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Carolwood Pacific Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Carolwood Pacific Railroad was a live steam
backyard railroad
, built by the American
animated film producer
and animator
, Walt Disney
(1901–1966) in the backyard (garden) of his home in California
, USA.
Walt Disney's uncle, Michael Martin, had been a steam locomotive
engineer. As a teenager in Missouri
, Disney had a summer job selling newspapers, candy, fruit, and soda on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Walt loved the uniform, the trains, the candy, and the chance to see the country.
It was Disney's lifelong fascination with the railroad that in 1950 led to the building of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad (and even before that, a huge Lionel layout in a room adjacent to his office at the Studio).
With his daughters and their friends happily in tow in his backyard, Disney would ride on his 1/2 mile (0.8 kilometre)-long, 1/8 scale miniature railroad. This may have led Walt Disney to include the railroad as the backbone of his family-oriented Disneyland which opened in Anaheim, California
in 1955.
Today, railroads and monorail
s are featured at many Walt Disney Company theme parks worldwide.
of Los Angeles, California
. Inspired by his animators Ward Kimball
and Ollie Johnston
who had backyard railroad
s, Walt launched construction of a 1/8 scale live steam
locomotive, rolling stock such as gondolas and a caboose, track and a small barn modeled in miniature for the one in Marceline, Missouri
from his youth to keep them in.
The locomotive was patterned after the Central Pacific #173, a wood burning engine brought aboard ship from the east 'around the horn' and assembled in California to begin construction of the transcontinental railroad east through the Rocky Mountains. To keep the initials identical on the CP #173 he named his railroad the Carolwood Pacific in reference to the residence location on Carolwood Drive.
2615 feet (797 m) of railway track circled the house, looped and crossed, with turnouts, gradients, a trestle
46 feet (14 m) long, overpass
es, with an elevated dirt berm
. Lillian Disney was supportive of her dear husband Walt's train hobby, although she veto
ed a track through her flower beds—so Walt instead built a 90 ft (27.4 m) 'S' curved tunnel
beneath them.
, which became the prototype
of the 1/8 scale "live steam
' working model fabricated by Roger E. Broggie
in the Walt Disney Studios machine shop. Southern Pacific draftsman David L Joslyn provided the two inches to foot scale drawings, based on the CP 173's specifications which were found in a warehouse of the railroad's old company records, and Walt himself spent many hours building parts for this engine, such as the smoke stack, the flagpoles and other small parts. However, most of the machining
was done by studio technicians. On each side of the cab, the locomotive was named Lilly Belle to honor his wife Lillian Disney.
Like the prototype, the working "live steam
" locomotive was an "American" type with a 4-4-0
(Whyte notation
) wheel arrangement. A miniature live steam engine of this type is large enough for the engineer to ride upon the tender
and pull many cars carrying passengers around the track. The caboose was used for riding the brakeman and special attention was paid to its interior by Walt - he fabricated many of its details, including miniature magazines cut from back issue order forms pasted on cardboard then feathered at the edges and a cast iron pot-bellied stove which he advertised for sale in model railroad magazines.
Walt Disney controlled the track of his backyard Carolwood Pacific Railroad from a special barn
. The barn served as the storage facility for his rolling stock
. It was also the central headquarters for the railroad's operations, with a central control console which included a fully functional signal system utilizing the "block" system—lights on the control panel indicate the presence of a train in a particular block and update the signals accordingly.
The barn was also a place where Disney, a creative man, retired to when needing to relax or develop new ideas.
The first train officially ran on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad on May 15, 1950. Walt used the train to entertain his daughters, their friends, and the children of friends who would visit for dinner, and sometimes the adults themselves. Soon the whole neighborhood was showing up to the house on weekends for train rides. He spent thousands of hours upon loving hours working on and tinkering with his train. The backyard railroad is credited with becoming part of his inspiration for the creation of Disneyland, first of the Walt Disney company theme parks. The first designs of the little park across from the studio included a live steam railroad that circled the park, a design feature which was retained in each iteration and was built around the finished product in Anaheim. The existence of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad in Walt's backyard only became widely known to the outside world in the publicity relating to the opening of Disneyland in nearby Anaheim in 1955. In a fantastic episode of the Disneyland television show detailing the "behind the scenes" creation of cartoons, sections of track were placed temporarily in various locations within the studios and Walt aboard the Lilly Belle was filmed transporting the audience as a "vehicle" to establish new locations. To this day folks will swear that there are little engines which transport cast members throughout the campus.
Walt personally owned Retlaw (Walter, spelled backwards) which operated the Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad franchise, as well as the Mark Twain at Disneyland. Cast members of the railroad, the Viewliner, and later the Monorail had their paychecks autographed by Walt. His attention to the Carolwood Pacific waned with his operation of his new full sized toy trains. Retlaw was the very last holdout franchise to concede ownership and sell to the Disneyland Resort.
In the 50 years since Disneyland opened, Walt's love of railroads have become an integral part of the Disney tradition. In addition to the original Disneyland in California, there are now railroads circling the Magic Kingdom
in Florida
, Disneyland Paris in France
, and Hong Kong Disneyland
in Hong Kong
as well as a scenic train ride attraction at Tokyo Disneyland
in Japan
.
Walt's fascination with mass transportation led to the now synonymous Disneyland Monorail System
attraction, and its full fledged transportation system sister Walt Disney World Monorail System
in Florida which serves as a true form of mass transportation serving more than five million guests annually.
at Griffith Park
in Los Angeles
. 98% of the barn is original, the exception being the cedar shake roof was replaced with fire safe shingles. Walt shaved in the mirror and basin, washed his hands with the Boraxo dispenser and sharpened his pencils with the grinder on display. Walt called the house on the antique butterstamp phone and switched the track from the control board near the telegraph key. The Carolwood Pacific Historical Society
docents and volunteers open the barn to the public for self guided tours and are on hand to gladly answer questions. Inside are displays of Walt Disney's trains, artifacts from Disneyland, the Los Angeles Live Steamers, of which Walt was a member, and other Disney railroad related memorabilia. It is open to the public only at the east entrance to 5200 Zoo Drive on the third Sunday of each month from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
main line track about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length, allowing member model railroaders to operate, enjoy then store their own equipment. Because it is a fenced club on public property, LALS must provide free rides to the general public. The public entrance on the west is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. unless there is a private special event.
To enjoy trains rides provided by LALS, guests of Walt's Barn must exit and walk along Zoo Drive to the west entrance.
Donations to both Walt's Barn and the LALS are strongly encouraged.
----
Since 2009, Carolwood's Lilly Belle and much of the railroad's rolling stock has been on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, along with thousands of other artifacts of Disney's life and career.
A mini-museum devoted to Walt's love of railroads is located in Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Wilderness Lodge, at Walt Disney World Resort
in Florida
.
Locomotive #2 Lilly Belle at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is named in honor of its Carolwood Pacific namesake. On October 21, 2003, Walt Disney World Railroad Steam Engine #3, the Roger E. Broggie was re-dedicated in honor of the late, longtime Disney Imagineer
Roger Broggie, who was named a Disney Legend in 1990. Broggie apprenticed Walt as a machinist as they built the original Lilly Belle for Walt's backyard Carolwood Pacific Railroad.
Live steam
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
backyard railroad
Backyard railroad
A backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from to or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that cannot be ridden are called garden railroads.Hundreds, even...
, built by the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
animated film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
and animator
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
, Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
(1901–1966) in the backyard (garden) of his home in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA.
Walt Disney's uncle, Michael Martin, had been a steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
engineer. As a teenager in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Disney had a summer job selling newspapers, candy, fruit, and soda on the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway. Walt loved the uniform, the trains, the candy, and the chance to see the country.
It was Disney's lifelong fascination with the railroad that in 1950 led to the building of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad (and even before that, a huge Lionel layout in a room adjacent to his office at the Studio).
With his daughters and their friends happily in tow in his backyard, Disney would ride on his 1/2 mile (0.8 kilometre)-long, 1/8 scale miniature railroad. This may have led Walt Disney to include the railroad as the backbone of his family-oriented Disneyland which opened in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
in 1955.
Today, railroads and monorail
Monorail
A monorail is a rail-based transportation system based on a single rail, which acts as its sole support and its guideway. The term is also used variously to describe the beam of the system, or the vehicles traveling on such a beam or track...
s are featured at many Walt Disney Company theme parks worldwide.
Backyard railroad
In 1949, Walt Disney moved his family to 355 N. Carolwood Drive, Holmby Hills districtHolmby Hills, Los Angeles, California
Holmby Hills is an affluent neighborhood in the district of Westwood in western Los Angeles. It is bordered by the city of Beverly Hills on the east, Wilshire Boulevard on the south, Westwood on the west, and Bel Air on the north. Sunset Boulevard is the area's principal thoroughfare which divides...
of Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. Inspired by his animators Ward Kimball
Ward Kimball
Ward Walrath Kimball was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios. He was one of Walt Disney's team of animators known as Disney's Nine Old Men.-Career:...
and Ollie Johnston
Ollie Johnston
Oliver Martin Johnston, Jr. was an American motion picture animator. He was one of Disney's Nine Old Men, and the last surviving at the time of his death. He was recognized by The Walt Disney Company with its Disney Legend Award in 1989...
who had backyard railroad
Backyard railroad
A backyard railroad is a privately owned, outdoor railroad, most often in miniature, but large enough for one or several persons to ride on. The rail gauge can be anything from to or more. Smaller backyard or outdoor railroads that cannot be ridden are called garden railroads.Hundreds, even...
s, Walt launched construction of a 1/8 scale live steam
Live steam
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
locomotive, rolling stock such as gondolas and a caboose, track and a small barn modeled in miniature for the one in Marceline, Missouri
Marceline, Missouri
Marceline is a city in Chariton and Linn Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. The population was 2,221 at the 2010 census.-History:In 1887 the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway began construction from Kansas City, Missouri to Chicago...
from his youth to keep them in.
The locomotive was patterned after the Central Pacific #173, a wood burning engine brought aboard ship from the east 'around the horn' and assembled in California to begin construction of the transcontinental railroad east through the Rocky Mountains. To keep the initials identical on the CP #173 he named his railroad the Carolwood Pacific in reference to the residence location on Carolwood Drive.
2615 feet (797 m) of railway track circled the house, looped and crossed, with turnouts, gradients, a trestle
Trestle
A trestle is a rigid frame used as a support, especially referring to a bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. In the context of trestle bridges, each supporting frame is generally referred to as a bent...
46 feet (14 m) long, overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
es, with an elevated dirt berm
Embankment (transportation)
To keep a road or railway line straight or flat, and where the comparative cost or practicality of alternate solutions is prohibitive, the land over which the road or rail line will travel is built up to form an embankment. An embankment is therefore in some sense the opposite of a cutting, and...
. Lillian Disney was supportive of her dear husband Walt's train hobby, although she veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
ed a track through her flower beds—so Walt instead built a 90 ft (27.4 m) 'S' curved tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
beneath them.
Steam locomotive
Disney admired the beautiful proportions and overall appearance of Central Pacific Railroad's steam locomotive #173Central Pacific 173
The Central Pacific Railroad number 173 was a 4-4-0 steam locomotive that was an example of a modern steam locomotive of the time. It was the prototype used for the Central Pacific's Sacramento Shops when the railroad began constructing locomotives...
, which became the prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
of the 1/8 scale "live steam
Live steam
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
' working model fabricated by Roger E. Broggie
Roger E. Broggie
Roger E. Broggie was an American mechanical engineer who worked with Walt Disney and the Walt Disney Company.-Early life:...
in the Walt Disney Studios machine shop. Southern Pacific draftsman David L Joslyn provided the two inches to foot scale drawings, based on the CP 173's specifications which were found in a warehouse of the railroad's old company records, and Walt himself spent many hours building parts for this engine, such as the smoke stack, the flagpoles and other small parts. However, most of the machining
Machining
Conventional machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, in which a collection of material-working processes utilizing power-driven machine tools, such as saws, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, are used with a sharp cutting tool to physical remove material to achieve a desired...
was done by studio technicians. On each side of the cab, the locomotive was named Lilly Belle to honor his wife Lillian Disney.
Like the prototype, the working "live steam
Live steam
Live steam is steam under pressure, obtained by heating water in a boiler. The steam is used to operate stationary or moving equipment.A live steam machine or device is one powered by steam, but the term is usually reserved for those that are replicas, scale models, toys, or otherwise used for...
" locomotive was an "American" type with a 4-4-0
4-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
(Whyte notation
Whyte notation
The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early twentieth century encouraged by an editorial in American Engineer and Railroad Journal...
) wheel arrangement. A miniature live steam engine of this type is large enough for the engineer to ride upon the tender
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
and pull many cars carrying passengers around the track. The caboose was used for riding the brakeman and special attention was paid to its interior by Walt - he fabricated many of its details, including miniature magazines cut from back issue order forms pasted on cardboard then feathered at the edges and a cast iron pot-bellied stove which he advertised for sale in model railroad magazines.
Walt Disney's barn
![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/w/wa/waltlayout.gif)
Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn
Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn is a museum located at the Los Angeles Live Steamers complex in Griffith Park. It is a miniature barn used by Walt Disney as a machine shop while operating his miniature "live steam" Carolwood Pacific Railroad layout in the backyard of his home in Holmby Hills, a...
. The barn served as the storage facility for his rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
. It was also the central headquarters for the railroad's operations, with a central control console which included a fully functional signal system utilizing the "block" system—lights on the control panel indicate the presence of a train in a particular block and update the signals accordingly.
The barn was also a place where Disney, a creative man, retired to when needing to relax or develop new ideas.
A predecessor to Disney theme parks
![](http://image.absoluteastronomy.com/images/encyclopediaimages/l/li/lillybelledland.jpg)
- Herbie, [Herb Ryman], I just want it to look like nothing else in the world. And it should be surrounded by a train. —Walt Disney
The first train officially ran on the Carolwood Pacific Railroad on May 15, 1950. Walt used the train to entertain his daughters, their friends, and the children of friends who would visit for dinner, and sometimes the adults themselves. Soon the whole neighborhood was showing up to the house on weekends for train rides. He spent thousands of hours upon loving hours working on and tinkering with his train. The backyard railroad is credited with becoming part of his inspiration for the creation of Disneyland, first of the Walt Disney company theme parks. The first designs of the little park across from the studio included a live steam railroad that circled the park, a design feature which was retained in each iteration and was built around the finished product in Anaheim. The existence of the Carolwood Pacific Railroad in Walt's backyard only became widely known to the outside world in the publicity relating to the opening of Disneyland in nearby Anaheim in 1955. In a fantastic episode of the Disneyland television show detailing the "behind the scenes" creation of cartoons, sections of track were placed temporarily in various locations within the studios and Walt aboard the Lilly Belle was filmed transporting the audience as a "vehicle" to establish new locations. To this day folks will swear that there are little engines which transport cast members throughout the campus.
Walt personally owned Retlaw (Walter, spelled backwards) which operated the Santa Fe and Disneyland Railroad franchise, as well as the Mark Twain at Disneyland. Cast members of the railroad, the Viewliner, and later the Monorail had their paychecks autographed by Walt. His attention to the Carolwood Pacific waned with his operation of his new full sized toy trains. Retlaw was the very last holdout franchise to concede ownership and sell to the Disneyland Resort.
In the 50 years since Disneyland opened, Walt's love of railroads have become an integral part of the Disney tradition. In addition to the original Disneyland in California, there are now railroads circling the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Disneyland Paris in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland
Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It is the first theme park located inside the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort and is owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks. The park opened to visitors on 12 September 2005...
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
as well as a scenic train ride attraction at Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo Disneyland
is a 115 acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, near Tokyo. Its main gate is directly adjacent to both Maihama Station and Tokyo Disneyland Station. It was the first Disney park to be built outside of the United States and opened on April 15, 1983...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Walt's fascination with mass transportation led to the now synonymous Disneyland Monorail System
Disneyland Monorail System
The Disneyland Monorail System is an attraction and transportation system at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, USA...
attraction, and its full fledged transportation system sister Walt Disney World Monorail System
Walt Disney World Monorail System
The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a public transit system in operation at the Walt Disney World Resort.The Walt Disney World Resort currently operates twelve Mark VI monorail trains on three lines of service. The monorail system opened in 1971 with two routes and with Mark IV monorail trains...
in Florida which serves as a true form of mass transportation serving more than five million guests annually.
Heritage
When the Holmby Hills home was sold, Walt Disney's historic barn was about to be demolished to make room for a mansion of maximum square footage. In 1998, through the efforts of the Walt Disney Family Foundation and others, the barn was purchased by Disney's heirs and relocated on permanent loan to an enclave within the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum (LALS)Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum is a non-profit public benefit corporation that was founded in 1956 by live steam enthusiasts for the purpose of educating the public about railroad history and lore, and to promote the avocation of live steam and scale model railroad technology. The...
at Griffith Park
Griffith Park
Griffith Park is a large municipal park at the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. The park covers of land, making it one of the largest urban parks in North America...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. 98% of the barn is original, the exception being the cedar shake roof was replaced with fire safe shingles. Walt shaved in the mirror and basin, washed his hands with the Boraxo dispenser and sharpened his pencils with the grinder on display. Walt called the house on the antique butterstamp phone and switched the track from the control board near the telegraph key. The Carolwood Pacific Historical Society
Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn
Walt Disney's Carolwood Barn is a museum located at the Los Angeles Live Steamers complex in Griffith Park. It is a miniature barn used by Walt Disney as a machine shop while operating his miniature "live steam" Carolwood Pacific Railroad layout in the backyard of his home in Holmby Hills, a...
docents and volunteers open the barn to the public for self guided tours and are on hand to gladly answer questions. Inside are displays of Walt Disney's trains, artifacts from Disneyland, the Los Angeles Live Steamers, of which Walt was a member, and other Disney railroad related memorabilia. It is open to the public only at the east entrance to 5200 Zoo Drive on the third Sunday of each month from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum
Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum is a non-profit public benefit corporation that was founded in 1956 by live steam enthusiasts for the purpose of educating the public about railroad history and lore, and to promote the avocation of live steam and scale model railroad technology. The...
main line track about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length, allowing member model railroaders to operate, enjoy then store their own equipment. Because it is a fenced club on public property, LALS must provide free rides to the general public. The public entrance on the west is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. unless there is a private special event.
To enjoy trains rides provided by LALS, guests of Walt's Barn must exit and walk along Zoo Drive to the west entrance.
Donations to both Walt's Barn and the LALS are strongly encouraged.
----
Since 2009, Carolwood's Lilly Belle and much of the railroad's rolling stock has been on display at the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, along with thousands of other artifacts of Disney's life and career.
A mini-museum devoted to Walt's love of railroads is located in Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground is a themed camping resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It officially opened on November 19, 1971....
Wilderness Lodge, at Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Locomotive #2 Lilly Belle at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is named in honor of its Carolwood Pacific namesake. On October 21, 2003, Walt Disney World Railroad Steam Engine #3, the Roger E. Broggie was re-dedicated in honor of the late, longtime Disney Imagineer
Imagineer
Imagineer may refer to:* Disney Imagineer, a position at the Walt Disney company* Imagineer Systems, a visual effects software company* Imagineer , a Japanese video game, mobile, software company...
Roger Broggie, who was named a Disney Legend in 1990. Broggie apprenticed Walt as a machinist as they built the original Lilly Belle for Walt's backyard Carolwood Pacific Railroad.
External links
- Carolwood Pacific Historical Society official website
- Carolwood Foundation (non-profit) official website
- Carolwood Pacific unofficial website
- Disney's Barn website
- Los Angeles Live Steamers official website
- Disneyland Railroad today webpage
- Magic Behind the Steam Trains Tour webpage
- Hidden Mickey's Disney Train Secrets webpage
- History of the Disneyland Railroad
- Walt Disney World Dedication of Steam Engine # 3 Roger E. Broggie
- Walt's backyard railroad