Walt Disney's Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Thousands of books and articles have been written about Walt Disney and his organization, yet few people realize the significance railroading played in the evolution of the Disney empire. Encouraged by Walt's family and railfans inside and outside the Disney organization, Michael Broggie has chronicled the tale of Walt Disney's personal involvement in railroading.

This book unveils the private realm of Disney railroading through hundreds of photographs, many of which have never before been made public, and interviews with Mrs. Walt Disney, Diane Disney Miller, Ward Kimball, Ollie Johnston, Bob Harpur, Bill Cottrell, Roger Broggie, Bill Evans, and many others.

Walt Disney's love affair with trains began in his hometown of Marceline, Missouri. His first job was selling tobacco, candy, and newspapers on the Missouri Pacific line. By 1950, his enthusiasm for realistic model trains had evolved into an elaborate backyard live steam railroad. Walt's Carolwood Pacific Railroad included a 46-foot-long trestle, loops, overpasses, gradients, an elevated dirt berm, and a 90-foot tunnel underneath Mrs. Disney's flower bed!

The complete history of the Disney railroads, from small scale models to steam trains for the Disney parks is covered. This is a book all Disney collectors and railroad enthusiasts will want to experience! Over 300 illustrations, many previously unpublished. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 431 pages
• Publisher: Pentrex; 1st edition (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563420066
• ISBN-13: 978-1563420061
• Product Dimensions: 12.5 x 10 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,262,181 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Also an excellent book on the history of DIsneyland, May 16, 1998

By	Alastair Dallas (Los Gatos, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I consider myself an expert on Disneyland; I'm a former Imagineer and a collector of Disneyland information. Michael Broggie is not exaggerating his father's importance to the realization of Walt's dream. This book goes slightly beyond the sanitized "official" version that the Disney company promulgates and includes some stories and details that haven't been widely known. It's a beautiful coffee table book, complete and accurate (except for one or two nits someone like me might pick). I love it particularly for all the never-before published photos--you get so tired of seeing the same old approved shots when you collect Disneylandiana.

In case Amazon doesn't provide links, I would also recommend "Walt Disney Imagineering" by David Mumford, et.al. and "Inside Story" by the late Randy Bright. Both are "official," but just as authoritative as Broggie's.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading from Cover to Cover, May 7, 1998

By A Customer

I normally only read technical books. I picked this book up just to look at the pictures. Then I started to read the short articles within the chapters. I found them so fasinating that I found myself reading the main articles. My son asked my wife "what is Dad doing reading?". Walt Disney said that it all started with a mouse, but after reading this book you will realize that it all started with a train.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very fascinating book for railroaders & Disney fans, October 23, 1997

By A Customer

As a backyard railroader for the last 30 years, I had always wanted to find out more about Walt Disney's backyard, the "Carolwood Pacific". Now in "Walt Disney's Railroad Story", you can read about all of his interest in railroading, first building a miniature railroad in his backyard, and finally developing theme parks, complete with railroads. Author Broggie knew Walt personally, and covers all of the details of the many Disney railroads. This is one book that I could hardly put down until I had read it completely. I feel that this is a book that should be on the shelf of every backyard railroader and most Disney fans.