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Home , Billy Jones (railroader), Bob Chapek, Dick Cook

EDITION u Be sure to No visit our 71 online store carolwood.com/store u SPRING 2020

the official newsletter of the carolwood society 's small scale railroad inspiration ANTHONY HOFFMAN

I n 1939, Billy Jones, a Southern Pacific locomotive engineer living in Los Gatos CA was making a freight run between Los Gatos and .

IN THIS ISSUE While they were making up a new train for quietly came up north to spend a weekend at his return trip, he took a walk along the Billy’s home, where Walt and Billy ran the train Embarcadero for a little exercise. He spied a together. After that, almost every year, Walt PLATFORM 1 small scale on a pile of scrap would secretly come up and spend time at Billy’s metal headed for Japan. It would have probably ranch. At one point, Walt made an offer to buy WALT DISNEY’S SMALL SCALE come back as part of a Destroyer during the war. the railroad for a theme park project he had in RAILROAD INSPIRATION mind, but Billy declined. told Walt u Intrigued, he discovered it was one of three built it was too small for what he planned, anyway. in 1905 to transport prospective buyers to a PLATFORM 2 Venice, California development. He bought it, and The donation jar, which everyone assumed was WELCOME ABOARD had the locomotive loaded onto a flat car to be to defray the costs of operating the train, was shipped back to his small ranch in Los Gatos. He not for that. Walt and Billy had an arrangement, DEER IN THE intended to use it as a father-son project for he whereby every time Walt came up, he would u and his two sons to restore. match the collection from the donation jar, and the two men would buy a load of things for the PLATFORM 3 Unfortunately, his two sons were killed during the children’s ward at Santa Clara County hospital, PANDEMIX MESSAGE war; they were Army Air Force pilots. Depressed, on the condition the donation remain Billy noticed that his spirits were lifted when he anonymous. u was around children, so he decided to restore PLATFORM 4 the locomotive as a memorial to his two sons. The free train rides went on for many years, until With the help of many local volunteers, in 1949 Billy passed away in 1968. His two daughters had RIDING THE RAILS the project was completed, with a loop of track no use for the locomotive and its rolling stock, u around his orchard on the corner of Daves and were about to sell it to Sims scrap metal in PLATFORM 5 Avenue and Winchester Boulevard in Los Gatos. San Jose, when a group of interested citizens who did not wish to see the train end, stepped in IS THE TENDER SEAT and bought it after securing permission from the AVAILABLE? City to move it to Oak Meadow Park in Los Gatos. u The purchase was finalized just in time; Sims had already marked the locomotive in two places PLATFORM 6 with chalk where they intended to cut it up for THE MAIL CAR transportation to their scrap yard.

BOARD OF GOVERNORS Over just one weekend, volunteers packed up u and transported the entire railroad, including track, from Billy’s orchard to its new home at Oak PLATFORM 7 Meadow Park, approximately a mile away. When VIEW FROM THE CUPOLA Billy Jones brings his 47-hp Prairie Engine the semi-truck drivers learned of the purpose, around Orchard Bend they donated their time and trucks to the cause. u PLATFORM 8 Billy provided free train rides most weekends, The Billy Jones Wildcat railroad lives on with which all the townspeople and their children about a mile of track, operating two steam CAROLWOOD loved. Later, he had a ‘donation’ jar sitting on locomotives on weekends from approximately EVENT CALENDAR a table, and a person could donate or not as May through September, and two diesels during ANNOUNCEMENT they wished. weekdays. The diesels operate weekends the rest of the year. The funds to build one of the diesels, Walt Disney got wind of Billy’s operation from 2502, came from Al Smith, an Orchard Supply his friend Ward Kimball, and they and others Hardware owner for many years.

PLATFORM 1 SPRING 2020

happy rails

welcome aboard DEER IN THE T he Carolwood Pacific Historical Society is enriched by its many MAGIC KINGDOM wonderful members. New and Renewing Members: JOHN STRONSKI

Alfred Cournoyer, Paxton MA Kelly Calhoun, Torrance CA Amanda Waters, Franklin TN Kenneth Humphries, San Jose CA Angela Coulter, Culver City CA Kristoffer Kaiser, San Diego CA Anne Lewin, Temecula CA Lance Priez, New Orleans LA ears ago I worked on all sorts of rehabs at the Anthony Hoffman, Saratoga CA Lauren Scott, Menlo Park CA Y Ashley Cunha, San Angelo TX Leroy Johnson, San Bruno CA Magic Kingdom. Almost all these many projects Avepeter Barilla, Sierra Madre CA Linda Holtorf, Vancouver WA Bill Wilson, Renton WA Lisa Dare, La Crescenta CA were done overnight. This variety of projects took Brandon Holst, Lake Mary FL Lynn Anderson, Chesterfield VA Brian Allan, Lutz FL Lynn Bodell, Atherton CA me back and forth to the Central Shops area. Brian Ballinger, Aurora IL Lynn Yaw, Shoreline WA Brian Cagle, San Tan Valley AZ Mark Hurt, Asheville NC Brian Marra, Berwyn IL Mark Lundy, Metamora MI A large building housed the Monorail Trains on the upper level Carol Olson, San Jose CA Mark Mcclaran, Orange CA or floor, and the Steam Trains below on the ground level. Most Carol Regehr, Manhattan KS Mark Williams, Wimberley TX Chris Dolciato, Hudson OH Martha Edmondson, Virginia Beach VA evenings or early mornings there would be a group of deer, Christine Shaffer, Monticello IN Matthew Cole, Polk City FL perhaps 10 - 15, grazing on the grass by the train tracks leading Christopher Youngblood, Lake FL Michael Bollenbach, Sacramento CA Clifford Gray, San Bruno CA Michael Chapin, Halifax MA into the Steam Train Bay at the maintenance and storage Clinton Cottrell Jr, Peachtree City GA Michael Deangelis, Albertson NY building. I thought that the train cast members put out food Dan Buonarota, Coral Springs FL Michael Perl, Santa Clarita CA Danilo Viazzo, Dublin CA Michael Pittmon, Longview TX for the deer. Dave Bayless, Citrus Heights CA Michael Welch, Vacaville CA David Arendes, Santa Ana CA Nick Cappelloni, Sunnyvale CA David Byerly, Rosamond CA Noel Mcdaniel, Las Vegas NV Finally, I stopped one David Daisy, Springfield IL Nyle Monday, Campbell CA night to inquire about David Manore, Utica NY Jeff Palumbo, Richmond VA David Maruca, North Haven CT Owen Gould, Lake Forest CA the grazing deer I David Mccashen, Santa Maria CA Patrick Lewis, Silverton OR was told by a few cast David Meek, Clarkdale AZ Paul Hamra, Phoenix AZ David Ruhe, West Mifflin PA Peter Athans, Coto De Caza CA members that the David Simms, Windsor PA Peter Olson, Annandale VA grass in the area David Simonds, Evans GA Phillip Freer, Lebanon OH David Walkup, College Station TX Randall Boyce, Clermont FL of the tracks had some Debra Rider, Stockton CA Randall Mitchell, Miami FL petroleum or diesel Demy Riley, Fallbrook CA Randolph Riscol, Briarcliff Manor NY Don Morin, Mukilteo WA Regina Richey, Highland UT residue in the steam Edward Lee, Los Angeles CA Rich Burkhard, Hayward CA that blows out from Edward Pressnell, Brentwood CA Richard Rice, Wildwood FL Eric Summers, Middletown MD Richard S Powell, Riverside CA the engine as the Erik Kanter, Westwood NJ Robert Belke, Leonardo NJ locomotives are Estela Beecham, Chula Vista CA Robert Duncanson, Marstons Mills MA F. Andrew Chaney, Houston TX Robert Fallier, Hollis NH backed into the Felicia Williams, Fayetteville GA Robert Gibbons, Seaton UK Train Barn at night. Frank De Losa, Sterling VA Robert Jarvis, Kissimmee FL Gary Grooms, Highlands Ranch CO Robert L Vanbuskirk, Modesto CA Gary Naumann, Belleville IL Robert Schall, Orlando FL Gary Verville, Woodstock GA Rodney Harrison, Mississauga ON Gary Woolard, Canoga Park CA Roger Gerhart, Telford PA Gary Youngs, Santa Clara CA Ron Fauset, San Diego CA Gavin Lambie, Woodinville WA Ronald Lepadis, San Bruno CA Geoffrey Lillich, Camarillo CA Rory Osborne, Davis CA George Kreis, West Nyack NY Roy Hollis, Phoenix AZ Grant Fetzer, Salt Lake City UT Sandra Lessert, Portland OR Gregg Ziak, Mission Viejo CA Sandra Walsh, Clifton NJ Heather Hebenstreit, Santa Ana CA Sandy Sadwin, Wantagh NY Heather Q, Belfast ME Scott Baxter, Rochester MN Hugh Rutherford, Winnipeg MB Scott Cramer, South Lyon MI James Cotterman, Orlando FL Shane Jones, Bellevue WA James Dinwiddie, Buena Park CA Sheila Taylor, Las Vegas NV James Ganem, Tucson AZ Sheldon Cohen, Arlington TX James Klich, Franklin MA Shelley Gagnet, Upland CA Jane Boyce, Lititz PA Sidney Bartos, Jr, Columbus OH Janelle Pearson, Hampton GA Stephen Cote, Plympton MA Janet Joyce, San Jose CA Stephen Mcclure, Nashua NH Janne Wissel, Los Gatos CA Steven Misrack, San Diego CA Jason Herbert, Pipersville PA T. John Laser, Centerville UT Jay Miller, Boca Raton FL Thomas Naumann, Belleville IL Jay Weitlauf, West Mystic CT Thomas Nelson, Union City CA Jennifer Germaine, Berea OH Thomas Phillips, Tustin CA Apparently, the Jim Bocash, Ventura CA Thomas Yendes, Thousand Oaks CA Jo Ann Fisher, Highland Lakes NJ Timothy Rafeld, Delaware OH deer like this grassy John G Abbott, Jr, Melbourne FL Tracy Lunquist, Lake Mary FL area and the steam John Grigas, Madison WI Trip Jacobs, Naperville IL John Hopkins, San Mateo CA Tyler Bliss, Georgetown IN residue helps with John Sloane, Indian Hills CO Valerie Jablonski, Ann Arbor MI their digestion. John Uzzalino, Woodland Park NJ Van Riley, Greeley CO Johna Moulton, Davenport FL Wesley Tyler, Easton CT Bruce Foote, Gilbert AZ William Deal, Lexington NC Karl Mogel, New Braunfels TX William Lenharth, Durham NH Keith Buczak, Honolulu HI William Puckett, Windermere FL

PLATFORM 2 PLATFORM 3 A PANDEMIC MESSAGE

POSITIVE THINKING WILL KEEP US ON THE RIGHT TRACK

ranscending all the various subjects at has been postponed T and projects that hallmark the life and until next year. Tens of thousands of Cast career of Walt Disney, was his unflagging Members have been furloughed throughout optimism. He could not be convinced that the world. Film and television productions his concept for a family-oriented Disney have been placed on hold. Even the Walt theme park was a terrible idea. A feature- Disney Carolwood Barn in Griffith Park length cartoon based upon a classic fairy has temporarily halted third Sunday free tale would not be acceptable to audiences. public openings. A 30-thousand-acre city of tomorrow was too big and ambitious to succeed. ​Remembering Walt’s optimism, we can be assured that working to limit social contact ​What kept Walt on track was his belief in and using best practices to limit potential people doing the right thing. Now, with the infection, will get us through this. Many global pandemic, we all are relying on our generations have survived economic and fellow men and women to do the right thing. natural disasters, pandemic outbreaks, and world wars. As they did, we also will survive We are forgoing visits to Disney theme Covid-19 if we remember that better days parks, viewing Disney movies in theatres, lay ahead. Until then, stay safe and strive and gathering to celebrate our common bond to be optimistic. of all things Disney. The annual UnMeeting

PLATFORM 3 SPRING 2020

RIDING THE RAILS BRIAN MARRA

Greetings fellow Railroad and Disney friends. I’d like to tell you about my luck and wonderful experience last year.

irst of all my name is young Walt would have stood one of the last four cars was F Brian Marra, a 16 year and watch trains go by. The booked for me and my oldest railroad veteran. I hired beautiful rolling landscape son! I was going to live the for an imagination to grow. dream and ride both trains in out with Union Pacific at I always took the opportunity one year! My family drove to the age of 25 in 2003. to tell young railroad fans Central Florida, getting to our I’m now 42 and am a that’s the boyhood town of room late in the morning. I was Conductor with Amtrak Walt Disney! almost too tired to sleep. And on their Central Division. our tour was leaving early in Now on to my trips to the day! Amazingly we made I have to say, I grew up a and World. My first trip was the World in record time. Disney fan because of my everything and more. I, despite older brother who was a being a big kid, had hesitated It was AMAZING! Fun and railroad fan. I wanted to be for a long time. Well my wife informative, the people and just like him and that usually finally broke me down and low the train tour to the back shop drove him nuts (ha ha). Still, and behold within five ninutes Me with the Lilly Belle was wonderful! I was dog tired as time went on, I found out of being there,this big kid had on the steam tour but I managed to share all the about Walt’s railroad and, of a tear in his eye. But it was my excitement with my son. The course, our little club, The first time!! just got away! (I did ride the experience was nothing short Carolwood Society!. Casey Jr and I loved it, tho! of fantastic My guide was So much to do and so much great – just magical but that’s I’ve been fortunate enough to see!! We were there four Well as luck could have it, it what Disney does. to run on the old Santa Fe just days and were so busy that was time to make my way out west of Chicago where the we didn’t have time to ride the to California to visit a friend I hope that, if you have not trucks still go past Marceline, train. I was over whelmed and and that friend suggested a been to the two parks, you put Missouri. I got to see where having two babies with us, time trip to Disneyland. I could not them on your bucket list and pass up the opportunity and make time to ride the rails! made my way on the 2nd Union Station Chicago, with my With beard at Disneyland car and finally enjoyed that two boys, Vincent and Michael, first wonderland ride around Me and Vincent in Disney World my best friend and my hero Disney’s park in Glendale But then as planning stages began for the trip, I’d come to realize that due to the construction of the new Tron Ride, the train ride wouldn’t be possible.

Fast forward a few years and my wife says to me “Alright, that’s enough. We’re going to Disney World. This time I was devastated as I found out that some of the rides were down for different reasons.

Not to be stopped, I found out that the wonderful and highly recommended, “Magic Behind our Steam Trains Tour would still be running! Passage on

PLATFORM 4 PLATFORM 5 IS THE TENDER SEAT AVAILABLE? JIM VANOSTENBRIDGE

If you are lucky enough to visit the railcars. I was then asked to secure the Rivers of America Trestle where Disneyland on a day with cool my backpack full of camera gear along being up at the front of the train was a temperatures and when either with myself in the seat embedded in the unique, open air experience. Continuing front of the tender. on past the balance of Frontierland there the C.K. Holliday or the E.P. Ripley were great views of the landscaping, are rounding the park, you might The tender seat is big enough for two rockwork, and spire-like buttes of Big be fortunate enough to be there passengers and, of course, there’s a seat Thunder Mountain Railroad. on a day when you can catch a belt, surprisingly the same kind of seat ride in the tender seat, that is belt that you’ll find on Dumbo the Flying As we traversed the rails to Fantasyland Elephant or Autopia (which is adequate, Station, past It’s a Small World, a seat at the front of the tender, but thematically seems a little less Tomorrowland Station, and the Primeval immediately behind and with than authentic) to ensure that you are World dioramas, I found myself direct visibility into the securely buckled into your seat. As soon conversing more with the crew. Both locomotive’s cab. as I was situated in the seat, I started the engineer and fireman had great inspecting everything in the cab and a experiences to share and clearly You must wear closed toe shoes and long moment later, I heard the conductor call expressed their strong passion for pants are suggested. A ride in the tender “All Aboard!” driving one of Disneyland’s original seat will take you for the full grand circle steam locomotives. tour, departing from and returning to As the engineer released the break Main Street Station. and slowly opened the throttle, the C.K. As I reflect on this special experience, Holliday gradually accelerated toward I can’t help but consider what it must Arriving at Main Street Station, I sought New Orleans Square. I didn’t experience have been like when Walt Disney out a cast member in a conductor’s much in the way of significant vibration hopped aboard to drive his train. He uniform. He checked with his lead and though I could feel some measure of the must have been so enthused and so then suggested I wait on a bench in the heat emanating from the firebox and incredibly proud to see cast and guests station for the C.K. Holliday’s next arrival. boiler. enthusiastically experiencing the kind Upon the train’s arrival, I was guided of ride on a train that offered him so toward the locomotive and welcomed After taking on new passengers and much inspiration as a boy. I’m grateful into the cab by the fireman and engineer. water at New Orleans Square Station, that I knew to ask to ride in the tender I was advised that the ride in the cab is a our journey continued through the seat and will look to experience this little more rough up front than riding in Splash Mountain tunnel and onward to again on a future visit.

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Board of Governors Michael Broggie, Chairman 2020 Brian Alters Bill Barbe Tony Baxter Larry Boone Michael Campbell The Mail Car Roy P. Disney Miguel Fernandez David Flesh REACHING THE MANY CORNERS OF THE WORLD Darrell Holmquist Fred Lack III John Lasseter Hi there! Doug Marsh Jon Newbill It’s been a while since we connected, thank you so much for your reply! I have a video of last Gary Oakland year’s unmeeting in Florida with Tony Baxter and a few carolwood people riding big thunder Kendra Reed Scott Rhodes mountain and thought Sharon could use it somehow but she says she needs things in print not Jim VanOstenbridge video. If you desire the footage I’m happy to share, it’s a fun short video, and definitely the wildest Steve Waller ride in the wilderness!! Bob Witter

I hope you and all of the folks at Walt’s barn are well and enjoying the barn this year! You made all my wildest dreams come true in 2017 when I came out with my family, and we can’t thank you all In Memoriam enough for everything you do! Ollie Johnston Ward Kimball Diane Disney Miller Best regards, William Norred Kimberly Cook Richard Thompson

Send your letters to: The Carolwood Society, 1653 Gettysvue Way, Prescott, AZ 86301 Carolwood or email us at [email protected] Foundation board of directors Bill Barbe - President Larry Boone - V.P. / Superintendent things to do notice board Bill Reyes - Secretary Larry Varblow - Treasurer/CFO Jeff Ino - Curator Cathy Bluem - director Doug Marsh - director Joanna Miller - director now is a great Debra Turner - director Society membership information time introduce is available by emailing Sharon a friend to the at [email protected] or going to the website at carolwood society www.carolwood.com. The Carolwood Society is an independent membership NEW VIRTUAL group and is affiliated with Carolwood Foundation, Inc. Buy a membership PROGRAMS Society-related logos and today at fixtures are copyrighted ANNOUNCED The Carolwood Society. Other www.carolwood.com copyrighted materials are the property of their respective owners. The wonderful Walt Disney Enjoy: Opinions expressed are those of Family Museum is currently the writers and not necessarily GREAT EVENTS those of the Society, the closed but have announced Carolwood Foundation or . REGULAR NEWSLETTER a series of web based WALT DISNEY’S BARN Sharon Broggie, New Virtual Programmes. Editor and Publisher MERCHANDISE Paul Brown, Graphic Design www.labanbrowndesign.co.uk CLUB 173 MESSAGE Find out more about them Contributors BOARDS on their website: Michael Broggie, Kimberly Cook, and more! Anthony Hoffman, John Stronski www.waltdisney.org Michael Broggie, Jr, Webmaster Paul Brown, Internet Design happy rails © 2020 The Carolwood Society, LLC

PLATFORM 6 PLATFORM 7 VIEW FROM THE CUPOLA

A n unexpected seismic shift in the leadership of The Walt Disney Company caught 220,000 Cast Members, millions of shareholders and the financial media by surprise on February 25 when announced, effective immediately, as his successor to be chief executive officer of the global entertainment empire.

he launched Disney+, a state rather than earning an consumer-direct streaming MBA from one of the prestigious TV service that competes with ivy league business schools. Netflix, Amazon and Apple. Being from a working-class family living in a small Long ​Upon making the announcement Island town, he had to create of Bob Chapek as his replace- his own breaks the hard way. ment, Iger said, “He’s led with integrity and conviction, always Along his career path, he respecting Disney’s rich Legacy, encountered tough and while at the same time taking demanding bosses such as smart, innovative risks for the ABC Sports and News icon future.” Roone Arledge, media mogul Tom Murphy, and his AUTOBIOGRAPHY predecessor as Disney’s CEO, , who was known ​“The Ride of a Lifetime” is the for micromanaging his team. title of Bob Iger’s personal story of his rise from a studio gofer Through it all, Bob honed his on daytime soap operas and management skills while game shows in the 1970s to top maintaining his ego and management of the world’s self-awareness. most successful media and entertainment empire. He summarizes his 246-page chronology with 45 “Lessons Published by Random House to Lead By,” that include “Don’t (not Disney), his straightforward be in the business of playing it tome chronicles the many safe.” Another advises, “To tell challenging obstacles he great stories, you need great overcame, such as having a talent.” Buried in the prose, degree from an undistinguished Bob addresses the question of Disney CEO Bob Iger and his successor Bob Chapek college in northern New York possibly being a candidate for President of the . ​During his 27 years with Disney, ​Bob Iger will continue to play He somewhat dances around Bob Chapek has served as chair a key role on the management running for The White House in of Disney Parks, Experiences team as executive chair of the 2024. His name has appeared and Products, and was chair of board of directors while leading on numerous lists of potential Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. all creative activities of candidates, but, so far, he’s He managed the opening of the Disney until the termination of chosen to defer his answer. $5.5 billion Shanghai Disney his contract on December 31, Many who read his book may Resort in 2016, the addition 2021. For the past 15 years, as reach the conclusion that his of Wars attractions at chair and CEO of the company, experiences as Chief of the Disneyland and Walt Disney he led successful negotiations House of Mickey, might prove World Resorts, and the for the acquisitions of , to be perfect preparation for expansion of Disney Cruise , Marvel and Twenty- leading the world’s most Lines. He also headed Disney First Century Fox, which has powerful country! Consumer Products and global resulted in huge growth of the film distribution for The Walt company’s market valuation “Ride of a Lifetime” Disney Studios. of $246 billion. More recently, by Disney Chief Bob Iger --Michael Broggie

PLATFORM 7 The Carolwood Society 1653 Gettysvue Way, Prescott, AZ 86301 Email us at [email protected]

We’re on the WEB carolwood.com

“We don’t have boring meetings, we First Class Mail Address Correction Requested just do fun stuff!”

ANNOUNCEMENT be sure to visit us Carolwood Event Calendar

May 17 Walt Disney’s Barn open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

June 21 Walt Disney’s Barn open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

July 19 Walt Disney’s Barn open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

August 16 Walt Disney’s Barn open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

pandemicSeptember update 20 Walt Disney’s Barn open to the public from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. THE BARN IS September 24 to 27 CURRENTLYSociety Annual UnMeeting CLOSED

The Barn is open the third Sunday of Sadly due to the Coronavirus Pandemic each month from 11:00am to 3:00pm The Barn will be closed until further notice. weather permitting You can keep in touch via our social media Admission and parking are free channels where we will be posting updates:

The Barn is located at: www.twitter.com/waltsbarn 5202 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 www.facebook.com/carolwoodsociety

Stay safe all.

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