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LNER A3 4472 Flying Scotsman

2016-02-12T17:45:06Z

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{{About|the locomotive|the train service|Flying Scotsman (train)|other uses|Flying Scotsman (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2015}}
{{italic title prefixed|18}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox Locomotive
| name=''Flying Scotsman''
| powertype=Steam
| image=Flying_Scotsman_in_Doncaster.JPG
| caption=''Flying Scotsman'' in 2003. Despite the LNER livery, the prominent German-style [[smoke deflector]]s and double chimney are [[British Railways|BR]]-era features.
| gauge={{Track gauge|ussg|allk=on}}
| designer=[[Sir Nigel Gresley]]
| cylindercount=3
| locoweight={{convert|96.25|LT|t ST|lk=on}}
| length={{convert|70|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}
| height={{convert|13|ft|m|2|abbr=on}}
| driverdiameter={{convert|80|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} [[diameter]]
| maxspeed={{convert|100|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}
| tractiveeffort={{convert|29,385|lbf|kgf kN|abbr=on|lk=on}}
| operator=[[London and North Eastern Railway]]
| operatorclass=[[LNER Class A3|A3]]
| whytetype=[[4-6-2]]
| fleetnumbers=1472, renumbered 4472, renumbered 502, renumbered 103, renumbered 60103
| officialname=''Flying Scotsman''
| builddate=February 1923
| builder=[[Doncaster railway works]]
| retiredate=January 1963
| restoredate=1968, 2016
| currentowner=[[National Railway Museum]]
}}

The [[London and North Eastern Railway|LNER]] [[LNER Gresley Classes A1 and A3|Class A3]] [[4-6-2|Pacific]] [[steam locomotive]] No. '''4472 ''Flying Scotsman''''' (originally No. 1472) was built in 1923 for the [[London and North Eastern Railway]] (LNER) at [[Doncaster Works]] to a design of [[Nigel Gresley|H.N. Gresley]]. It was employed on long-distance express trains on the LNER and its successors, British Railways Eastern and North-Eastern Regions, notably on the 10am London to Edinburgh [[Flying Scotsman (train)|Flying Scotsman train service]] after which it was named.

The locomotive set two world records for steam traction, becoming the first steam locomotive to be officially authenticated at reaching {{convert|100|mph|sigfig=4}} on 30 November 1934,<ref name=heritagetrail>{{cite web |title=British Railway Heritage - 4472 The Flying Scotsman| url=http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/industrial/flying%20scotsman.htm| publisher=theheritagetrail.co.uk |accessdate=6 December 2012}}</ref> and then setting a record for the longest non-stop run by a steam locomotive when it ran {{convert|422|mi|km}} on 8 August 1989 while in Australia.<ref>{{cite book|author=Malpass, Dare & Jenkins|title=A Vintage Year for Steam|publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]]|location=Melbourne|year=1992|pages=112, 121}}</ref>

Retired from regular service in 1963 after covering {{convert|2076000|mi}},<ref name=heritagetrail/><ref>{{cite web|title=Hornby Direct Hormby Railroad R3086 Flying Scotsman|url=http://www.hornby-direct.com/hornby-railroad-r3086.html|accessdate=31 October 2012}}</ref><ref name=flyingscotsmancoin>{{cite web|title=The Flying Scotsman|url=http://www.royalmint.com/en/olympic-games/explore-your-coin/flying-scotsman|publisher=[[The Royal Mint]]|accessdate=31 October 2012}}</ref> ''Flying Scotsman'' gained considerable fame in preservation under the ownership of, successively, [[Alan Pegler]], [[Sir William McAlpine, 6th Baronet|William McAlpine]], [[Tony Marchington]], and finally the [[National Railway Museum]] (NRM). As well as hauling enthusiast specials in the United Kingdom, the locomotive toured extensively in the [[United States]] and [[Canada]] (from 1969 to 1973)<ref>The 1969 tour attracted great publicity. Bassett-Lowke, the famed model makers, issued a Limited Edition volume (5000 copies) in celebration. "Bassett-Lowke Railways: A Commemorative Edition" (1969).</ref> and [[Australia]] (from 1988 to 1989).<ref>{{Cite book |author=Dudley, John| title=Flying Scotsman on tour, Australia |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/5835781| publication-date=1990 | publisher=Chapmans | isbn=978-1-85592-504-5 }}</ref> ''Flying Scotsman'' has been described as the world's most famous steam locomotive.<ref name=vintage>{{cite book|author=Malpass, Dare & Jenkins|title=A Vintage Year for Steam|publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]]|location=Melbourne|year=1992|page=97}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=David Clifford|title=The World's Most Famous Steam Locomotive - Flying Scotsman|publisher=Finial Publishing|location=Swanage|year=1997|isbn=1-900467-02-X}}</ref>

==History==
The locomotive was completed in 1923, construction having been started under the auspices of the [[Great Northern Railway (Great Britain)|Great Northern Railway]] (GNR). It was built as an [[LNER Gresley Classes A1 and A3|A1]], initially carrying the GNR number 1472, because the LNER had not yet decided on a system-wide numbering scheme.<ref name=RCTS2A9ibc>{{cite book |last1=Boddy |first1=M.G. |last2=Neve |first2=E. |last3=Yeadon |first3=W.B. |authorlink3=Willie Yeadon |editor-last=Fry |editor-first=E.V. |title=Part 2A: Tender Engines – Classes A1 to A10 |series=Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. |date=August 1986 |origyear=1973 |publisher=[[Railway Correspondence and Travel Society|RCTS]] |location=Kenilworth |isbn=0-901115-25-8 |page=9, inside back cover |ref=harv }}</ref>

''Flying Scotsman'' was something of a flagship locomotive for the LNER. It represented the company at the [[British Empire Exhibition]] at [[Wembley]] in 1924 and 1925. Before this event, in February 1924 it acquired its name and the new number of '''4472'''.<ref>{{harvnb|Boddy|Neve|Yeadon|1986|pp=9, 73, inside back cover}}</ref> From then on it was commonly used for promotional purposes.

With suitably modified [[valve gear]], this locomotive was one of five Gresley Pacifics selected to haul the prestigious non-stop [[Flying Scotsman (train)|Flying Scotsman]] train service from [[London]] to [[Edinburgh]], hauling the inaugural train on 1 May 1928. For this the locomotives ran with a new version of the large eight-wheel tender which held 9 [[long ton]]s of coal. This and the usual facility for water replenishment from the [[Track pan|water trough]] system enabled them to travel the {{convert|392|mi|km}} from London to Edinburgh in eight hours non-stop.
The tender included a [[corridor connection]] and tunnel through the water tank giving access to the locomotive cab from the train so that the driver and fireman could be changed without stopping the train.

The following year the locomotive appeared in the film ''[[The Flying Scotsman (1929 film)|The Flying Scotsman]]''. On 30 November 1934, driven by Bill Sparshatt and running a light test train, 4472 became the first steam locomotive to be ''officially'' recorded at {{convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on|sigfig=4}} and earned a place in the [[land speed record for rail vehicles|land speed record for railed vehicles]]; the publicity-conscious LNER made much of the fact.<ref name=heritagetrail/><ref>{{cite news | title = National Rail Museum appeal on Flying Scotsman | newspaper = Nottingham Post | location = Nottingham | date = 22 January 2009 | url = http://www.nottinghampost.com/SOS-appeal-Flying-Scotsman-renovation/story-12272002-detail/story.html | accessdate = 22 December 2013}}</ref>

To facilitate crew relief on the non-stop run between London and Edinburgh, the locomotive ran with a [[corridor tender]] between April 1928 and October 1936, after which it reverted to the original type; in July 1938 it was paired with a streamlined non-corridor tender, and ran with this type until withdrawal.<ref name=RCTS2Aibc>{{harvnb|Boddy|Neve|Yeadon|1986|loc=inside back cover}}</ref> On 22 August 1928 an improved version of this Pacific type, classified A3, appeared; older A1 locomotives were later rebuilt to conform. On 25 April 1945, A1-class locomotives not yet rebuilt were reclassified A10 to make way for newer [[LNER Thompson Class A1/1|Thompson]] and [[LNER Peppercorn Class A1|Peppercorn Pacifics]]. ''Flying Scotsman'' emerged from Doncaster works on 4 January 1947 as an A3, having received a boiler with the long "banjo" dome of the type it carries today. By this time it had been renumbered twice: under [[Edward Thompson (engineer)|Edward Thompson's]] comprehensive renumbering scheme for the LNER, it became No. 502 in January 1946; in May the same year, under an amendment to that plan, it become No. 103.<ref name=RCTS2A9ibc /> Following [[History of rail transport in Great Britain 1948–1994|nationalisation of the railways]] on 1 January 1948, almost all of the LNER locomotive numbers were increased by 60000; No. 103 became 60103 in December 1948.<ref name=RCTS2Aibc />

Between 5 June 1950 and 4 July 1954, and between 26 December 1954 and 1 September 1957, under [[British Rail]]ways ownership, it was allocated to Leicester Central shed on the Great Central, running [[Nottingham Victoria railway station|Nottingham Victoria]] to [[Marylebone station|London Marylebone]] services via [[Leicester Central railway station|Leicester Central]].

All A3 Pacifics were subsequently fitted with a double [[Kylchap]] chimney to improve performance and economy. This caused soft exhaust and smoke drift that tended to obscure the driver's forward vision; the remedy was found in the German-type [[smoke deflector]]s fitted from 1960, which somewhat changed the locomotives' appearance.<ref>Reed Brian "LNER non-streamlined Pacifics" Profile Publications, Windsor, UK. Undated – 1960s: p. 22</ref>

==Preservation==

In 1962, [[British Railways]] announced that they would scrap ''Flying Scotsman''.<ref name=Herring>{{Cite book
|last=Herring |first=Peter
|title=Yesterday's Railways
|publisher=David & Charles
|year=2002
|page=130
}}</ref> Number 60103 ended service with its last scheduled run on 14 January 1963.<ref>{{cite news|title=Anniversaries of 2013|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/9770133/Anniversaries-of-2013.html|newspaper=Daily Telegraph|date=28 December 2012}}</ref> Proposed to be saved by a group called "Save Our Scotsman", they were unable to raise the required £3,000, the scrap value of the locomotive.

===Alan Pegler===
[[File:Berwyn No 60103 Flying Scotsman.jpg|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' wearing its British Railways livery and numbering, equipped with double chimney and smoke deflectors]]
[[File:Flying Scotsman ready for US tour c1969.png|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' ready for US tour c1969]]
[[File:LNER 4472 on Jefferson March 1972xRP - Flickr - drewj1946.jpg|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf, March 1972]]
[[Alan Pegler]], who first saw the locomotive at the [[British Empire Exhibition]] in 1924,<ref name=TimesObit/> in 1961 received £70,000 for his share holding when Northern Rubber was sold to Pegler's Valves, a company started by his grandfather.<ref name=GuardObit/> When ''Flying Scotsman'' was due to be scrapped Pegler stepped in and bought it outright, with the political support of [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Harold Wilson]].<ref name=TelgObit/> He spent large amounts of money over the next few years having the locomotive restored at [[Doncaster Works]] as closely as possible to its LNER condition: the smoke deflectors were removed; the double chimney was replaced by a single chimney; and the [[tender locomotive|tender]] was replaced by one of the [[Corridor tender|corridor type]] with which the locomotive had run between 1928 and 1936. It was also repainted in LNER livery. Pegler then persuaded the [[British Railways Board]] to let him run enthusiasts' specials; it was at the time the only steam locomotive running on mainline British Railways.<ref name=TelgObit/> It worked a number of rail tours, including a non-stop London–Edinburgh run in 1968, the year steam traction officially ended on BR. In the meantime, watering facilities for steam locomotives were disappearing, so in September 1966 Pegler purchased a second corridor tender which was adapted as an auxiliary water tank; retaining its through gangway, this was coupled behind the normal tender.<ref>{{harvnb|Boddy|Neve|Yeadon|1986|pp=68–69, 70, 88}}</ref>

Pegler had a contract permitting him to run his locomotive on BR until 1972. Following overhaul in the winter of 1968–69 Harold Wilson's government agreed to support Pegler running the locomotive in the United States and Canada to support British exports. To comply with local railway regulations it was fitted with: a [[cowcatcher]], bell, [[buckeye coupling]]s, American-style whistle,<ref>{{harvnb|Boddy|Neve|Yeadon|1986|p=88}}</ref> air brakes, and high-intensity headlamp. Starting in [[Boston, Massachusetts]],<ref name=GuardObit/> the tour ran into immediate problems, with some states increasing costs by requiring diesel-headed-haulage through them, seeing the locomotive as a fire-hazard. However, the train ran from Boston to [[New York]], [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] and [[Dallas]] in 1969; from [[Texas]] to [[Wisconsin]] and finishing in [[Montreal]] in 1970; and from [[Toronto]] to [[San Francisco]] in 1971 — a total of {{convert|15400|mi}}.<ref name=TimesObit/>

Government financial support for the tour was withdrawn by Prime Minister [[Edward Heath]]'s Conservative government in 1970, but Pegler decided to return for the 1970 season. By the end of that season's tour, the money had run out and Pegler was £132,000 in debt, with the locomotive in storage at the [[US Army]] [[French Camp, California|Sharpe Depot]] to keep it away from unpaid creditors.<ref name=TimesObit/> Pegler worked his passage home from San Francisco to England on a [[P&O Cruises|P&O]] cruise ship in 1971, giving lectures about trains and travel; he was declared [[bankrupt]] in the [[High Court]] in 1972.<ref name=TimesObit>{{cite web|url=http://www.whrsoc.org.uk/WHRProject/2012/AlanPeglerTheTimesObituary.pdf|title=Obituary - Alan Pegler|work=[[The Times]]|date=25 March 2012|accessdate=25 May 2013}}</ref><ref name=GuardObit>{{cite news|last=Johnson|first=Peter|title=Alan Pegler obituary|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/mar/25/alan-pegler-obituary|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 March 2012}}</ref><ref name=TelgObit>{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9156363/Alan-Pegler.html|title=Obituary - Alan Pegler|newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|date=25 March 2012|accessdate=25 May 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.festrail.co.uk/content/publish/news/Alan_Francis_Pegler_OBE.shtml Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways - Alan Francis Pegler OBE]</ref>

===William McAlpine===
[[File:4472 FLYING SCOTSMAN at Steamtown Railway Museum.jpg|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' at [[Carnforth]] in 1982 with original single chimney and without the later German-style smoke deflectors]]
[[File:LNER 4472 Seymour 1989.jpg|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' at [[Seymour railway station]], Victoria in 1989, equipped with electric lighting and air brakes for operation on Australian railways<ref>{{cite book|author=Malpass, Dare & Jenkins| title=A Vintage Year for Steam | publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]] | location=Melbourne |year=1992 |page = 98}}</ref>]]

Fears then arose for the engine's future, the speculation being that it might remain in the US or even be broken up. After [[Alan Bloom (plantsman)|Alan Bloom]] made a personal phone call to him in January 1973, [[Sir William McAlpine, 6th Baronet|William McAlpine]] stepped in and bought the locomotive for £25,000 direct from the finance company in [[San Francisco]] docks. After its return to the UK via the [[Panama Canal]] in February 1973, McAlpine paid for the locomotive's restoration at [[Derby Works]]. Trial runs took place on the [[Dartmouth Steam Railway|Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway]] in summer 1973, after which it was transferred to [[Steamtown (Carnforth)]], from where it steamed on various tours.<ref name="RailPep">{{cite web|url=http://www.railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/sir-william-mcalpine-talks-to-andy-milne-1087.html|title=Sir William McAlpine talks to Andy Milne|publisher=Railway people|date=20 June 2006}}</ref>

In 1988 the organisers of the Aus Steam 88 event were interested in having [[LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard|LNER A4 No 4468 ''Mallard'']] visit Australia for Australia's bicentennial celebrations that year. Unfortunately due to 4468's 50th anniversary of its world record breaking run it was unavailable and 4472 was recommended as its worthy replacement. In October 1988 ''Flying Scotsman'' arrived in Australia<ref>{{cite journal|title=Flying Scotsman's Australian Visit: 20 Years on|author=O'Neil, Shane|journal=[[Australian Railway History]]|date=August 2008|pages=265–272}}</ref> to take part in the country's [[Australian Bicentenary|bicentenary]] celebrations as a central attraction in the [[Aus Steam '88]] festival. During the course of the next year it travelled more than {{convert|45000|km|mi}} over Australian rails, concluding with a return transcontinental run from [[Sydney]] to [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]] via [[Alice Springs]] in which it became the first steam locomotive to travel on the recently built standard gauge [[Central Australia Railway]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Malpass, Dare & Jenkins| title=A Vintage Year for Steam | publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]] | location=Melbourne |year=1992 |page = 59}}</ref> Other highlights included ''Flying Scotsman'' [[double-heading]] with [[New South Wales Government Railways|NSWGR]] Pacific locomotive [[3801]], a triple-parallel run alongside [[Irish gauge|broad gauge]] [[Victorian Railways R class]] locomotives, and parallel runs alongside [[South Australian Railways]] locomotives [[South Australian Railways 520 class|520]] and [[South Australian Railways 620 class|621]]. Its visit to Perth saw a reunion with [[GWR 4073 Class]] [[GWR 4073 Class 4079 Pendennis Castle|''Pendennis Castle'']], which had been exhibited alongside ''Flying Scotsman'' at the 1924 British Empire Exhibition.<ref>{{cite book|author=Malpass, Dare & Jenkins| title=A Vintage Year for Steam | publisher=[[Australian Railway Historical Society]] | location=Melbourne |year=1992 |pages=64, 66 }}</ref> On 8 August 1989 ''Flying Scotsman'' set another record en route to Alice Springs from Melbourne, travelling {{convert|679|km|mi}} from [[Parkes, New South Wales|Parkes]] to [[Broken Hill, New South Wales|Broken Hill]] non-stop, the longest such run by a steam locomotive ever recorded.<ref name=vintage /> The same journey also saw ''Flying Scotsman'' set its own haulage record when it took a 735-ton train over the {{convert|490|mi|adj=on}} leg between [[Tarcoola, South Australia|Tarcoola]] and Alice Springs.<ref>{{citation | last = Batchelder | first = Alf | title = Memories of the Flying Scotsman in 1988: Farewell | journal = Branchline | pages = 7 | publisher = Castlemaine and Maldon Railway Preservation Society | date = June 2013}}</ref>

''Flying Scotsman'' returned to Britain in 1990 and continued working on the mainline until its mainline certificate expired in 1993. 4472 then toured preserved railways. To raise funds for its upcoming overhaul it was returned to BR condition with the refitting of the German style smoke deflectors and double chimney, and repainting in BR Brunswick green. By 1995 it was in pieces at [[Southall Railway Centre]] in West London, owned by a consortium that included McAlpine as well as music guru and railway enthusiast [[Pete Waterman]].

===Tony Marchington===
Facing an uncertain future owing to the cost of restoration and refurbishment necessary to meet the stringent engineering standards required for main line operation, salvation came in 1996 when [[Tony Marchington|Dr Tony Marchington]], already well known in the vintage movement, bought the locomotive, and had it restored over three years to running condition at a cost of £1 million,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/318968.stm|title=Scotsman flying high|publisher=BBC News|date=14 April 1999|accessdate=16 January 2011}}</ref> a restoration which is still recognised as the most extensive in the locomotive's history. Marchington's time with the ''Flying Scotsman'' was documented in a documentary, the [[Channel 4]] programme ''A Steamy Affair: The Story of Flying Scotsman.''<ref name=integra>{{cite web|url=http://kb.integracommunications.co.uk/article.php?id=0000000336 |title=Dr Tony Marchington confirmed as Dinner speaker |publisher=Integra Communications |accessdate=16 January 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20110819081134/http://kb.integracommunications.co.uk/article.php?id=0000000336 |archivedate=19 August 2011 }}</ref>

With ''Flying Scotsman's'' regular use both on the [[Venice-Simplon Orient Express#Orient Express in Britain|VSOE Pullman]] and with other events on the main line, in 2002, Marchington proposed a business plan, which included the construction of a "Flying Scotsman Village" in [[Edinburgh]], to create revenue from associated branding. After floating on [[PLUS Markets Group|OFEX]] as '''Flying Scotsman plc''' in the same year,<ref name=integra/> in 2003 Edinburgh City Council turned down the village plans, and in September 2003 Marchington was declared [[bankrupt]].<ref name=Indp569244>{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/flying-scotsman-may-be-sold-abroad-569244.html|title=Flying Scotsman may be sold abroad|author=Michael Williams|newspaper=The Independent|date=8 February 2004|accessdate=16 January 2011}}</ref> At the company's AGM in October 2003, CEO [[Peter Butler (politician)|Peter Butler]] announced losses of £474,619, and with a £1.5 million overdraft at [[Barclays Bank]] and stated that the company only had enough cash to trade until April 2004. The company's shares were suspended from OFEX on 3 November 2003 after it had failed to declare interim results.<ref name=Indp569244/>

===National Railway Museum===
[[File:Flying Scotsman 2005.jpg|thumb|''Flying Scotsman'' at Leamington Spa, Warwickshire UK. October 2005]]
[[File:Flying Scotsman under repair.JPG|thumb|In the Museum's workshops in 2012 for restoration]]

With the locomotive effectively placed up for sale, after a national campaign it was bought in April 2004 by the [[National Railway Museum]] in [[York]],<ref>{{cite journal|author=Scott, Andrew|title=How we saved the ''Flying Scotsman''|journal=Railway Magazine|volume=150|issue=1238|pages=14–19|date=June 2004}}</ref> and it is now part of the museum's National Collection. After 12 months of interim running repairs, it ran for a while to raise funds for its 10-year restoration.

===Overhaul 2006–2016 and public services===
In January 2006, ''Flying Scotsman'' entered the Museum's workshops for a major overhaul to return it to Gresley's original specification and to renew its boiler certificate; originally planned to be completed by mid 2010 if sufficient funds were raised,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/ |title=NRM – Keep Scotsman Steaming Appeal! |publisher=Flyingscotsman.org.uk |accessdate=21 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Courtney, Geoff|title=NRM in £250K Flying Scotsman boiler SOS|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=120|pages=8–10|date=January–February 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=Streeter, Tony|title=Flying Scotsman – the real story|journal=Steam Railway|volume=359|pages=60–2|date=February–March 2009}}</ref> but late discovery of additional problems meant it would not be completed on time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Flying Scotsman due to return late spring 2012|publisher=[[National Railway Museum]]|date=30 September 2011|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/AboutUs/PressOffice/PressReleases/2011/September/scotsmansept11.aspx|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/62cuHASQq|archivedate=22 October 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Gary|last=Boyd-Hope|title=''Flying Scotsman'' will not return until late spring, says NRM|journal=Steam Railway|volume=394|date=14 October – 10 November 2011|pages=6–7}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Robin|last=Jones|title=''Flying Scotsman'': repair bill to hit £2.6 million|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=156|date=27 October – 23 November 2011|pages=36–7}}</ref> In October 2012, the Museum published a report examining the reasons for the delay and additional cost.<ref name=NRM2012-10-26>{{cite web |last= Meanley |first= Robert |title= A report for the Trustees of the Science Museum Group into the restoration of A3 Class Pacific Flying Scotsman and associated engineering project management |publisher= [[National Railway Museum]] |date= 26 November 2012 |url= http://www.nrm.org.uk/AboutUs/~/media/Files/NRM/PDF/Scotsman.pdf |archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/6C4X3YBx3 |archivedate= 10 November 2012}}</ref> The locomotive was moved in October 2013 to [[Bury]] for work to return it to running condition in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|last=National Railway Museum|title=Flying Scotsman restoration update
|date=29 October 2013|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/AboutUs/PressOffice/PressReleases/2013/October/scotsman-update-Oct2013.aspx|accessdate=4 November 2013}}</ref> On 29 April 2015, Flying Scotsman's boiler left the National Railway Museum to be reunited with the rest of the locomotive at Riley & Sons E (Ltd) in Bury.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIaZmvfuboY |title=Flying Scotsman boiler leaving the NRM |date=1 May 2015 |accessdate=1 May 2015}}</ref>

The bay in which the locomotive was being refurbished was on view to visitors to the NRM but the engine was rapidly dismantled to such an extent that the running plate was the only component recognisable to the casual observer. Early in 2009 it emerged that the overhaul would see the loco reunited with the last remaining genuine A3 boiler (acquired at the same time as the locomotive as a spare). The A4 boiler that the loco had used since the early 1980s was sold to [[Jeremy Hosking]] for potential use on his locomotive, [[LNER Class A4 4464 Bittern|LNER Class A4 4464 ''Bittern'']].<ref>{{cite journal|author=Courtney, Geoff|title=NRM sells Scotsman boiler in hush-hush deal|journal=Heritage Railway|volume=121 |page=6 |date=February–March 2009}}</ref>

The overhaul was completed in January 2016 and testing began on the [[East Lancashire Railway]] on 8 January 2016. ''Flying Scotsman'' was originally going to haul its inaugural mainline train called the ''Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express'' from [[Manchester Victoria station|Manchester Victoria]] to [[Carlisle railway station|Carlisle]] on 23 January, but it was not ready due to faulty brakes.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.railwaytouring.net/announcements/update-winter-cumbrian-mountain-23rd-january|title= Update Winter Cumbrian Mountain 23rd January |publisher= Railway Touring Co. |date= 19 January 2016 |accessdate=20 January 2016}}</ref> The first mainline run, pulling the ''Winter Cumbrian Mountain Express'' from [[Carnforth railway station|Carnforth]] to Carlisle, took place on 6 February. An inaugural journey from London's King's Cross to York in traditional green livery, followed by public services beginning on 25 February, were scheduled.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-35504951 |title=Flying Scotsman's mainline return after £4.2m revamp|work=BBC News|date=6 February 2016 |author= |accessdate=6 February 2016}}</ref>

==Debate over restoration==
In 2011, the National Railway Museum announced that ''Flying Scotsman'' will be painted in LNER war time black livery when it undergoes steam tests and commissioning runs, with the letters "N E" on the sides of its tender, number "103" on one side of the cab and "502" on the other – the numbers it was given under the LNER's renumbering system. The locomotive remained in black for the NRM's Flying Scotsman Preview event on 28–30 May 2011. During the museum's Railfest event on 2–10 June 2012, ''Flying Scotsman'' was kept in front of ''Mallard'' in a siding in its black livery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://rail-news.com/2011/02/15/wartime-black-livery-for-flying-scotsman/ |title=Wartime black livery for Flying Scotsman |date=15 February 2011 |accessdate=11 March 2011 }}</ref> A report on the restoration was published, in redacted form, on 7 March 2013.<ref>http://www.nrm.org.uk/aboutus/~/media/Files/NRM/PDF/NRM%20Flying%20Scotsman%20Final%20Report.pdf</ref> On 23 January 2015, the NRM announced that the smoke deflectors and double chimney will be retained, including a return to its BR green livery, to keep it as historically accurate as possible as No. 60103.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/AboutUs/PressOffice/PressReleases/2015/January/flying-scotsman-2015.aspx |title=Return of Flying Scotsman still on track for 2015 |date=23 January 2015 |accessdate=31 January 2015 }}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Because of the LNER's emphasis on using the locomotive for publicity purposes, and then its eventful preservation history, including two international forays, it is one of the UK's most recognised locomotives. One of its first film appearances was in the 1929 film ''[[The Flying Scotsman (1929 film)|The Flying Scotsman]]'', which featured an entire sequence set aboard the locomotive.<ref name=theartsdesk>{{cite web|last=Fuller|first=Graham|title=DVD: The Flying Scotsman (1929) {{!}} Film reviews, news & interviews | url=http://www.theartsdesk.com/film/dvd-flying-scotsman-1929|publisher=The Arts Desk|accessdate=31 October 2012|date=March 2011}}</ref>

In 1986, ''Flying Scotsman'' appeared in a [[British Rail]] TV advert.{{citation needed|date = November 2015}}

''Flying Scotsman'' was featured in [[The Railway Series]] books by the [[Wilbert Awdry|Rev. W. Awdry]]. The locomotive visited the fictional [[Sodor (fictional island)|Island of Sodor]] in the book ''[[Enterprising Engines]]'' to visit its only remaining brother: Gordon. At this time it had two tenders, and this was a key feature of the plot of one of the stories, "Tenders for Henry". When the story was filmed for the television series ''[[Thomas & Friends]]'', renamed as "Tender Engines" only ''Flying Scotsman's'' two tenders were seen outside a shed.<ref name=S02E21>{{cite episode
| title = [[Thomas and Friends - Season 3|Tender Engines]]
| series = Thomas and Friends
| serieslink = Thomas and Friends
| credits = [[Wilbert Awdry|Rev. W. Awdry]] (author, [[Enterprising Engines]]), [[Britt Allcroft]] (producer), [[David Mitton]] (director)
| network = [[ITV Network|ITV]]
| airdate = 17 February 1992
| seriesno = 3
| number = 20
| minutes =
}}</ref> He originally was intended to have a larger role in this episode, but because of budgetary constraints, the modelling crew could not afford to build the entire engine.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sodor-island.net/steveasquithinterview.html |title=Steve Asquith – 25 Years On The Model Unit |accessdate=8 July 2010 }}</ref> 
However, ''Flying Scotsman'' has been set to appear in the ''[[Thomas & Friends]]'' special, ''The Great Race''.{{citation needed|date = February 2016}}

''Flying Scotsman'' appeared in the 2000 film ''[[102 Dalmatians]]'' preparing to haul the [[Orient Express]].{{citation needed|date = November 2015}}

The locomotive was the first choice for the ''[[Top Gear Race to the North]]'', but due to an overhaul was unable to attend, so the position went to [[LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado|LNER Peppercorn Class A1 60163 ''Tornado'']] instead.<ref>{{cite journal |journal=Steam Railway Magazine
|url=http://issuu.com/leahgreatmags/docs/steam_railway_magazine_-_issue_363
|issue=363
|title=Tornado - Top Gear to Waverley
|publisher=[[Bauer Media Group]]
|date=29 May – 25 June 2009
}}</ref>

A model of the ''Flying Scotsman'' appeared in Episode 6 and "The Great Train Race" episodes of ''[[James May's Toy Stories]]''. It was [[James May]]'s personal childhood model and was chosen by him to complete a world record for the longest model railway.<ref name=hornby>{{cite web|title=BBC Two- James May's Toy Stories, Series 1, Hornby|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00pl8lw|publisher=BBC|accessdate=31 October 2012}}</ref> The train was meant to travel 7 miles from [[Barnstaple]] to [[Bideford]], in [[North Devon]] and it failed early in the trip in Episode 6<ref name=hornby /> but managed to complete it in "The Great Train Race" which took place on 16 April 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=BBC Two - James May's Toy Stories, The Great Train Race|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0120z75|publisher=BBC|accessdate=31 October 2012}}</ref>

One of the specially produced [[Five pounds (British coin)|£5 coin]]s for the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] featured an engraving of the ''Flying Scotsman'' on the back.<ref name=flyingscotsmancoin />

''Flying Scotsman'' is included as a locomotive in the PC simulation game ''[[Microsoft Train Simulator]]''.<ref name=Deafgamers>{{cite web|title=Microsoft Train Simulator|url=http://www.deafgamers.com/oldreviews/mstrainsimulator.htm|publisher=Deafgamers|accessdate=27 December 2012}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|author=Clifford, David (comp.)|title=The world's most famous steam locomotive: Flying Scotsman|publisher=Finial|location=Swanage|year=1997|isbn=1-900467-02-X}}
* {{cite book|author=Harris, Nigel (ed.)|title=Flying Scotsman: a locomotive legend|publisher=Silver Link Publishing|location=St Michaels on Wyre|year=1988}}
* {{cite book|author=Hughes, Geoffrey|title=Flying Scotsman: the people’s engine|publisher=Friends of the National Railway Museum Enterprises|location=York|year=2004|isbn=0-9546685-3-7}}
* {{cite book|author=Nicholson, Peter|title=Flying Scotsman: the world's most travelled steam locomotive|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton|year=1999|isbn=0-7110-2744-7}}
* {{cite book|author=Pegler, Alan|title=Flying Scotsman|publisher=Ian Allan|location=Shepperton|edition=3rd|year=1976|isbn=0-7110-0663-6|display-authors=etal}}
* {{cite book|author=Roden, Andrew|title=Flying Scotsman: The extraordinary story of the world's most famous train|location=London|publisher=Aurum|year=2007|isbn=978-1-84513-241-5}}
* {{cite book|author=Sharpe, Brian|title=Flying Scotsman: the legend lives on|publisher=Mortons Media|location=Horncastle|year=2005}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Trains|UK Railways|Yorkshire}}
{{Commons category}}

*[http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/ National Railway Museum's site] about Flying Scotsman [[Flying Scotsman (train)|train]] and locomotive
*[http://www.ssplprints.com/search.php?keywords=flying+scotsman&page=1&numperpage=8&idx=4&ref=wiki&ad=sspl02 The official National Railway Museum print website] containing many Flying Scotsman prints and posters
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/nationonfilm/topics/railways/background_rise.shtml BBC "Nation on Film"] article with historic films of Flying Scotsman in steam.
*[http://www.lner.info/locos/A/a1a3a10.shtml The LNER Encyclopedia page for the Gresley A1/A3s including Flying Scotsman]
*[http://www.southernsteamtrains.com/flyingscotsman.htm History of the Flying Scotsman by Southern Steam Trains]

{{LNER Locomotives|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:4-6-2 locomotives]]
[[Category:Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange]]
[[Category:Individual locomotives of Great Britain|Flying Scotsman]]
[[Category:Preserved London and North Eastern Railway steam locomotives]]
[[Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1923]]

Walt Disney World Railroad

2016-02-12T00:30:41Z

174.107.173.231: /* History */

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met their railroad historian friend named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]] where they restored by Disney Imagineer and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. However, the fifth locomotive was deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold, and presumed scrapped. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. Note: The solid side panels on the coaches, which were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives have received some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* In February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe Railroad]] and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a subsitute locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for reasons not given by the Walt Disney Company. Also, the company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, where the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for about one hour after the park opening ceremony show and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly changed his mind, because Roy didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally arrived at the park in December 1 of that year, but Roy himself didn't want it named after him like he did to the #3 "Roger E. Broggie". When he passed away in December 20, the Walt Disney company was allowed to name the locomotive in Roy's honor and have it entered service on Christmas Day.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 25, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer will turn the passenger coaches' brakes on and check if the train is safe to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From October 1971 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. So, they decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]

Walt Disney World Railroad

2016-02-11T01:58:23Z

174.107.173.231: /* Opening */

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met their railroad historian friend named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]] where they restored by Disney Imagineer and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. However, the fifth locomotive was deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold, and presumed scrapped. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. Note: The solid side panels on the coaches, which were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives have received some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* In February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe Railroad]] and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a subsitute locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for reasons not given by the Walt Disney Company. Also, the company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, where the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for about one hour after the park opening ceremony show and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly changed his mind, because Roy didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally arrived at the park in December 1 of that year, but Roy himself didn't want it named after him like he did to the #3 "Roger E. Broggie". When he passed away in December 20, the Walt Disney company was allowed to name the locomotive in Roy's honor and have it entered service on Christmas Day.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 25, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer will on check the passenger coaches' brakes, if they're safe for the train to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From October 1971 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. So, they decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]

Walt Disney World Railroad

2016-02-11T01:57:10Z

174.107.173.231: /* Opening */

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met their railroad historian friend named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]] where they restored by Disney Imagineer and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. However, the fifth locomotive was deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold, and presumed scrapped. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. Note: The solid side panels on the coaches, which were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives have received some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* In February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Santa Fe Railroad]] and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a subsitute locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for reasons not given by the Walt Disney Company. Also, the company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, where the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for about one hour after the park opening ceremony show and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly changed his mind, because Roy didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally arrived at the park in December 1 of that year, but Roy himself didn't want it named after him like he did to the #3 "Roger E. Broggie". When he passed away in December 20, the Walt Disney company was allowed to name the locomotive in Roy's honor and have it entered service on Christmas Day.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 25, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer check the passenger coaches' brakes and check them if they're safe for the train to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From October 1971 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. So, they decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]

2016-02-02T02:36:47Z

174.107.173.231: /* No. 2 "Lilly Belle" */

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met a railroad historian named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]]. However one of the five locomotives, deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold and presumed scrapped while the other four were restored by a crew headed by the Disney Imagineers and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners for use at the park. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. The solid side panels on the coaches were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives were given some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* On February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* As of late May 2014, the on-board narration was getting a final upgrade with the references about the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train during the trip from Frontierland to Fantasyland.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the Santa Fe Railroad and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a substitute locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for reasons not given by the Walt Disney Company. Also, the Disney company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, where the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for one hour and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly declined the offer, because he didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally entered service in December 1 of that year (shortly before Roy's Death), which then allowed the company to name the locomotive in Roy's honor.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer will turn the passenger coaches' brakes on and check if the train is safe to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From May 1972 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineer Roger Broggie didn't like the sound of the bell on the #3 locomotive (before it was named after him), because he says it sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan. So, George Britton decided to swap out the bells with the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotive and "Liberty Belle" riverboat. Now today, the "Roger E. Broggie" ended up having its original bell (which sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan) on the Walt Disney World Railroad. That was when George tried to make things better. In addition, when imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the original builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. They decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]

Walt Disney World Railroad

2016-02-02T02:32:23Z

174.107.173.231: Fixed grammar.

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met a railroad historian named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]]. However one of the five locomotives, deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold and presumed scrapped while the other four were restored by a crew headed by the Disney Imagineers and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners for use at the park. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. The solid side panels on the coaches were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives were given some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* On February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* As of late May 2014, the on-board narration was getting a final upgrade with the references about the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train during the trip from Frontierland to Fantasyland.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the Santa Fe Railroad and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a substitute locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for reasons not given by the Walt Disney Company. Also, the Disney company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, so that the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for one hour and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly declined the offer, because he didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally entered service in December 1 of that year (shortly before Roy's Death), which then allowed the company to name the locomotive in Roy's honor.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer will turn the passenger coaches' brakes on and check if the train is safe to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From May 1972 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineer Roger Broggie didn't like the sound of the bell on the #3 locomotive (before it was named after him), because he says it sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan. So, George Britton decided to swap out the bells with the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotive and "Liberty Belle" riverboat. Now today, the "Roger E. Broggie" ended up having its original bell (which sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan) on the Walt Disney World Railroad. That was when George tried to make things better. In addition, when imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the original builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. They decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]

Walt Disney World Railroad

2016-02-02T02:27:14Z

174.107.173.231: /* History */

{{Infobox rail
| railroad_name=Walt Disney World Railroad
| image= Magic Kingdom - Walt Disney World Railroad poster.jpg
| caption=Attraction Poster
| marks=WDWRR
| locale=[[Magic Kingdom]]
| start_year=October 1, 1971
| end_year=Present
| status=Operational
| gauge={{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}}
| hq_city=[[Bay Lake, Florida]]
| map_size = 220px
| map_caption = Walt Disney World Railroad and [[Walt Disney World Monorail System|Monorail System]] Map
| locomotive names_names=Walter E. Disney Lilly Belle Roger E. Broggie Roy O. Disney
| land=[[Main Street, USA]], [[Frontierland]], [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]/[[Tomorrowland]]
| type = [[Railroad]]
| designer=[[WED Enterprises]]
| duration=20:00
| length={{convert|7810|ft|m}}
| speed=10
| custom_label_2=Required Ticket
| custom_value_2='''D'''
| custom_label_3=Signaling System
| custom_value_3='''[[Automatic Block Signal|ABS]]'''
| custom_label_4=
| sponsor=unknown
| length_ft=
| length_m
| accessible=1
| transfer_accessible=`
| cc=
}}

The '''Walt Disney World Railroad''' (or '''WDWRR''' for short) is a {{RailGauge|3ft|lk=on}} [[Narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]]<ref name=Steam>{{cite web|url=http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?str=Lake+Buena+Vista&country=USA|title=Surviving Steam Locomotive Search|publisher=}}</ref> [[heritage railroad]] in the [[Magic Kingdom]] theme park at [[Walt Disney World Resort]]. Operated by Main Street Operations, the {{convert|1.5|mi|km|adj=on}} railroad circles the entire park with stations at [[Main Street, U.S.A.]], [[Frontierland]], and [[Fantasyland]] (formerly [[Mickey's Toontown Fair]]). One of the world's busiest steam-powered railroads, it transports 3.7 million passengers each year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rich-grant/how-walt-disneys-love-of-trains-changed-the-world_b_6894946.html?fb_action_ids=959659350719939&fb_action_types=og.comments|title=How Walt Disney's Love of Trains Changed the World|date=18 March 2015|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref>

==History==
[[Walt Disney]] was an avid railroad enthusiast, who had built a miniature steam railroad, called the [[Carolwood Pacific Railroad]], in his backyard. A full-size, {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge railroad known as the [[Disneyland Railroad]] had been included in the design of [[Disneyland]], and would be included at later parks in [[Western River Railroad|Tokyo]], [[Disneyland Railroad (Paris)|Paris]], and [[Hong Kong Disneyland|Hong Kong]].

For Walt Disney World, instead of building steam locomotives from scratch, as with the first two locomotives for the Disneyland Railroad, Disney Imagineers [[Roger Broggie]] and Earl Vilmer began searching for historical steam locomotives to use on the rail line. They eventually met a railroad historian named Jerry Best, who had a collection of locomotive photos from the [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] (United Railways of Yucatán) on Mexico's [[Yucatán Peninsula]]. Intrigued by the photos, the Imagineers traveled to the Yucatán Peninsula in 1969 and ended up purchasing five steam locomotives.

The locomotives were shipped by rail to the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company in [[Tampa, Florida]]. However one of the five locomotives, deemed to be in poor condition to be restored, was sold and presumed scrapped while the other four were restored by a crew headed by the Disney Imagineers and accomplished live steam builder Bob Harpur. Roger and Earl met a machinist named George Britton, who worked for the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. They asked him to help them rebuilt these four steam locomotives, but George didn't have any technology to know about trains. So, the Disney Imagineers informed him that he would be taught everything he needed to know in order to restore the four steam locomotives. Intrigued by the challenge of learning something new, George agreed to shift from repairing huge oil tankers to steam engines. With a crew of only five, they completed the rebuilding and restoration on time and under budget. In addition, new boilers were constructed for the steam locomotives by the Dixon Boiler Works of [[Los Angeles, California]] and the steam locomotives themselves were cosmetically backdated to appear older, which included the addition of diamond smoke stacks, square headlamps, boiler jackets, bright colors, and polished brass. The tenders were also completely rebuilt from the frame up. New cabs were manufactured out of fiberglass and installed on the steam locomotives. Also, a total of twenty open-air excursion coaches were constructed from scratch at the shipyards and each of them could seat up to seventy five passengers. As for the four steam locomotives, they were converted from wood to oil burners for use at the park. The trains went into service with the opening of Walt Disney World on October 1, 1971. When it came time to hire a foreman to run the steam train operations, George Britton was recommended for the position by Earl Vilmer.

[[Image:Walt Disney World Railroad Main Street USA Station 01.jpg|thumb|Main Street Station. The solid side panels on the coaches were installed in 2006.]]

Over the years, numerous modifications have been made to the railroad:

* In May 1972, a second train station was opened as a stop for ''Frontierland''.

* In 1973, all four steam locomotives have received some oil painting on their headlamps' engineer's side.

* In June 1988, the second row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed and ramps were installed to allow for wheelchair access. It was also during this year that a third train station was constructed as part of ''Mickey's Birthdayland'', an expansion to the Magic Kingdom to celebrate Mickey Mouse's 60th birthday. Between 1988–1990, different versions of a song called "Mickey's Birthdayland Express" and "Rollin' on the Walt Disney World Express" were played during the trip. Additionally, an automated on-board narration (which features Ron Schneider) was added to the trains eliminating the needs for the conductors to perform the spiel live as they had done from opening day. After departing Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland, the train traveled to Duckberg Station at ''Mickey's Birthdayland'' (later renamed ''Mickey's Starland'' in May 1990 and finally ''Mickey's Toontown Fair'' in October 1996 during an extensive refurbishment).

* In November 1990, the original Frontierland Station was closed and demolished to make room for the new [[Splash Mountain]] ride. The tracks between Main Street U.S.A. & Mickey's Starland was turned into a shuttle, and the Adventureland parade crossing is being turned into a jungle-themed version. During this time, the train had only one destination: it traveled backwards from Main Street U.S.A. to ''Mickey's Starland'' and then forward back to Main Street U.S.A. In late 1991, a new Frontierland Station opened and it allowed the trains to make the full grand circle tour of the park once again.

* In 1992, all four steam locomotives were given some marker lamps on their [[smokebox]].

* Between 1996 and 2003, all four steam locomotives received overhauls at the [[Tweetsie Railroad]] workshops in [[Blowing Rock, North Carolina]].

* In 1996, a pedestrian crossing was added right next to Tomorrowland where the cast members will walked over the railroad tracks to get to the Space Mountain building to do their jobs.

* In 1998, all four steam locomotives were modified with [[heat exchanger]]s that made them run properly, using less fuel, and preheated the water before it goes into the boiler.

* In 1999, the P.A. system/conductor's spiel panel was moved from its position on the rear platform of the third coach to the rear platform on the last coach, which allows the conductor see the entire train at one time for safer operation to reminded the passengers to keep their feet and legs inside the fourth and last coaches.

* In 2001, the window reading "Walt Disney World Railroad Office, Keeping Dreams On Track, Walter E. Disney, Chief Engineer" was added to the front of the Main Street U.S.A. train station to celebrate and honor Walt Disney's 100th birthday.

* In June 29, 2002, the on-board narration narrated by Ron Schneider was replaced by [[Earl Hindman]], which was about to repeat the safety warnings in Spanish.

* In May 2004, Mickey's Toontown Fair station was torn down and completely rebuilt, although its appearance after the rebuilding is almost exactly the same as the original station.

* In 2006, the solid side panels were installed to the left side of the coaches on all of the trains to keep the passengers from sticking their feet and legs outside the coaches. However, one set of coaches will have their solid side panels removed, because they're used exclusively for the park opening ceremonies that are held each morning. Characters will ride the train to Main Street Station, disembark on the outer station platform and participate in the park opening song and dance performance.

* In September 2007, a new E-stop control box was installed on the steam locomotives. It's basically a safety check for the conductor, located on the last coach of the train. He/she will use a toggle switch to activate a buzzer in the cab, in case he/she spots a dangerous situation with guests. When that buzzer goes off in the cab, the engineer is supposed to reverse the train to a complete stop. The automatic brakes on the coaches, which go off as described above, when a train runs a red light. It's to keep trains separated in the six block zones on the main line.

* In August 2009, the third row of seat in the first coach on all of the trains was removed to give more room for two wheelchairs.

* On February 12, 2011, Mickey's Toontown Fair was closed and demolished to make room of the new Fantasyland Storybook Circus. The station was demolished and a new Fantasyland Station was built in its place. During construction of the Fantasyland Station, a new on-board narration was introduced, which referenced the Fantasyland expansion and referred to the former Toontown Station stop as the "Watering Outpost" since trains still had to stop there in order to top off the tender with water and maintain the railroad's operating schedule. The new Fantasyland Station was opened in March 12, 2012 and is themed to resemble a railroad [[roundhouse]]. It features restroom facilities and a children's [[splash pad|splash park]] themed to the Casey Junior Circus Train from the [[Dumbo]] animated film.

* In March 2012, operating procedures were changed to meet updated the [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] fall protection requirements, which no longer allowed the firemen to stand on the top of the tender during refills at the water tower. Instead, the handrails were added to the back left side of the tender and a little platform was added right next to the water tower so that the firemen would climb on it and reach the tender steam generator box ledge. They use a boat hook pole to open the water tank lid, turn the wheel on the water tower to lower the water spout down to the tender, open/close the horizontal valve on the water tower, raise the water spout back up, and flip the water tank lid closed.

* As of late May 2014, the on-board narration was getting a final upgrade with the references about the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train during the trip from Frontierland to Fantasyland.

* On September 29, 2014, the Walt Disney World Railroad was closed for an extensive refurbishment for the first time since the park opened. During this time, the tracks between Main Street U.S.A. and Fantasyland (which had been in service since the park opened in 1971) were replaced. The [[Boiler blowdown|blowdown bridge]] on the spur line leading back to the facilities building was demolished and rebuilt. The Indian village is updated with new scenery along with the backside of the park. The Frontierland swing bridge was repainted and had its wood deckings replaced. The Main Street U.S.A. and Frontierland stations were renovated. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained. The [[awning]]s around the roofs on all of the coaches were replaced and the refurbishment was done in November 7, 2014. The newly refurbished railroad was reopened and resumed operations in November 8, 2014.

* On October 12, 2015, the Walt Disney World Railroad is scheduled to be closed for a second major refurbishment to replace the tracks between Fantasyland and Main Street U.S.A., which have not been replaced in last year's refurbishment. The steam locomotives were cleaned-up, repainted and maintained once again. Frontierland station is renovated again and the Fantasyland station maintenance buildings are repainted. The refurbishment was done on November 20, 2015 and the railroad was reopened on November 21, 2015.

==Trains==
The railroad has four different [[locomotive]]s and four sets of five [[Passenger car (rail)|passenger coach]]es. The four locomotives are {{RailGauge|3ft}} narrow gauge locomotives, built between 1916 and 1928 by the [[Baldwin Locomotive Works]] for [[Ferrocarriles Unidos de Yucatán]] in [[Mexico]].

A regular train consists of a steam locomotive, tender, and five passenger coaches with a total capacity of approximately 365 passengers plus 2 wheelchairs. The tender has a capacity for {{convert|1,837|USgal|L|0}} of water and {{convert|664|USgal|L|0}} of fuel oil. The tender must be topped off with water every three or four trips (or circuits) around the park, which is done at the water tower located at Fantasyland Station. Prior to the construction of Splash Mountain, the water tower was located at the original Frontierland Station.

==Locomotives==

Each of the four locomotives is named after those who greatly contributed to the efforts of the Walt Disney Company and Walt Disney World.

=== No.1 "Walter E. Disney"===
[[Image:Walter E Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Walter E. Disney"]]

This locomotive is named after the company founder of [[The Walt Disney Company]], [[Walt Disney|Walter Elias Disney]] (1901–1966). Walt was a dreamer. As a boy, he traveled the rails of the [[Missouri Pacific Railroad]] selling newspapers and candy to the passengers. His older brother Roy and his Uncle Mike Martin obtained employment with the Santa Fe Railroad and Walt dreamed of becoming an engineer. His future took a different path, but his love of railroading never diminished.

* Number: 1 (formerly 72 and 274)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten-Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58444
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 100
* Coach Color: Red with red poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 2 "Lilly Belle"===

[[Image:Lilly Belle on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Lilly Belle" pulling the "Walter E. Disney's" 100 series red coaches.]]

This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's wife [[Lillian Disney]] (born Lillian Marie Bounds) (1899–1997). "Lilly Belle" is also the name of the scaled-down steam locomotive that Walt ran in his own backyard, as well as the name of the private parlor car on the [[Disneyland Railroad]]. It should also be noted that the "Lilly Belle" was built in 1928, which would make it as old as Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse.

Since 2004, the "Lilly Belle" did not run in regular operating service due to [[pony truck]] and frame issues. Instead, it was used exclusively for the daily park opening ceremonies along with its matching set of 200 series green coaches (the third coach had its solid side panels removed to allow the characters to disembark from the train unimpeded). It was also used as a standby locomotive in the event that if any of the other three locomotives needs a refurbishment, so the "Lilly Belle" would uncouple from its coaches and proceed to the stranded train, where it will then replace the failed locomotive until it can be repaired.

As of late August 2010, the "Lilly Belle" is currently out-of-service and off-site for a new boiler and rebuild at the [[Strasburg Rail Road]] workshops in [[Strasburg, Pennsylvania]], which was originally scheduled to last 10–12 months but has been delayed for no reasons. Also, the Walt Disney Company will not said when it will return to operational and is not giving any photos of the locomotive in the workshop due to fanboy mobs from descending upon its refurbishment.<ref name="Steam"/>

Although the "Lilly Belle" locomotive remained out-of-service, its 200 series green coaches (which are normally reserved for use during the park opening ceremony show) were used as substitutes for regular operating service in the event that if any of the other locomotives' coaches series needs a refurbishment. So the "Lilly Belle's" 200 series green coaches were brought back to the facilities building, so the maintenance crew will refit the solid side panels back onto the third coach for one hour and another hour to remove them again at the end of the day in preparation for the next day's park opening ceremony show.

* Number: 2 (formerly 76 and 260)
* Built: September 1928
* Wheel Configuration: [[2-6-0]] "Mogul"
* Serial Number: 60598
* Locomotive Color: Green cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|41+1/2|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|61000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Out-of-Service (Under Refurbishment)
* Coach Number Series: 200
* Coach Color: Green with green poles and yellow seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 3 "Roger E. Broggie"===
[[Image:Roger E Broggie on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roger E. Broggie"]]

This locomotive is named after [[Roger E. Broggie]] (1908–1991), who led the effort of acquiring the locomotives for the Walt Disney World Railroad and helped build Disney's own Carolwood Pacific Railroad. Roger Broggie was also the original [[Disney Imagineer]] who worked on the [[Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)|EPCOT]] Project.

* Number: 3 (formerly 73 and 275)
* Built: May 1925
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-6-0]] "Ten Wheeler"
* Serial Number: 58445
* Locomotive Colors: Red cab with green boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|44|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|67500|lb|kg|sigfig=4}}
* Park Service Date: October 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 300
* Coach Color: Yellow with red poles and seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===No. 4 "Roy O. Disney"===
[[Image:Roy O Disney on track.jpg|thumb|right|The "Roy O. Disney"]]
This locomotive is named after Walt Disney's older brother and business partner, [[Roy Oliver Disney]] (1893–1971). Roy came out of retirement following his brother's death in 1966 in order to oversee the construction of the then named "Disney World" project. Roy renamed the resort to "Walt Disney World" in Walt's honor and died shortly after the Magic Kingdom opened.

Roy was offered to have the second [[4-6-0]] locomotive (which is now the "Roger E. Broggie") named after him, so that the "Walter E. Disney" and "Roy O. Disney" locomotives would be "twins". But he humbly declined the offer, because he didn't want to be compared to all the great things his brother Walt had done.

The "Roy O. Disney" was the only WDWRR locomotive that was not running at the park on opening day in October 1, 1971. Because its restoration wasn't finished due to a major crack on the locomotive's frame until it was repaired by a master welder who worked at the Tampa Ship Repair & Dry Dock Company. The locomotive had finally entered service in December 1 of that year (shortly before Roy's Death), which then allowed the company to name the locomotive in Roy's honor.

As of February 2016, there will a possible celebration to celebrate the "Roy O. Disney's" 100th anniversary.

* Number: 4 (formerly 66 and 251)
* Built: February 1916
* Wheel Configuration: [[4-4-0]] "American"
* Serial Number: 42915
* Locomotive Colors: Green cab with red boiler jacket
* Driver Diameter: {{convert|46|in|mm|0}}
* Top Speed: {{convert|50-55|mph|km/h|0}}
* Boiler Pressure: {{convert|160|psi|MPa|2|abbr=on}}
* Valve Gear: Stephenson valve gear (piston valves)
* Locomotive and Tender Weight (dry): {{convert|51000|lb|kg|0}}
* Park Service Date: December 1, 1971
* Locomotive Status: Operational
* Coach Number Series: 400
* Coach Color: Blue with blue poles and red seats
* Coach Status: Operational

===Locomotive whistles===

The #1 "Walter E. Disney", the #2 "Lilly Belle", and the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives were all equipped with Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistles, although they have the same ones; the "Walter's" is normal-pitch, the "Lilly's" is high-pitch and the "Roger's" is low-pitch<ref>{{cite av media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HaVB3w1Q18|title=3" Buckeye 3 Chime 2011 Youngstown Whistle Blow|date=27 November 2011|publisher=|via=YouTube}}</ref> The #4 "Roy O. Disney" was the only locomotive to be outfitted with a deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle, which was originally came from the [[Admiral Joe Fowler Riverboat]].

In December 21, 2010, the "Roy's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle. Like the "Walter" used to wear it from 1981 to 1982, the "Lilly" wore it from 1992 to 1993, and the "Roger" wore it from 1998 to 1999, whenever their own whistles were being refurbished. By April 29, 2011, the "Roy O. Disney" was reinstalled with its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle. However, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put back on it again in December 10, 2012, but the "Roy O. Disney" was once again had its deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle reinstalled in March 22, 2013.

Since January 9, 2014, the replacement Crosby 4" 3-chime whistle was put on the "Roger E. Broggie", which replaced its original Buckeye 3" 3-chime whistle in 1998.

As of June 9, 2015, the "Roy O. Disney's" deep-tone Crosby 6" 3-chime whistle was replaced with a multi-tone one that was also its original whistle and it also sounds similar to the "Liberty Belle" riverboat's. The multi-tone whistle was equipped on the "Roy O. Disney" since Dec 1971 before it was replaced with the Admiral Joe Fowler riverboat's deep tone whistle in late 1982.

==Operation==
[[Image:WDW MK Railroad and Monorail.png|thumbnail|right|A sketch of the railroad and monorail systems.]]
The railroad operates daily, taking on its first passengers at 9:00 AM, year-round. For safety reasons, the railroad is closed during the evening fireworks show due to the tracks' close proximity to the fireworks staging area, which is located approximately 100 yards (91 m) or so behind [[Fantasyland]]. Typically, the trains are moved back to the roundhouse one hour before the fireworks show begins. Additionally, the railroad does not operate during special events such as [[Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party]], [[Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party]] and [[Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party]]. A round-trip on the WDWRR takes approximately twenty minutes to complete.

===Crew===
There are three crew members on each train; a Conductor, an Engineer, and a Fireman. The engineer is charged with operation of the locomotive, the fireman is responsible for maintaining the fire as well as the water level in the boiler, and the conductor is responsible for the overall operation and safety of each train.

Additionally, each station is manned by one or two conductors who serve as station attendants. Duties as a station attendant involve keeping track of passenger counts, answering questions and assisting passengers on and off of the trains. While on the train, the conductor runs the spiel box and makes safety announcements. Trains cannot move without approval from the conductor and the station attendant. Once the platform is clear of guests and everyone is seated on the train, the station attendant will shout "BOARD!" and give a hand signal to the train crew to indicate that they are clear to depart the station. The train's conductor will then respond by shouting "BOARD!" and then give 2 short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer, which tells the locomotive crew that they are clear to depart the station. Station attendants must also watch to ensure that no one tries to get off the train as it departs the station. If this happens, the station attendant will shout "STOP!" and use hand signals to instruct the train crew to stop the train.

The conductors work in a rotation, each of which is assigned to a specific train. There are three different rotations to which conductors may be assigned. Conductors are in each position of the rotation for twenty minutes, which is equivalent to one trip around the park. The two main rotations, which are called "Roundhouses", are Roundhouse 1 (RH1) and Roundhouse 2 (RH2). A third rotation, called Roundhouse 3 (RH3), is only added when a third train is needed during peak crowd days at the park. The RH1 rotation is responsible for the Frontierland Station platform, Frontierland Station Greeter, RH1 Train Conductor and RH1 Breaker. The RH2 Rotation is responsible for the Main Street Station platform, the Fantasyland Station (formerly Mickey's Toontown Fair Station) platform, RH2 Train Conductor and RH2 Breaker. When there is a third train in operation, it only requires a RH3 Train Conductor and a RH3 Breaker.

===Opening===
Early in the morning, the first train crew arrives at the facilities building to get the first train ready to depart. The facilities building maintenance crew will mark on a board which trains are going to be used and the order they are to be removed from the facilities building. The first crew will prep and take out the first train listed on the board. Safety and readiness checks are performed by the conductor as the enginemen prepare the locomotive for a day of operation.

As the atomizer requires around 30 pounds/inch² (200 [[Pascal (unit)|kPa]]) of steam pressure to operate, a compressed air line must be tapped into the atomizer line when the fire is first lit until enough steam has been raised to re-light the fire atomizing on steam. The conductor, who is in charge of the train and its motion at all times, will inspect the track and arrangement of the switches in the yard outside of the facilities building to ensure the train will have safe passage from the facilities building to the junction with the main line at the Fantasyland Switch.

Once the boiler has reached working pressure and the engineer and fireman are ready to depart, they will give two short whistles to indicate the train is about to start moving forward. After a reply from the conductor's buzzer (2 short buzzes) in response to the whistle, the train will proceed out of the facilities building, the length of one coach at a time, so that the facilities building maintenance crew can complete the morning inspection of the running gear from a maintenance pit below the train.

At different times during the trip into the park the engineer and fireman will test the safety systems on the train. The three main tests include intentionally popping the safety valves, the brake check, and the boiler blowdown:

* The safety valves are set to release excess steam to maintain the boiler's maximum certified working pressure between 160 and 100 psi.

* The brake check is that the engineer will turn the passenger coaches' brakes on and check if the train is safe to stop at every stations.

* The boiler blowdown will blow out all of the water from the boiler if the water level gets too high.

These three tests are considered the most important to ensure safe operation of the steam trains. After the first train is on the main line, the second train is not far behind. As this process is occurring, other conductors are arriving at the stations throughout the park to prepare for the trains' arrival.

===In Service===
When the park opens, the first train departs from Main Street Station. The second will be just behind; either at the block signal between Fantasyland and Main Street Station or at Fantasyland Station. Typically, two trains are used daily, with a third sometimes put into service on busy days later in the morning.

Each lap around the Magic Kingdom should be completed in approximately twenty minutes. This timing is established and maintained by the first train that is brought out onto the main line in the morning. The second and third trains keep up with the first train as much as possible. The goal is to have the first train arrive at Main Street Station at the top of the hour and at :20 and :40 past. If any of the other trains fall behind, they will need to catch up or drop behind a lap to get the first train back on schedule. This is necessary to facilitate proper closing procedures on the park's schedule.

====Block Signals====
The [[Automatic block signaling|block signals]] let the engineer and train conductor know the position of the trains on the system. The block signals on the WDWRR resemble a typical traffic light with three lights that are green, yellow, and red. The main line is divided into six operating blocks. Three of them are the stations and include some length of track before the station. The other three blocks are spread out with one between each station.

The block signals typically change in this order in both directions:
Green <--> Yellow/Green <--> Red <--> Yellow/Red

* Green: The next 2 blocks are completely clear and it is safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Green: The next block is clear, however, the block beyond is occupied. It is safe to proceed past this point, but be prepared to stop at the next block signal.
* Red: The next block is occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.
* Yellow/Red: The next 2 blocks are both occupied and it is not safe to proceed past this point.

In two trains operations, the conductors will not allow the train to proceed on a Yellow/Green signal. This keeps the trains spaced for more consistent service to the stations and prevents the train from having to stop in between stations. In three trains operations, the conductors can dispatch the trains on the Yellow/Green signal. The reason for this is because there will almost always be a train in the second block ahead. But four trains operations are not possible, because there are three stations, and there is not enough space on the main line. Nor there are enough blocks to do so safely.

====Whistles====
As with any railroad, the various whistle signals all have a different meaning and are used as a form of communication. In fact, many guests are unaware that a train whistles' primary purpose is in fact communication and not just show. Engineers use distinct whistle patterns to communicate while the conductor uses the same patterns with a button which activates a buzzer in the cab of the locomotive.

While the train is operated as a team, the conductor has the final say in the operation of the train; they are in command. At the stations, engineers will request to depart by signaling with two short whistles. The conductor will signal it is safe to do so by signaling to the cab with two short buzzes on the conductor's buzzer. The common whistle patterns used on the WDWRR are as follows:

* One Short – Attention, It is Safe to Disembark the Train
* Two Shorts – Forward Movement
* Three Shorts – Reverse Movement
* One Long – Stop Immediately / Emergency stop
* One Long, One Short – Approaching a Station
* One Long, Two Shorts – Crew spotted along track (also used as a general greeting)
* Two Longs, One Short, One Long – Public Crossing ahead
* Two Longs, One Short – Meeting Point (junction)
* Two Shorts, One Long, One Short – Engineer is Acknowledging the Maintenance Crew

The locomotive's bell is rung upon the train's arrival at a station whenever the train is due to pick up passengers (therefore it is not rung when departing a station, during the last trip of the station platforms are clear of guests, and the park opening show), which is required by Federal Railroad Administration regulations. But sometimes the firemen would ring the bell to "Say Hi" to the guests waiting at the Magic Kingdom Monorail station and after departing Main Street U.S.A. station. As with the whistle, the bell being rung is an official and mandatory signaling sequence. The same whistle and bell signaling system is also in use at the [[Disneyland Railroad]].

In addition to federal regulation, another form of greeting is occasionally exchanged when the [[Liberty Belle Riverboat]] is sighted by the locomotive engineer when running along the banks of the Rivers of America. This sequence is typically started when the locomotive engineer sounds the general greeting of One Long, Two Shorts whistles, to which the riverboat pilot will reply with the same whistle sequence as the engineer. Next, the locomotive engineer sounds the "Shave and a Haircut" whistle sequence with One Long, Four Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "Two Bits" with Two Shorts. Finally, the locomotive engineer will sound the "M-I-C-K-E-Y" whistle sequence with Six Shorts, to which the riverboat pilot will reply "M-O-U-S-E" with Five Shorts.

From May 1972 to November 1990, the engineer would blow the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the original Frontierland Station which was located near the Pirates of The Caribbean tunnel followed by the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when departing the original Frontierland Station and approaching the original parade crossing which was located near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Following the construction of Splash Mountain and the new Frontierland Station in late 1991, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching the current parade crossing between the Pirates of The Caribbean and Splash Mountain tunnels followed by the One Long, One Short whistle signal when approaching the new Frontierland Station which was located between Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

In 1996, the engineer blows the Two Longs, One Short, One Long whistle signal when approaching a pedestrian crossing which was added right next to Tomorrowland and warned the Space Mountain cast members that the train is coming towards them.

Since September 2014, the engineer blows the One Short whistle signal after stopping at every stations to let the passengers and conductor know that it is safe to disembark the train.

===Closing===
At the end of the evening the conductors at each station announce the departure of the last train. All guests may ride until the train arrives back at Fantasyland Station. Upon arrival, the conductors walk the length of the train to ensure that there are no passengers remaining and any items accidentally left behind are unloaded to the station attendants and brought to lost and found. This procedure is the same for all the trains.

After the maintenance crew at Fantasyland station throw the switch to the facilities building spur line, the conductor will signal the engineers with the reverse movement signal, at which time the train departs backwards stopping just short of the Fantasyland Switch. At this point the engineer relies on the conductor to guide the train to back towards the facilities building, which they do from the rear platform of the last coach. If any other trains are still in operation, the maintenance crew will throw the Fantasyland Switch back to the main line to allow the trains to continue running; otherwise the switch is left aligned for the roundhouse spur. At each yard switch and at the World Drive grade crossing, the conductor will signal using the conductor's buzzer to let the engineer know that the train successfully cleared it and can continue backing up. This continues until the train is backed completely into the facilities building.

==Other information==
*The "Walter E. Disney" and "Roger E. Broggie" locomotives have serial numbers that are sequential (58444 and 58445). These locomotives were on the shop floor at the same time in 1925 as they were being built for the United Railways of Yucatan and still operate together to this day. Because of this, they are referred to as the "twins". However today, the "Walter E. Disney" is #1 and the "Roger E. Broggie" is #3 on the Walt Disney World Railroad. Unlike they were #72 and #73 before being renumbered to #274 and #275 in the 1960s on the United Railways of Yucatan.

*In June 6, 2006, George Britton leaves the backstage steam train facilities building for the last time as a Walt Disney World cast member after nearly 35 years of service. He has long felt a strong connection with the Disney and Broggie families that have had the most to do with preserving the railroad legacy of Walt Disney in each of the Disney themed amusement parks. He is a life member of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society, founded by Michael Broggie, the son of imagineer Roger Broggie.

*During the 1969 to 1971 refurbishments on the four steam locomotives, imagineer Roger Broggie didn't like the sound of the bell on the #3 locomotive (before it was named after him), because he says it sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan. So, George Britton decided to swap out the bells with the #3 "Roger E. Broggie" locomotive and "Liberty Belle" riverboat. Now today, the "Roger E. Broggie" ended up having its original bell (which sounds like a hammer hitting an old frying pan) on the Walt Disney World Railroad. That was when George tried to make things better. In addition, when imagineers Roger Broggie and Earl Vilmer realized that the original builders plates on the steam locomotives were worn-out. They decided to build replicas of the original ones and installed them on the steam locomotives.

*During locomotives or passenger coaches refurbishments, it is not uncommon to see the passenger coaches from one locomotive being pulled by another. While most guests don't notice such a switch, WDWRR cast members often refer to these trains with a hybrid name amongst one another. These examples included; "Walter Belle", "Walter E. Broggie", "Walter O. Disney", "Lilly E. Disney", "Lilly E. Broggie", "Lilly O. Disney", "Roger E. Disney", "Roger Belle", "Roger O. Disney", "Roy E. Disney", "Roy Belle", and "Roy E. Broggie".

*The Magic Kingdom offers a behind the scenes tour of the Walt Disney World Railroad on select days of the week, called "The Magic Behind Our Steam Trains Tour". It is recommended that guests reserve spots in advance if they wish to attend (park admission is required).

*Originally, a fifth locomotive (a 2-6-0 mogul #52 like the #2 "Lilly Belle", but it was built in 1902 by the [[Pittsburgh Locomotive and Car Works|Pittsburgh Locomotive Works]]) was brought up from [[Mexico]]. It had been displayed in a park across from the railroad tracks in Mérida and brought to Tampa with the other four; however, it was found to be in poor shape and was not restored. It was sold to a party in California and it is presumed that it has since been scrapped. However, its smokestack was reused for the #4 "Roy O. Disney".

*In 1996, Southern California railroad enthusiast Bill Norred traded his 1927 Davenport locomotive (a 2-4-4 Forney type) to Disneyland in exchange for the five retired clerestory-roofed "Retlaw One" coaches. The locomotive was instead sent to Walt Disney World after it was deemed too large to operate on the Disneyland Railroad. The WDWRR, however, felt that its four locomotives were sufficient for regular operations and found it to be far too small for operation on the WDWRR. As a result, the locomotive was never in operation at any Disney park. With the exception of being on display for a short time at Epcot in 1996 as part of a Black History Month exhibit, it remained in storage in the fifth bay of the WDWRR facilities building for several years. It was finally traded in 1999 to [[Cedar Point]] for a smaller Forney locomotive which was restored and now operates as the #5 "Ward Kimball" on the Disneyland Railroad.

*Several show scenes were built specifically for viewing from the trains. This includes a jungle-themed railroad crossing in [[Adventureland (Disney)|Adventureland]] (which features a "[[Hidden Mickey]]" made up of three wheels on the left side of the tracks between the road and a barrel); an aerial view of the [[Splash Mountain]] ride's finale scene (which also features another "Hidden Mickey" in the clouds and can be seen through a large plate glass window from inside the Splash Mountain tunnel); the flooded town of Tumbleweed on the [[Big Thunder Mountain Railroad]]; a [[Plains Indians]] camp; various small vignettes featuring woodland wildlife such as [[deer]], [[moose]], [[alligators]], [[frogs]] and [[rattlesnakes]]; and five large circular porthole windows that once looked into the former Tomorrowland Light & Power Co Arcade.

*Main Street Station was modeled after and closely resembles the former [[Second Empire architecture|Victorian]] era railroad depot at [[Saratoga Springs, New York]].

*The former Mickey's Toontown Fair was demolished to make way for a new expansion of Fantasyland. The new Fantasyland Station was built on the former Toontown Station site and opened on March 12, 2012.

*Before the Fantasyland expansion, "Night Fire Dance" by [[Andreas Vollenweider]] and "Goodbye, My Coney Island Baby" could be heard during the trip from Mickey's Toontown Fair to Main Street, U.S.A. as could "Caderas" during the trip from Main Street, U.S.A. to Frontierland, and "[[Colors of the Wind]]" can be heard during the trip from Frontierland to Mickey's Toontown Fair. Additionally, a country western-style song could be heard when departing Frontierland Station.

*A new on-board narration debuted in December 2010 which features a new narrator (which replaces the late Earl Hindman), eliminates the themed music, references more attractions within each land and highlights the new Fantasyland expansion.

*The station announcement is voiced by [[Eddie Sotto]] from 1996. Until in March 2012, he reprised his announcement from saying Mickey's Toontown Fair to Fantasyland during the Fantasyland expansion.

==See also==
{{Portal|Disney|Amusement parks|Trains|Florida}}

*[[List of heritage railroads in the United States]]
*[[Magic Kingdom attraction and entertainment history]]
*[[Tavares, Eustis & Gulf Railroad|Orange Blossom Cannonball]]
*[[Rail transport in Disney Parks]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Walt Disney World Railroad}}

*{{official website|1=http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/parks/attractionDetail?id=WaltDisneyWorldRailroadAttractionPage}}
*[http://railfanning.org/trackside/wdw/ Railfanning.org: The Walt Disney World Railroad]

{{Magic Kingdom}}
{{List of Disneyland railroads}}
{{coord missing|Florida}}

[[Category:Amusement rides introduced in 1971]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Parks and Resorts attractions]]
[[Category:Magic Kingdom]]
[[Category:Narrow gauge railroads in Florida]]
[[Category:Main Street, U.S.A.]]
[[Category:Mickey's Toontown]]
[[Category:Amusement rides based on rail transport]]
[[Category:Railways of amusement parks]]
[[Category:3 ft gauge railways in the United States]]
[[Category:1971 establishments in Florida]]