The Grand Circle Tourer

The Disneyland Railroad has been with us now for 60 years and in all that time it hasn't changed all that much. Although the

park the train goes around has changed quite a bit, the theme and overall idea of the ride haven't changed at all. 60 years is along time. So why is this slow, loud, steam engine still chugging around Disneyland? Lets find out shall we? "Quiet now, as we travel back in time!" Back to the 1950's....

The Disneyland Railroad came from Walt Disney's love of model trains. He had the bigger ones you could ride. He had many near his animation studio because these trains are how he let off steam, so to speak. He got so stressed he was told to get a hobby. And he choose a boyhood hobby, building and running large model steam trains.

When the idea of a small theme park behind the studio came around, Walt wanted a train to go around the park. The idea for a theme park behind the studio was scrapped pretty fast, and an idea for a bigger theme park called Disneyland was reveled. This lead to the Disneyland we know today. Walt still wanted a genuine steam engine to run around the park, carrying passengers to the various lands. This dream came true fro Walt, and the train still runs around the park, 60 years later.

When is was built, there was separate trains, like we have today. But one train was specifically for Fronteirland. it would go all the way around the park, with one stops at each station, except the Main Street U.S.A. Station. There was a separate track that went around the train at the Main Street station. That track is still there. They did this going around the other train thing for a long time. But it was eventually scrapped due to safety and the hassle.

Now I usually say how the train is an "Icon of the Park" or something like that. And though that is true, that the Disneyland Railroad is an icon of the park, its not in the usual way. Bear with me here, cause you are gonna have to use your imagination:

Imagine yourself, in the Disneyland esplanade. You are walking to the line for your ticket to get scanned. You hear the crowds chatting, the esplanade music playing and the ticket scanners beeping. Its nice and cool that morning, and there ins't a crazy amount of crowds. You have glanced at Main Street station. And then, a new sound enters the scene. You hear a labored huff, puff, huff, puff with the sound of a heavy train on steel tracks. Its not a scraping sound, but you can feel that its heavy. You look up wondering where this sound is coming from. Then, from behind the hedges, a bright red steam engine rolls in to the station. The bell starts to toll on the engine, as the engineer pulls a rope to ring it. As it pulls in you can feel the near 60 years of practice that the conductor has of driving this train. It comes in pretty fast, but slows gently and lines up perfectly with the station. It stops and people get off. Then starts back up again and heads off with a toot toot. The park continues as it was before.

You see, or rather, you hear the Disneyland Railroad. The ride itself is a huge part of Disneyland, but its the sounds of the beloved railroad we all know best. The ringing of the bell when it pulls in. The heavy locomotive in the old tracks. And the sound of stream, in all its forms and action. Disneyland is iconic because of what it is, and because of whats inside it. I believe this sound of the train pulling in to Main Street station is in the top three most iconic sounds of Disneyland. Its unique and cherished. Its one of the staples of the Disneyland resort.

In closing, the Disneyland Railroad is one of the staples of Disneyland, because of the roll it plays at the Park. We all have memories as children of our parents, (or vice versa) falling asleep during the grand canyon diorama. We all have memories of the train as it pulls into the station. For people of all ages, it is a huge part of every visit, although they might not know it. So next time you visit Disneyland, be sure to appreciate what the train is for you and your family, and the role it plays at the Disneyland Resort.