Code 101

[Zazu]

But we never had any problems with the rails; I wonder if the rails Zazu are talking about are made different than the ones at Knott's? From the research I've been able to do, WDW trains were made 1925, Knott's in 1881....

It isn't the age of the trains, it's the age and size of the rails. I've heard conflicting information, but the most reasonable is that the original rails for the WDW RR were rolled in the 1890s and weigh only 40#/yard--pretty light as rail goes. Conflicting information about where they were used, but they were in pretty decent shape.

IIRC, the rails on the Calico & Ghost Town are 75#, nearly twice the size, so I would expect correspondingly fewer problems with them, even though the locomotives are larger.

Too lazy to look up axle loadings tonight. Another research project to add to the heap.

[Zazu]

Knott's trains have a speed limit of 7-8 mph, though they're capable of 37 mph.

WDW RR speed limit is 12mph, but I know of at least one occasion when the Roy got up to 48mph on the backstretch, and was still accelerating when we ran out of track and had to slow down. Pretty amazing machines, and due to last a good long time with the good care and light duty they have.

[Zazu]

Now that you are gone, who is supposed to keep the train from blowing up?

On advice of legal counsel, I am not going to make any statements about the safety (or lack thereof) of the WDW Railroad. I will observe that I am still willing to ride... in the last car.

[Shorty82]

WDW RR speed limit is 12mph, but I know of at least one occasion when the Roy got up to 48mph on the backstretch, and was still accelerating when we ran out of track and had to slow down. Pretty amazing machines, and due to last a good long time with the good care and light duty they have.

48 MILES PER HOUR?!?!?!?! That's almost scary, especially considering the backstretch isn't all that long really and the distance you would have needed to slow down to a safe speed for the curve at the end of it. I'd be holding on for dear life if I was on him when you all did that.

[Rob562]

WDW RR speed limit is 12mph, but I know of at least one occasion when the Roy got up to 48mph on the backstretch, and was still accelerating when we ran out of track

Was that when Doc Brown put special logs into the fire? ;)

-Rob

[BRWombat]

Was that when Doc Brown put special logs into the fire? ;)

-Rob

Heh! I was thinking the same thing. :D:

[Randy B]

Was that when Doc Brown put special logs into the fire? ;)

-Rob

Naw. The engineer was in a rush with his legs crossed, in some distress. What Zazu didn't mention was the engineer hopped off the train near the backstage restrooms while the train coasted into the station. (j/k)

Actually I believe this run was mentioned once before when "famous last days" were being discussed.

Randy

[EpcotFan]

Another day at Muppets ... I was in the theatre position in rotation, which basically meant I spieled as people were entering and exiting the theatre, then sat on a bench in the back and watched the film for any maintenance concerns, like out of synch picture or sound, failure of the aa figures, Sweetums getting silly and deciding to ride out to do his lines on a bicycle (it happened), etc.

I would have loved to have seen that! Of course I might have lost bladder control laughing myself silly... :-)

[EpcotFan]

...So, I told my bump to call in a Signal 25 and to notify the next station. I grabbed a fire extinguisher and walked off down the track putting out the little fires, poof, poof, poof. (No, this isn't where I got a reputation as an "outstanding poofer", that was another time in Fantasyland.)

OK, now we want to hear the Fantasyland story... :D:

[Randy B]

OK, now we want to hear the Fantasyland story... :D:

If you hold out for all Zazu's stories we will need an entire site just for the stories. You've heard the phrase "He's got a million of 'em"? Well, he has several million of 'em. No joke. :D:

Besides I probably don't want to hear about Zazu being called a poof. It may involve either bloodshed or Zazu playing along. And either way the mental picture is just too horrible. :D: :D:

Randy