Life on the WDW Railroad

[NemoRanger]

I always loved trains. When I was a guest I often would ride the train around the park several times a day. So I could not be happier to actually be working on the WDW railroad. I love it. I love the trains and the fellow conductors and engineers are the BEST. I am having the time of my life.

What cracks me up is how many people take my picture. I feel like a celebrity sometimes. I have had countless people stop me to take my picture with me. I also love the people who video me or snap my picture as the train leaves the station. Its unreal and so much fun.

Majority of the guest have been so great.

Today was cranky SG day. I generally try and not let it bother me. Most just sit there slack jaw and wonder what they are thinking.

I had one family I kicked off the train because he jumped off as the train started leaving the stat
ions then tried to change his mind and jump on again. i just said no way, you jump off a moving train and your off.

First thing one morning this guest comes up to the station and DEMANDS to know why he was not allowed on the show train that had not pulled out yet. I calmly explained that train is specifically used ONLY for the morning welcome show. The train used in Daily service should be here shortly. To which he went on a tyraid on how ridiculous it was that he should have to wait . The park is open now and the train should be waiting for him as he was first up on the platform. He went on to say how LAZY, Rude and inconsiderate it was and we should get our act together. All I could think was "Damn who pee'd in your cherrios this morning"

I had another woman with a stroller come up the exit ramp and say "I paid a lot of money to come here, I should be able to do what I want. My kids can not WALK up those stairs so let me in this" Sorry but HELL NO.

Overall though people are awesome that come to the trains. I have never met so many kids really into Thomas the Train. Disney should definitely look at buying the rights to that.

I love a job where I do not want to leave at the end of my shift. I would love to open and close the train down each day.

[hobie16]

You could be Mini-Zazu. :D:

[DisneyMom]

Think Six Flags has Thomas the Train rights....Magic Mountain has a Thomas the Train area. However, they do have a Thomas the Train out here in Fillmore California that runs for a period at least once a year. The Kids are crazy about Thomas. :)

[Zazu]

You could be Mini-Zazu. :D:

Yup, sounds just like me 13 years ago, including the, "No, you jumped off the train, now stay off!"

Look me up some time. We'll grab lunch and I'll tell you a bunch of stories that aren't part of the training (any more)!

[CBeilby]

Look me up some time. We'll grab lunch and I'll tell you a bunch of stories that aren't part of the training (any more)!

But probably should be...

I wish that, when I moved back to California from Virginia, that I'd been able to get hired at Disney as a DLRR engineer. (I was an Engineer for my first season at Busch Gardens Virginia, until the Cuddlebug was born...)

[shilohmm]

What cracks me up is how many people take my picture. I feel like a celebrity sometimes. I have had countless people stop me to take my picture with me. I also love the people who video me or snap my picture as the train leaves the station. Its unreal and so much fun.

I was going to stay they don't want your picture because you're a celebrity; they want your picture because you were integral to something that gave them great joy. :thumbup:

But then I got to thinking that, for some people, that's the appeal of celebrities. So maybe you're a celebrity, after all. :p:

[CEB]

Here is a good book by a former castmember who played dreamfinder. He has good advice on his experience as a character. http://dreemfinder.wordpress.com/ Another good place to go is Burnsland about the Disney railroads. http://burnsland.com/disneyrailroads/ If you ever get the chance to meet Michael Brogge he is a great resource about the Disney railroads. His father was Roger Broggie. He has great stories about Walt Disney and family and his own family. Michael is involved with the Carolwood Pacific. http://www.Carolwood.com I was in the 1991 College program and tried to work on the WDWRR but they were building Splash Mountain and the train went from Mickeys Starland to Main street station. I now work for CSX Transportation. I still work on the railroad but I pay into railroad retirement.

[ktulu]

I plan on taking my 5th steam train tour on our next trip. The long term plan is to retire to Orlando and get a job at WDW, moving to the trains as soon as I can.

[NemoRanger]

Has anyone worked on the Trains and the Monorails? I am curious to people thoughts on what is better to work on? To me the monorails are nice and I certain love them but they do not get me as excited as the steam train. I love riding on the back of the train and seeing the changing scenery. I miss the old music that used to play on train.

[Big Wallaby]

In Monorails I had a trainee (who now works at Disneyland) who had worked on the steam trains. I'll ask him for his thoughts. Well, that or get him to come here and tell you himself. He had some great stories.