DisAl
Well-Known Member
Even if they wanted to the WDWRR is narrow gauge. It can not run on standard gauge tracks.
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News Roger E. Broggie overhaul
- Thread starter Captain Barbossa
- Start date
mikeymouse
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the update and photos! Great to hear they are really taking pride in these iron horses. I'm about 4 hours from Strasburg so it wouldn't really be worth the drive to possibly see nothing. Somewhere used to list all the locomotives with which brand and model whistle was on which one. Sadly I now can't find it. Anyone?
Phil12
Well-Known Member
Gauge conversion is the answer. They could widen the gauge for the trip and then convert it back to narrow gauge upon its return. But, of course, since the Disney steam trains are really just toys, it's best to keep them away from the real world of the legitimate railway system. It's safer for them to be carried on a flatbed truck however embarrassing that might be.
Monorail_Orange
Well-Known Member
First of all, there's no external rail line connected directly to the WDWRR, so it would have to be trucked over some distance regardless. IIRC, the WDWRR operates on 36" gauge. Standard gauge is 4'8.5" you would have to remove and replace every single axle on the locomotive and tender and insert new ones almost 21" longer. Also, those locomotives were NEVER speed-demon, main-line models, they are slow-service branch line models. None of this addresses the real reason why steam locomotives were surpassed by diesel-electric in commercial service, which is they use up water at an astronomical rate...and there aren't many, if any, water towers left between WDW and Strasbourg, so the engine would now have to be hauling multiple tank cars directly connected with tender hoses to supply mostly water, but also fuel. Simply hauling it on a truck instead of all that ridiculous, impractical, nonsense is not embarrassing, that's reality.
Please tell me you are not serious, and it was all tongue-in-cheek fun? Because, otherwise, your suggestion is embarrassing.
NormC
Well-Known Member
You just lost a bunch more IQ points with that post.
mikeymouse
Well-Known Member
Agreed. It would be too complex and too risky. There are several different railroads between FL and PA. There would be a lot of switching, you would have to haul extra water and fuel and stop often to top off.
Ninja Mom
Well-Known Member
I'm sort of bummed about the electronic igniter. It was always fun to see the Gods of Fire and Steam start the fire in the boiler.
~NM
Phil12
Well-Known Member
Why do facts upset you so much?
DisAl
Well-Known Member
If I remember correctly the WDW locomotives use about 200 gallons of water and 50 gallons of fuel for every three trips around the MK.
(Somebody feel free to correct me on that if I am incorrect, but that is what we were told on one of the tours.)
The "short hop" operation at lower speed is very inefficient. They usually leave the Johnson bar in full forward (which wastes a lot of steam) and control speed with just the throttle. They could probably get twice the distance on longer runs at speed but they would still have to have water every 30 or 40 miles. But as mentioned above it would be impractical to try to run them to Strasburg even if they could, and why put that much wear and tear on them.
DisAl
Well-Known Member
Are you sure about the generator? That does not sound practical to me that they could power the safety systems, PA systems, and lighting on the coaches and locomotive with batteries for a full day of operation.
I can see it now..... A wrecker pulled up next to the tracks with a set of jumper cables running to the tender.
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Yup, that's what Lilly has been using for the past 2.5 years and it works just fine. Walter will have batteries too. Right now, Roy is the only one left with steam generators. All of the locomotives on the DLRR have batteries and they've been using them for quite some time.Are you sure about the generator? That does not sound practical to me that they could power the safety systems, PA systems, and lighting on the coaches and locomotive with batteries for a full day of operation.
I can see it now..... A wrecker pulled up next to the tracks with a set of jumper cables running to the tender.
DisAl
Well-Known Member
To picky me, that is disappointing. One more piece of authenticity gone. Next thing you know they will be running the locos off compressed air.
Other than any safety related upgrades I would rather see them as close to "original" as possible.
Coaster Lover
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Not only that, but just about every piece that needs to be replaced needs to be custom made.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Anyone know why they chose to go with the new batteries? Are the new boilers smaller or run at lower pressure?
NormC
Well-Known Member
What facts? Did you delete that post?
Walter and Lilly both have Buckeye 3 inch 3 chimes. Roger also had a Buckeye 3 inch 3 chime, but switched to a Lonergan 3 inch 3 chime in 2014. Roy had a Baldwin 5 inch 3 chime, but switched to the Crosby 6 inch 3 chime that was on the Admiral Joe Fowler after the dry dock accident in 1980 and has been using it ever since. The Liberty Belle used Roy’s original Baldwin 5 inch 3 chime until it switched to that annoying Lunkenheimer 3 inch single chime in December of 2018 following her overhaul.
Andrew M
Well-Known Member
Simple: less maintenance. Much easier to charge or swap out batteries then to diagnose what's wrong and fix a steam generator. Plus with with WDWRR operations, the electrical demand and running time is pretty much set. So it's fairly simple to design a battery system to easily meet that and then be fully charged overnight.