News Walter E. Disney overhaul

[RaveOnEd]

Thanks for settling the score. There’s been an ongoing feud on the live-cam chat the past month on whether it works or not. Some people were “very sure” that y’all had given 611 permission to turn around on the table before departing Strasburg lol.

From what I know, I don't know if it was ever discussed to turn her around. There would have to be some movement of a few things in the yard, as well as the cars on the other side of Route 741 (the storage track that runs behind Choo-Choo Barn and all)

I think the idea always was that she would be brought in, then ferried back to the NS main tender first for the return trip.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

From what I know, I don't know if it was ever discussed to turn her around. There would have to be some movement of a few things in the yard, as well as the cars on the other side of Route 741 (the storage track that runs behind Choo-Choo Barn and all)

Oh I didn’t believe it one bit, trust me. I don’t think that she and her auxiliary water tender would even fit on the turntable.

I think the idea always was that she would be brought in, then ferried back to the NS main tender first for the return trip.

Correct. She was ferried tender first to Enola where she turned around on the wye before continuing south to Spencer.

 

[Victor Kelly]

I am so in a dire need to build a permanent HO layout. Have not had one since I was 10 which is now 34 years ago.

 

[jbolen2]

These are of Roy returning to the roundhouse on the flatbed truck following his last overhaul at Tweetsie about 20 years ago.
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Oh wow, that’s really cool. Could you possibly tell me whether y’all’s turntable is operable or not?


Glad to hear that y’all had a great time. And if you think 611 makes 90 look small, you should’ve seen her next to 89 the day she arrived.

That’s neat how they had track right up to the drop deck it was loaded on. Is this a section by the train house for this or an improvised deal?

 

[RaveOnEd]

That’s neat how they had track right up to the drop deck it was loaded on. Is this a section by the train house for this or an improvised deal?

That looks like just an improvised bit of track that's pieced together to make an incline to the trailer. From those photos, that's right on the tracks that come out of the roundhouse and start to converge via switches out to the line heading to MK.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

That’s neat how they had track right up to the drop deck it was loaded on. Is this a section by the train house for this or an improvised deal?

That looks like just an improvised bit of track that's pieced together to make an incline to the trailer. From those photos, that's right on the tracks that come out of the roundhouse and start to converge via switches out to the line heading to MK.

Yes, it’s just portable track/rails that elevate to the flatbed and are aligned on top of the actual track. (they were set up on track/stall #4) All that’s left to do is slightly pull the chain and let gravity handle the rest. Oh, and hope and pray that nothing goes wrong. It’s a simple yet nerve racking process.

 

[RaveOnEd]

Yes, it’s just portable track/rails that elevate to the flatbed and are aligned on top of the actual track. (they were set up on track/stall #4) All that’s left to do is slightly pull the chain and let gravity handle the rest. Oh, and hope and pray that nothing goes wrong. It’s a simple yet nerve racking process.

Yes, sir! The more you hear the rails make that slight creak, the more nervous you get!

 

[Monorail_Orange]

I am so in a dire need to build a permanent HO layout. Have not had one since I was 10 which is now 34 years ago.

Serious suggestion: Try O scale instead. Yes, some of the trains and track are a bit more expensive (some not, anymore) but especially as those of us model train buffs are getting older, O scale is much easier to ensure cars/engines are properly "railed" and maintained/repaired. Yes, you do lose some "immersion" with the 3rd rail, but your trains are every bit (even more, sometimes) as detailed, and the capabilities and possibilities are expanded, IMO. Admittedly, I am biased, I had an HO layout when I was young, but my father and grandfather later built an O layout. I have dabbled in HO occasionally to check out the advances, but it's just not what I can do with O scale.

 

[Victor Kelly]

Serious suggestion: Try O scale instead. Yes, some of the trains and track are a bit more expensive (some not, anymore) but especially as those of us model train buffs are getting older, O scale is much easier to ensure cars/engines are properly "railed" and maintained/repaired. Yes, you do lose some "immersion" with the 3rd rail, but your trains are every bit (even more, sometimes) as detailed, and the capabilities and possibilities are expanded, IMO. Admittedly, I am biased, I had an HO layout when I was young, but my father and grandfather later built an O layout. I have dabbled in HO occasionally to check out the advances, but it's just not what I can do with O scale.

I loved the idea of N scale. But it was too small.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I loved the idea of N scale. But it was too small.

For me HO is the perfect scale.

 

[Victor Kelly]

For me HO is the perfect scale.

I am in total agreement. However if I had the chance to build outdoors I would go bigger.

 

[John park hopper]

I had a HO train set up in our basement when I was about 12. I can remember spending hours building the layout had not thought about that in years since it was brought up by Victor Kelly. I don't know whatever happened to it. My mom moved from NY to FL sold the house while I was in the service. May still be in the basement (would like to think so)

 

[n2hifi]

I am so in a dire need to build a permanent HO layout. Have not had one since I was 10 which is now 34 years ago.

I have been working on my HO scale for 30 years. In fact I spent about six hours yesterday on it. My dad actively works on his O scale most days (he is retired). I have been doing mostly scratch built and custom stuff as of late so it's taking a lot of time. A couple of times I thought about a narrow gauge 'Disney' loop or even monorail, but it really wouldn't fit design wise. A friend of mine in the designing stage just decided to go HOn3 (narrow gauge) in lieu of N to get more detail but keep the tight radius'.

 

[Andrew M]

Serious suggestion: Try O scale instead. Yes, some of the trains and track are a bit more expensive (some not, anymore) but especially as those of us model train buffs are getting older, O scale is much easier to ensure cars/engines are properly "railed" and maintained/repaired. Yes, you do lose some "immersion" with the 3rd rail, but your trains are every bit (even more, sometimes) as detailed, and the capabilities and possibilities are expanded, IMO. Admittedly, I am biased, I had an HO layout when I was young, but my father and grandfather later built an O layout. I have dabbled in HO occasionally to check out the advances, but it's just not what I can do with O scale.

I started in O scale from my dad's postwar collection. The cost and size are definitely downsides, but it is alot easier for my kids (6, 5 & 3yrs old) to play with than N & HO. Between all the custom sounds and controlling the trains on your phone, there's alot of cool features. To keep this somewhat on-topic, MTH was originally going to produce a scale model of the Walter, but talks with Disney and MTH fell through, so the models that were in production got turned into 'presidential series' locomotives:

I've got this one, and have been meaning to print decals to correct the lettering, but for now it's close enough. I also have a 4-4-0 I plan on turning into the C.K. Holiday at some point.

I've got some N scale and HO stuff, but I'll keep that in the attic until the kids are much older.

 

[Captain Barbossa]

Not trying to get this thread off topic, but I’m highly considering getting into HO. I’ve just kinda become fed up with O gauge/scale. The cost has gotten insanely expensive, even for conventional/non-command control locomotives, and it takes up a lot of space, which is something that I don’t have a lot of at the moment. HO is smaller, but not too small for my liking, and it’s much more affordable.

 

[Victor Kelly]

I'd like to run some monorails myself. But if we can get close to WDW locos and just detail them we are ahead.

 

[RaveOnEd]

I'd like to run some monorails myself. But if we can get close to WDW locos and just detail them we are ahead.

Start looking online here and there for the Bradford Exchange trains that Bachmann makes for them in On30. They've introduced a 4-6-0 in On30 that looks very familiar overall. The latest Thomas Kinkade Holiday train uses this engine. It would still need modification, but it is a narrow gauge Ten-Wheeler in that style. Put that with either the Main Street Station kit from the 1990's or even the vintage Lionel HO "Passenger Station" (which is Main Street Station, and can be gotten for much less money!) and you're on your way.

For you O-Gauge folks, MTH Trains have done 4-6-0 locos named George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Not only do they look extremely familiar, the original styrofoam ends in the box had "WDW" on them! From what I heard, it was a proposed WDW loco that fell through in the last minute between Disney and MTH. MTH just issued them with the Washington and Lincoln names, but same colors and fonts as the Walter E.

 

[Andrew M]

For you O-Gauge folks, MTH Trains have done 4-6-0 locos named George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Not only do they look extremely familiar, the original styrofoam ends in the box had "WDW" on them! From what I heard, it was a proposed WDW loco that fell through in the last minute between Disney and MTH. MTH just issued them with the Washington and Lincoln names, but same colors and fonts as the Walter E.

Ha, yep. MTH actually went out and measured Walter for the model. The one I have you can actually see the 'WDW RR' logo under the George Washington paint.

 

[Monorail_Orange]

Ha, yep. MTH actually went out and measured Walter for the model. The one I have you can actually see the 'WDW RR' logo under the George Washington paint.

Man, I wish they would have been able to make that happen...how i dream of being able to hit my PSA sequence and hear, "Your attention please...the Walt Disney World Railroad now arriving for a grand circle tour of the Magic Kingdom. Booooooard!" with the actual sounds from the locomotive. Although, IIRC the presidential locos from MTH are from the Rail King line (have nothing against it, but I love the full scale and detail of Premier) Not to launch into a Ford vs. Chevy type debate, I'm really partial to MTH...my modern Lionel stuff (I have a little) hasn't impressed me nearly as much (quality vs value especially).

Ok, now that I've rudely derailed this thread into oblivion...any more updates on Walter or Roger lately?

 

[Captain Barbossa]

any more updates on Walter

Nothing since the update a week ago.