Destination Disney: Walt’s First Passion
Since its opening in 1955, Disneyland has seen plenty of attractions come and go, but one has stood the test of time. The Disneyland Railroad was Walt’s original idea and continues to be a favorite amongst guests.
Long before Walt had the idea to create his magic kingdom, he developed a love for trains. “It started when he took his first job as a news bush, one of his first jobs, on the Santa Fe railroad,” said Disney tour guide Devin. “He was to sell the soda pop, and the newspapers to the people on the train and once he finished selling all his pop, he’d go up with the conductors and learn how to operate a steam train.”
When it came time to design Disneyland, it was clear which ride would be at the forefront of the construction. “When he built Disneyland, of course, one of the first attractions he thought of, was the railroad,” said Devin. “That’s why it’s one of our most special attractions, it’s one of Walt’s favorites.”
It’s also a favorite amongst the guests. But even beyond that, his passion for trains has been passed onto the people who operate it. “It’s truly a joy to come to work everyday,” said operating engineer John Scott. “It’s a great company to work for, and taking care of Walt’s steam engines is really a privilege.”
Before the park opens and after it closes, a crew cleans and preps the trains, making sure they stay in mint condition. It’s a very important job considering the lack of remaining steam engines in the world. “At the time when this park was being built, the last steam railroads were being shut down, for the diesel engines,” said Scott. “He wanted to preserve that for future generations.”
While they’ve preserved Walt’s dream, the engineers have tweaked with the design a little bit. In 2006, the engineers began tests with biodiesel in an effort to protect the environment. They quickly became the pioneers of the fuel. “It’s great to be the first park to use the biodiesel and to be helping the environment,” said Scott. “It’s great advertisement for the Disney railroad.”
The engineers went even further to maximize their resources. “We started thinking about the excess oils in the park, all of our various cooking oils, and so they started collecting that, and they sent it off-site,” said Scott. “They filter and i put additives in it to stabilize it and they ship it back and put it in this biodiesel engine right here.”
The steam engines have proved they’re truly the most functional attraction at the park. “You can ride to Main Street and then to New Orleans square, Toontown and Tomorrowland,” said Scott. “You can stay on the train and ride it as long as you want or you can just get off at the next station, it’s a place you can rest and it’s a true mode of transportation.”
