Did you know that Walt Disney had a hobby in trains? He loved trains. Matter of fact, it was his love of trains that crossed his path with Disney Legend, Harper Goff (designer of the Nautilis for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and inventor of many special effects).
Walt Disney was such a train enthusiast that, with the help of friends, (Disney Legends: Ward Kimball and Roger Broggie) designed the Carolwood Pacific Railroad” which was a miniture railroad in his own backyard that ran a half-mile long and had a layout that included a 46-foot-long trestle, loops, overpasses, gradients, an elevated dirt berm, and a 90-foot tunnel underneath Mrs. Disney’s flower bed. He even named the miniature working steam locomotive built by Roger E. Broggie of the Disney Studios Lilly Belle in his wife’s honor.
On this day in history, June 19, 1958, the fourth locomotive arrived to Disney’s backlot, to be rebuilt and put into service at Disney. It was purchased in New Jersey for $2000. This train would become No. 4 locomotive and be placed into service for the Disney Railroad (DRR).
Disney Legend Roger Broggie purchased this No. 4 locomotive from New Jersey. The locomotive had been built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1925. The train was being used as a tourist train at Pine Creek Railroad in New Jersey. Prior to that, it had been initially used by the Raritan River Sand Company in New Jersey.
After its purchase, the locomotive was delivered to the Walt Disney Studios’ machine shop and restored. The Locomotive No. 4 became the “Roy O Disney”. Named after Walt’s older brother who saw the completion of Walt Disney World after Walt’s passing in 1966.
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