The Conductor Prepares the Train for Its Tour Around the Park	The Train Waits for Passengers at the Main Street Station

vital stats

personal preference

stars: 2.5 (out of 5)
Trains were Walt's favorite so they always deserve a place in the park and riding them is still fun for a kid who's never been on one, but there isn't alot to see on the route and the two dioramas seem quaint nowadays.

free association

. . . The best place to board is at the Main St. station because the other stations (especially the New Orleans Square one) are often really crowded. . .

. . . If it's your first time at Disneyland, the railroad is a nice way to get an overall view of the park before you really venture into it. . .

. . . The train makes for great respite if you're all Disneyed-out and just want to relax. It's also unique because it's one of the few attractions that you can ride as many times as you want. . .

pointless trivia

• The Disneyland Railroad was the first attraction available to the public on July 17, 1955. In fact, Walt Disney himself was at the controls of the first train that pulled into the station. (The E-Ticket, Summer 1994)
• The inspiration for the Disneyland Railroad was a model railroad called the Carolwood Pacific that Walt maintained in the backyard of his home. (Ibid)
• Until the 1970's, it was known as the "The Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad." (Ibid)
• The Grand Canyon Diorama premiered in June 1958, The Primeval World in 1966. The dinosaurs in the attraction were originally part of Ford's Magic Skyway pavillion at the New York World's Fair in 1964.
• Two of the four steam trains, the C. K. Holliday and E. P. Ripley, were built at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. The other two trains, however, were authentic locomotives that saw real duty. The Fred G. Gurley was built in 1894 and hauled sugar cane in Louisiana. The Ernest S. Marsh was used at a lumbermill in New England after its construction in 1925. (Disneyland - Memories of a Lifetime) - search for it on amazon.com
• The four engines of the trains are named after the founders and executives of the Santa Fe Railroad. (Ibid)
• TEST: What was the Mickey's Toontown station known as before that land's opening in 1993? Answer Below

Answer: Videopolis Station