Today is National Train Day! This is a relatively new holiday that was founded by Amtrack in 2008. The goal of this holiday is to share the benefits of public train travel while also sharing the history of trains as well. The holiday is celebrated on the Saturday that is closest to May 10, which is the date that the Golden Spike was pounded into the ground at Promontory, Utah. While the official celebration of National Train Day by Amtrack was canceled in 2015, fans and rail enthusiasts continue to celebrate this holiday today.
Seeing that the Daps Magic team loves trains (particularly me), it seems only appropriate to take a look at some of the trains found at Disney Parks that continue on the legacy of rail travel. Since the opening day at Disneyland, trains have been a big part of the guest experience. While not every Disney park has a train, it is amazing how many have them. For the purposes of this article, we won’t go into every train at every Disney park. Instead, we’ll take a look at some of my favorites (in no particular order).
Disneyland Railroad
It seems only appropriate to start this off with the train that sort of started them all for the Disney Parks (I’m skipping Walt’s Carolwood Pacific Railroad). The Disneyland Railroad opened with Disneyland on July 17, 1955. While things have changed through the years (it turns left now!), this train still is very similar to what opened nearly 70 years ago. It gives guests the opportunity to ride a train around Disneyland Park and take a look inside at all the things they could do. It also is a wonderfully relaxing grand circle tour for guests to rest a bit and enjoy seeing different lands and different times… including DINOSAURS! This is one of my favorite Disney attractions and also my favorite Disney train. I also love that this iconic attraction was replicated at Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Tokyo Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Each of these iterations has things that make them unique and not all of the trains are the exact same scale.
Wildlife Express Train
The Wildlife Express Train that takes guests to Rafiki’s Planet Watch has always been a favorite of mine. Although these trains look like they are ancient, they were actually build in the late nineties. It is a quick trip to and from Rafiki’s Planet Watch Conservation Station from Harambe Station at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Along the way it is also fun to see some of the work being done with the animals of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. I feel like this is a hidden treasure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom that I definitely treasure. The full trip is 1.2 miles and definitely worth experiencing.
Germany Pavilion Garden Railway at EPCOT
One of my favorite train experiences at any Disney park isn’t actually riding a train, but watching several of them. Found in the Germany Pavilion at EPCOT, the Germany Pavilion Garden Railway brings to life in minature the romanticized world of Bavaria, including the countryside and village. There are several different rail lines found throughout this garden railway as they weave in and around this small hill and walkway that guests can walk through the center of the setup. This is a wonderfully relaxing space that I have spent plenty of time just enjoying watching the trains go round and round. The train is G-Gauge, which also happens to be the same size as what I have in my backyard!
Casey Jr. Circus Train
The Case Jr. Circus Train is a classic train that brings this iconic train from the animated screen of Dumbo to Fantasyland at Disneyland. This is a fun experience that gives people a train ride through and around many different animated Disney stories. Along the way there are also some recreated moments from the film. This train is also fun because of the variety of cars that can be chosen from for a riding experiences. Some people enjoy being in the animal cars and others enjoy the caboose. This is a classic attraction that should definitely be experienced by every train fan.
Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the cutest chew chew train to ever chug its way through a Disney Park. Heimlich’s Chew Chew Train once made its way through A Bug’s Land at Disney California Adventure. While this attraction and land no longer can be found at Disney California Adventure, the memory of Heimlich eating his way through a bunch of different foods is as memorable and endearing as ever! And yes, I know its a bit of a stretch since this doesn’t technically look like a train… but it was!
There are so many other trains that could be recognized for National Train Day throughout the Disney Parks. Each of these trains have a unique look and history. Many of them could have been acknowledged in this post. However, if I were to go into each and every train and everything I like about each of them, this might have turned into a book. Instead, I’m going to continue the conversation over on Daps Chat and share more of my favorite trains in the coming days there! I hope you will do the same! Happy National Train Day!
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