2/28: Station Story, Part II

[Al Lutz]

Steve DeGaetano with the history of the Disneyland Railroad's Frontierland station, Part Two. Discuss it here!

DIRECT ARTICLE LINK: http://www.miceage.com/stevedegaetano/sd022808a.htm

[Susabelle]

Nice article! Very informative! I need to read more and more about the trains. Your articles are always great, Steve!

I have always loved trains and always take the circuit around DL at least once per trip.

Our really fun trips to California were the ones we came by California Zephyr, the really big train. I LOVE taking the train to California. It is so nice to get a slleping compartment and rock to sleep and hear that woooooooooooooooooooooooo in the middle of the night. I like the sound of the train clacking on the tracks as well. Nothing like a train to make your trip the best!!!!!!!

Your series of articles about the trains at DL is fun to read and I am learning a LOT!!!!!!
Thanks, Steve! Nice work!

Susabelle

[Steve DeGaetano]

Thanks, Susabelle! I always wanted to take the train long distance, with a compartment. The longest I ever rode was when taking the train from college in San Diego back home to LA at Christmas time. Even on Amtrak, with its cold sandwiches, chips and cans of Coke, had a certain amount of romance, for those with strong imaginations...

[soundhound]

So what's inside the train station now?

I'll tell you.

It is filled with computer servers, switches, hubs and other electronic equipment - it is used as a major computer networking hub.

How boring, and unauthentic!

[Steve DeGaetano]

Perhaps boing and mundane, but in a weird way, authentic.

Train stations in small communities were often the only places that had contact with the "outside world" through the telegraph. News of important events often came in to a town through the train station telegraph. So, in a twisted sense, the use of Frontierland as a telecommunications hub essentially utilizes the station the same way as a century ago.

[soundhound]

Perhaps boing and mundane, but in a weird way, authentic.

Train stations in small communities were often the only places that had contact with the "outside world" through the telegraph. News of important events often came in to a town through the train station telegraph. So, in a twisted sense, the use of Frontierland as a telecommunications hub essentially utilizes the station the same way as a century ago.

Yeah, I guess in a sense it's the same function. It's just kind of jarring though to go into the station and see all that very modern stuff inside such an otherwise authentic building.

[Steve DeGaetano]

I bet it is! It is too bad they couldn't have used the structure as the actual station once more. It's a neat bit of Disneyland history.

[nish221]

Great series, Steve!

Thanks a bunch for writing it! (also for that nice photo showing directly
south on the tracks; never seen that perspective before).

If I remember correctly, isn't there another steam funnel at the TL station?

[Steve DeGaetano]

Great series, Steve!

Thanks a bunch for writing it! (also for that nice photo showing directly
south on the tracks; never seen that perspective before).

If I remember correctly, isn't there another steam funnel at the TL station?

That final photo was taken by a CM early one morning. I always thought it was a neat view.

I don't think there is a steam funnel at Tomorrowland. There used to be (and I believe may be again) a diesel fuel pump in TL. You really only need one place on the line to blow down. I've seen steam engines on some tourist lines that blow down when the cross a trestle. Can you imagine the excitement on the ground if the engines blew down while crossing Critter Country Trestle!

[Wanda Woman]

Excellent series, Steve! You really make railroading come alive in the most interesting ways.

It's wonderful that the Dland Railroad is not 'just a train ride', but instead uses real steam engines operated and maintained by skilled engineers. I hope that is never lost.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Excellent series, Steve! You really make railroading come alive in the most interesting ways.

It's wonderful that the Dland Railroad is not 'just a train ride', but instead uses real steam engines operated and maintained by skilled engineers. I hope that is never lost.

Thanks, Wanda.

That's a hope shared deeply by some of the guys in the roundhouse--guys who are actually passionate about keping this connection to Walt Disney alive. That was the impetus for switching to Biodiesel last year. The roundhouse lead saw the writing on the wall, especially when the non-steam Hong Kong engines went into service. He thought he better make an effort to "get green" before some manager decided that the trains didn't need to be steam powered any more.

[nish221]

That final photo was taken by a CM early one morning. I always thought it was a neat view.

I don't think there is a steam funnel at Tomorrowland. There used to be (and I believe may be again) a diesel fuel pump in TL.

Come to think of it... (and looking at my photos) I think you are right!

You really only need one place on the line to blow down. I've seen steam engines on some tourist lines that blow down when the cross a trestle. Can you imagine the excitement on the ground if the engines blew down while crossing Critter Country Trestle!

Ooooh! That would be really be neat....! But bet it'll startle someone
or two!

[PumpkinKing!]

Wonderful series! I always thought that they were'nt real. LIek they were controlled elctronically or such. Most interesting fact for me is the "Blow Down and steam funnel!"

[BassBone]

Thanks, Wanda.

That's a hope shared deeply by some of the guys in the roundhouse--guys who are actually passionate about keping this connection to Walt Disney alive. That was the impetus for switching to Biodiesel last year. The roundhouse lead saw the writing on the wall, especially when the non-steam Hong Kong engines went into service. He thought he better make an effort to "get green" before some manager decided that the trains didn't need to be steam powered any more.

Wonderful article as always, Steve. Your attention to detail and your knowledge are impeccable. Thanks for that. I had no idea that the locomotives at Hong Kong aren't steam-powered. Are they diesel-electric with steam engine shells? Perhaps that could be a subject for an article?

[ralzap]

Still the best ride in disneyland. Thanks for your great articles.....

Great job.