Walt Disney

Carolwood Pacific

Posted by Gary Armistead on MyLargeScale.com, 25 March 2012:

Just a little side note here to the Carolwood Pacific locomotive. Walt Disney had his American built right at the studios in Burbank. Roger Broggie was a precision machinist hired by Walt in 1939. He also assisted in the design and build of this engine by Dick Bagley. Dick did most of the drawings and the copies of Walt's locomotive are known as "Bagley" engines. In the middle 1950's, Dick was involved with Knott's Berry farm in the design and construction of their Calico Mine Ride, precursor to Disney's Rainbow Caverns Mine Ride, in Frontierland at Disneyland. Lots of connections to these early pioneers of live steam ride-on engines and the Southern California amusement parks AND their early designs for rides.

A drawing for the Carolwood Pacific layout has been posted here.

American

The following note appeared in The Miniature Locomotive, January/February 1953, page 18.

Dear Dick -

Just wanted to let you know that the response to my ad in The Miniature Locomotive has been terrific.

Letters of inquiry continue to pour in and it has now become a case of "being caught with my plans down." However, we're doing our utmost to hurry things along and it shouldn't be a great deal longer before our drawings and castings will be available to the public.

I thought you would be interested in knowing the pulling power of your little magazine.

With all my best,

Walt Disney

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  Walt Disney's "Lilly Belle" in the Disney Family Museum. From http://hueconsulting.blogspot.com/2011/04/walt-disney-family-museum.html

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  Advertisement in "The Miniature Locomotive", July-August 1953

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References

• "Carolwood Pacific Railroad" by Dave Schoeffler, July 2008