Walt Disney's passion for live steam railroads - Part 2 of 3
The Carolwood Pacific HistoricalSociety is dedicated to preserving the personal railroad legacy of Walt Disney. They are supported by the Carolwood Foundation. At their website, they sum up Walt's passion for railways as follows:
“Walt Disney always loved trains and he was one of America’s greatest railfans. Through his own initiative and personal financial resources, he was responsible for preserving real steam railroading for generations to enjoy at Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and other Disney theme parks around the world.
Walt Disney helped to build, and enjoyed sharing, one of the most intricately detailed miniature live-steam home railroads ever created: the one-eighth scale Carolwood Pacific Railroad, the backyard pike located at his estate in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles."
The Society has developed a number of historic exhibits in
Griffiths Park in Los Angeles, California at the premises of the Los Angeles Live Steamers. Among the historic exhibits are:
Walt Disney’s Barn
The Carollwood site describes the barn as follows:
“Walt Disney’s center of operations for his original
backyard miniature railway was a quaint red barn that Walt built as a replica
of one from the Disney farm in Marceline, MO. The Carolwood barn served as his
workshop and he spent many hours here building miniatures and model trains. Today,
Walt's Barn is a living showcase of Walt's passion for railroading. Operated by
the non-profit Carolwood Foundation, Walt's Barn is filled with trains of all
scales. Many of Walt's personal items and tools are displayed including work
benches he built himself.”
Walt Disney’s favourite combine
The Carolwood website talks about the combine as follows:
“Combine is a railroad term for a coach that carries both
passengers and freight. One such car was used on the Missouri Pacific train
upon which Walt Disney worked as a 14-year-old news butch. The combine from the
Disneyland Retlaw1 consist was purchased by the Carolwood Foundation in 2012.
We have now completed the restoration but still need to construct a permanent
shelter to home for the combine next to Walt's Barn."
Ollie Johnston’s Railway Station
Ollie Johnston was on of the famed 7 seven original cartoonists at
Disney Studios and like a number of them, a miniature railway enthusiast. The Carolwood Foundation saved Ollie's
Station.
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| The Barn in Griffiths Park |
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| Inside the barn |
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| Inside the Barn - Lilli Belle Replica |
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| The Combine |
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| Ollie Johnson's Station |
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