Gradients on the WDWRR

[Sam Nicastro]

Something I've always wondered is why the WDWRR has a 2% grade. Since the whole site was terraformed from the beginning, what would be the reason for having a grade versus leveling the whole thing?

[CP173]

That's an interesting question, Sam. I always though that it was either:

• The RoW wasn't fully terraformed; that is, they left the natural grade in place

• They wanted a section where the engines would have to work a bit, and thereby create some nice "chuffing" sounds

The only comment I've read is that Roger Broggie, Sr., told Roy O. Disney that "We're going to deal with grades up to 2 percent". This suggests to me that a complete leveling of the RoW would have been too difficult (expensive). But I really don't know.

I hope someone here does know as I now share your curiosity!

[Sam Nicastro]

Odd that I'm replying to my own question, but I asked my dad(who is a licensed structural engineer) the same question and he gave me this answer: Disneyland is in an irrigated desert that gets virtually no rain. WDW probably gets 100+ inches per year. The building code requires a 2% slope for drainage.

[Steve]

My guess is that it has to do with the overall construction of the Magic Kingdom. The Utilidors underneath the park are at ground level, and most of the park is on the second level. And then Main Street Station is another level above the "park" level, while the northeast corner of the Magic Kingdom, now the home of Fantasyland Station, is somewhere around that "park" level. And the backstretch along the north side of the park, between Frontierland and Fantasyland stations, is closer to the ground level, although graded above the swampy areas. So it is a fairly good climb from the north side of the park (behind Fantasyland) all the way up to Main Street Station.

[CP173]

Thanks, Sam, your answer makes a lot of sense. It also ties well with Steve's observations about the relative heights of the railroad.

I think we have a solid answer!