# Disney Train In NOL~ A Total Wash-out !!!



## had8ley (Aug 9, 2009)

Didn't really know where to post this so maybe a mod will move it.

My 13 year old grand-daughter and I agreed to drive down to New Orleans to see the Disney Train "A Christmas Carol." As soon as we got off the Interstate we were driving down Carrollton Avenue and spotted a motorman closing all the windows on his street car at the last stop. We didn't make two blocks when it looked like Katrina had come back for a second lick. The Disney train was parked next to the Mississippi River levee next to New Orleans Public Belt RR tracks and opposite the beautiful Audubon Park and zoo. I looked in the back of the Jeep and found an old rain slicker I used to wear at work and an umbrella for the muchkin. We raced across a well trimmed soccer field down the levee to the train. It was raining so hard that people were abandoning strollers and baby carriages and picking their children up and running for cover.

What we saw was a large canopy tent with Amtrak Engine #71 coupled up to the five car train nose first. There was an auxiliary generator on the ground linked to the engine. There was so much electrical equipment inside the train that the generator probably couldn't produce enough energy to keep the train running. We looked back on the levee only to see a huge tent that was showing scenes from "A Christmas Carol" collapse. A Disney employee came down to where we were in line and said the theater was closed and the train would close as soon as we went through.

The cars were coated with HP Sci-Tex and whoever did it was a perfectionist. The inside of the train was so interesting I could have stayed all day. They had original writings of Charles Dickens on one hand but the modernistic way the movie was created was fabulous. Each actor wore what looked like a Batman outfit with cameras attached to their outfits.Each actor had over 100 (yes one hundred) cameras trained on them while filming. There were what looked like felt tip marks all over their faces. We were told that computers would superimpose Scrooge and all the other characters on the faces of the actors. It was quite impressive and very professionally done. In the last car, a converted baggage car there are stalls where you can actually pick a Dickens character and take a picture of yourself. The computer mixes your face with the character you have chosen~ you should have heard some of the childrens' re-actions! The last car was a heavyweight business car for the crew that traveled with the train. They did not cover the entire car and I could see maroon paint between cars. It even had an observation platform and triple axle trucks.

I HIGHLY recommend this rolling ad for "A Christmas Carol" if it hasn't been to your city yet. Enjoy it for all it is worth; it is indeed a once in a life time experience !


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## Railroad Bill (Aug 9, 2009)

Nice report Had8ley. We saw the train in ABQ on our Amtrak trip in June but not time to go inside. Hope we get a chance to enter when it moves east. Not sure if it is coming to Cleveland or not. Will check schedule. :lol:

Railroad Bill


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## Bob Dylan (Aug 9, 2009)

Railroad Bill said:


> Nice report Had8ley. We saw the train in ABQ on our Amtrak trip in June but not time to go inside. Hope we get a chance to enter when it moves east. Not sure if it is coming to Cleveland or not. Will check schedule. :lol:
> Railroad Bill


Its in SAS this week,we saw it in St. Paul when riding the EB from SEA-CHI but were running very late, a large crowd was

lined up touring the display.sounds and looks great for the kidoos!


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## MikefromCrete (Aug 9, 2009)

I saw the train in Chicago with family members. We got there early on a Sunday and waited an hour, mostly on the platform along side the train, to get on. It was worth it, though. The exhibits were fantastic. After leaving the train, we saw the line was now weaving from the Platform 1 entrance into the Great Hall and out again to the south side of the station. That had to be a 2 1/2 hour wait!! That wouldn't have been worth the wait. We skipped the movie preview in the inflatable tent (located in the Great Hall) because of another line. It was typical Disney P.R. My wife and I will probably see the film when it comes out in November, something that we hadn't thought of doing before touring the train. Luckily everything was under cover in Chicago, although the weather was great.


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## espeefoamer (Aug 10, 2009)

I went through the train in L.A. It was very interesting seeing the original Dickens material.The movie preview loked to be very good.I waited an hour,but after I got through,the wait was three hours,and later in the day was up to four hours.I would not have waited that long.


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## AAARGH! (Sep 17, 2009)

Railroad Bill said:


> Nice report Had8ley. We saw the train in ABQ on our Amtrak trip in June but not time to go inside. Hope we get a chance to enter when it moves east. Not sure if it is coming to Cleveland or not. Will check schedule. :lol:
> Railroad Bill


May be too late Bill, but it is here TODAY (in Cleveland) until 7:00.

I took a walk down to it during lunch and took a quick run-through. When inside, it does not feel like a train AT ALL. The only thing 'train' about it to me was the two P42s. I love their sound.

Anyone know what cars (coaches) they used for the 5 display cars? And what is the car on the back (open back end)?


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## had8ley (Sep 17, 2009)

AAARGH! said:


> Railroad Bill said:
> 
> 
> > Nice report Had8ley. We saw the train in ABQ on our Amtrak trip in June but not time to go inside. Hope we get a chance to enter when it moves east. Not sure if it is coming to Cleveland or not. Will check schedule. :lol:
> ...


Good Morning America did a short blurb on the train in Cleveland this morning. The last car looked like a heavyweight business car. I was told that 12 crew members rode with the train so it would make sense that it would be a combination sleeper with diner. They did not wrap the ends of the business car and it was Pennsy maroon; did not see any identifying marks or name on the car. The mud was so thick and the fire ants were everywhere that we were glad to be able to leave !!!


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