another cool idea for DCA

[train man]

going with the theme of california how about restoring the zepher thats there it looks to be in good shape exepet for the whole being guted thing

[FirehouseFivePlusTwo]

The California Zephyr at DCA is a shortened replica built by Disney. The locomotive is an ex-Canadian Naional F7 that was cut apart, shortened and welded back together. The cars look like their full size Budd counterparts, but are much shorter than the originals.

[Pullman]

Actually, the only real train is from the cab forward of the F unit. I recall a photo of it arriving on property. Everything back was fabricated. We took the owner of a former Santa Fe Turquoise Room dome lounge to DCA once. He was impressed with how well Disney had duplicated the Budd fluted siding for the cars. Actually a very credible recreation of the CZ there...

As for a railroad themed attraction for DCA? Personally, I would appreciate it, but I tend to doubt it would have much in the way of guest appeal. Now if I were king, some kind of circulator transport system using Pacific Electric look-alike street cars, that would make sense. Anyone remember the rubber tired Hollywood cars built for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"? Something along those lines not directly tied to a physical rail would capture the flavor of the PE and provide transportation. Heck even go all electric with batteries or fuel-cells. Offer guests a way to get back to the front gate without the long walk from Paradise Pier and they will make use of it.

Lest we forget, the Disneyland Railroad functions as a very efficent transportation system...

[schnebs]

The California Zephyr at DCA is a shortened replica built by Disney. The locomotive is an ex-Canadian Naional F7 that was cut apart, shortened and welded back together. The cars look like their full size Budd counterparts, but are much shorter than the originals.

Hi, folks - long time lurker, first time poster....

I'm working on fact-checking some information on DCA for a friend of mine. The information she'd received was that the CZ engine on display in Sunshine Plaza was an original CZ engine. Can anyone help me confirm firehousefiveplustwo's information as to the engine's origins? (It's not that I don't trust you, firehousefiveplustwo, I just want to get a second source to confirm it...) Thanks!

[ashcat72]

Its the cab from an F9. The employee newsletter at the time said it was built by GM in 1954 and was found in Canada.

[Steve DeGaetano]

Is that the same employee newsletter that stated the Marsh worked in a New England lumber mill and that the Kimball worked on the Mississippi River Sugar Belt RR?

[Steve DeGaetano]

I don't know the answer one way or the other...but at least one site I've found says the unit is real WP:

http://www.trainweb.org/mccann/welcome.htm

[Steve DeGaetano]

Some folks say it came from a UP E unit:

The cab came from Union Pacific E-8 #928, that was the subject of a thread a couple of weeks ago. For those of you who don't remember the thread, here is a brief synopsis of its post Amtrak career:

It was retained by the UP for its business trains along with 3 other E-9A's and four E-9B's. In 1980 all the E units were retired, and all but E-9A #951 and #928 were sold for scrap and subsequently cut up. #951 was stored intact in the Cheyenne Roundhouse until 1986 when it was reactivated, and subsequently rebuilt in the early 90's.

#928 was stripped of its prime movers, traction motors, and generator, and the shell was donated to the Western Heritage Museum in Omaha. The unit was heavily vandalized because it was not fenced in, and later sold by the museum to an unknown party (apparently Disney) who wanted to cut off the cab. Apparently this is the final fate of #928.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/r ... ,nodelay=1

[cliff24g]

Here is a link on Mouseplanet about the fate of the DCA California Zepher. "Disney donated the 804-A cab, along with a collection of train memorabilia that was used as decor inside the three buildings, to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California. The cab was delivered to the museum this weekend, and we're awaiting word on when it will be put on display".

http://www.mouseplanet.com/9709/Disneyl ... ort_Update

[TFN5459]

Here is a link on Mouseplanet about the fate of the DCA California Zepher. "Disney donated the 804-A cab, along with a collection of train memorabilia that was used as decor inside the three buildings, to the Western Pacific Railroad Museum in Portola, California. The cab was delivered to the museum this weekend, and we're awaiting word on when it will be put on display".

http://www.mouseplanet.com/9709/Disneyl ... ort_Update

Yea I just read that, got to be a reason why they chose the Western Pacific Railroad Museum as opposed to a canadian museum. Going against information I received on this board, several other people have said that the Nose is from a WP unit. After all there were only 4 WP FP7As 804A-D, and 805A-D and 805A is already at the WPRM intact