Walt’s Favorite Rail Car

MouseStation 370 – Walt’s Favorite Rail Car

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Show run time 0:23:08

On today’s show, Steven talks with Michael Broggie about the efforts to restore Walt Disney’s favorite rail car and place it on display for all to enjoy.

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Feature: Walt’s Favorite Rail Car

Steven spoke with Michael Broggie back in July. Michael was representing the Carolwood Foundation, the non-profit part of the Carolwood Pacific Historical Society. CPHS is the organization that saved Walt Disney’s train barn from his backyard in Holmby Hills and relocated it to Griffith Park. The organization is named after Walt’s backyard railroad, which he called the Carolwood Pacific Railroad because his home was located on Carolwood Drive. The organization also saved Disney Legend Ollie Johnston’s backyard depot and moved it next to Walt’s barn.

Disneyland’s original train set, or consist, was called the Retlaw-1 (Retlaw, or Walter spelled backwards, was the company Walt set up to run the railroad at Disneyland). The yellow consist was originally six cars. One car still runs on the Disneyland Railroad as the Lilly Belle. The other five cars were owned by Bill Norred, one of the founders of CPHS. After Norred passed away a couple of years ago, his family sold four of those five cars to a private collector, but held on to the combine car, which was so named because it combined passengers and baggage in one car. Walt insisted that the original consist should include a combine car because during his days as a news butcher on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, he would frequently hang out in the combine car. Because of this, the combine car was Walt’s favorite. Norred’s family has notified the CPHS that it is finally ready to sell the car, and will sell it to the CPHS if they can raise the necessary money.

It will take $100,000 to buy the car and restore it, and as of the interview back in July the CPHS had raised about a quarter of that money from the Disney family and another society member. The Carolwood Foundation is raising money by selling merchandse that will be exclusive to contributors. You can find out more about the merchandise and the fundraising efforts at the Carolwood Foundation Web site.

Michael told stories of how Bill Norred came to own the consist in the first place, and also some stories about Michael Jackson’s love of Disney.

Since Steven and Michael talked in July, the Carolwood Foundation has now raised a total of $50,000 toward its goal. Also, they have received formal approval to locate the car next to Walt’s Barn. They’re working with several people to develop designs for a structure, and it sounds as if it will be reminiscent of the Main Street train stations from the parks.

Helping to support the preservation and restoration of the car, and receiving some of the exclusive merchandise for that support, would be a great holiday present for the Disney fan in your life. Check it all out here.

What do you think? Let us know by sending us an email or calling our toll-free feedback line (1-866-939-2278)!

Twitter/Facebook poll questions

Here are the responses to some questions that Mark was asking on Twitter and Facebook in the last week. If you’d like to get in on answering these questions in the future, you can follow Mark on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

Hey, Disney fans! What’s your favorite Disney thing about the holidays? It doesn’t have to be parks-related, just Disney. What do you think?

• I love the cocoa smell from the Mini’s float at the Animal Kingdom.
• The Fontanini Nativity at the Studio’s and Carnation Gardens for Dinner ad Big Band Show(Between UK/Canada at Epcot with New Years Eve with huge Fireworks!
• the disney tree orniments/decorations i bought for my daughters since they were born-&talkin about the yrs they got them…. plus both nurseries where mickey&minnie themes-
• My Fav. Disney Holiday thing is night time on Main Street U.S.A., the view from the deck of the train station is the best.
• buying a few Disney ornaments a year…pretty soon I will have my Disney Christmas tree and my wife won’t even realize it
• My favorite Disney holiday memory is watching the Christmas parade every year with my sister. I also used to love going to the Disney store circa 1994-97.
• the castle.
• When I’m in the parks I like being on Main Street with all the decorations and the music playing. When I’m at home I like getting up to watch the Christmas parade and watching Disney Christmas DVDs, like Mickey’s Christmas Carol. – My favourite is/was the Lights of Winter (RIP). As for current things then it’s the gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian.
• We’ve got about a dozen animated figures that Disney used to carry. They are different characters doing holiday and winter activities, some with lights and/ or music. They make us smile and this year thrill our two year old grandson;-)
• I always enjoy putting up our Disney ornaments. Plus our kids always insist on making some Mickey Mouse shaped cookies when we do the chistmas cutouts. Finally, on Christmas morning we all wear our Disney christmas hats while we open our gifts.
• It has to be Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It is my all time favorite version.
• Watching the Disney parade on Christmas morning.
• Putting the Disney train or the Disney monorail around the bottom of my tree.
• Snow on main st.
• but it has been a long time since I have been to the world in Dec.
• All the Disney decoratins we pull out of the attic. Our kids get so excited when and the house really comes alive with Disney during Christmas.
• Osbourne Lights. That’s how I know the season is upon us.
• The Castle Lights.
• fav Disney holiday thing? if possible, being at the park(s); the most magical time of year at the most magical place(s) on earth.
• my fav was the Lights of winter and the old (2005 ver) of the parade & mickey’s twas the night B4. All of that is now gone.
• My favorite Disney thing about the holidays is watching the Christmas parade.
• Decorating the House with all the Great Disney Holiday Souvenirs and playing the holiday Main Street Loop from DL Paris.

Mike’s holiday Disney favorites include the magical transformation of the resorts while he sleeps (at WDW) and watching the Christmas Parade on TV (at home). While there isn’t a whole lot of Hanukkah Disney stuff, of the Christmas stuff Mark loves seeing the decor around the resorts (at WDW) and watching the Christmas Parade on TV (at home).

What do you think?

Again, if you’d like to get in on answering these questions in the future, you can follow Mark on Twitter or friend him on Facebook.

Wrapping up

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Thanks to our audio engineer and sound editor Steven Ng.

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