the wicks, flashlight, lighter, fire extingiusher, and the bottles of chemicals.
Next the Fireman then takes one of the bottles of chems and checks the water level to insure the water is full if not he will let the Engineer know and water can be added in the Roundhouse or added at New Orleans. The bottle of chems is then added to the water and is added every two hours when the water is replenished.
The Engineer will be checking the saftey board to see if there are any lockout tagouts on his train letting him know that someone is working on his train or in harms way. He will also check the white board on the wall for conditions or messages about the condition of his train or locomotive and see if the OE's have left special instructions he would need to follow.
So around this time the Fireman or Firer will have completed his checks and will have opened the fuel shutoff valve and closed the airtank petcocks checked the sand dome for sand and now is ready to light off the engine.
Now, the OE's hostel the locomotive and that includes everything the Steve mentioned along with preparing the Hydrostatic Lubricator and the Mechanical Lubricator. The Engineer and Firer don't do this anymore to save us from ourselves, we really aren't awake at that time in the morning.
Now the Firer will open the Main Turret valve, blowdown the water site glass to insure that the water level showing in the glass is correct and then call out "Hot Stuff" and then starts the blower and we're off.
So I guess I added alittle more than my two cents worth but everyone seems to appreciate the insite to the going ons of the Roundhouse and so I have a unique vantage point and am willing to share what I have seen and experienced.
And in response to the question of which engine will make the Railfan Days in 2008 it should be the Fred Gurley fresh from the rehab.
All the Best,
The Dog