Disneyland Mine Train Restoration underway

The “abandoned” Mine Train that was once part of “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” sits by the Rivers of America in 2010. Photo courtesy: George Kissinger.

Remember when the mine train engine sat like an abandoned railroad by the Rivers of America at Disneyland?

It was removed in 2010 for a then newly imagined Rivers of America, and was replaced with a rockslide on the abandoned rails.

A rock from a “rockslide” now sits on the abandoned tracks of the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” by the Rivers of America at Disneyland. Photo by Mark Eades

Those of us who go back further, remember when it was one of the locomotives on the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” attraction at Disneyland. That was removed in 1977 to make room for “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.”

The Mine Train travels across a trestle in “Bear Country” on the “Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland” in Frontierland at Disneyland. Photo courtesy: The Disneyland Resort.

The rails alongside the Rivers of America and two of the tunnels from the attraction are still there, but the engine and two cars were sent to an outside storage area owned by Disney.

Then, in 2015, they were sent to Walt’s Barn, to be restored by the Carolwood Foundation and put on display there. But there were some contractual issues that needed to be resolved between the foundation and the Walt Disney Company before anything could be done.

The wrapped up Mine Train waits for a restoration in 2015. Photo courtesy: Ed Romero.

Finally, in December 2016, an agreement was reached and the foundation started devising a plan to restore the engine and cars to their former glory, as written in this story by me for the Orange County Register. There were further delays in finding someone to do the work, but that person and their company was identified and the work is starting.

A member of the Carolwood Foundation holds up the sign that used be on the side of the engine from Disneyland’s Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland. The engine and two cars will be restored by the foundation, and eventually put on display at Walt’s Barn in Griffith Park. Photo courtesy Ed Romero.

The work is being done by Tim LaGaly and his company, TJL Construction, Inc. in Burbank.

Tim LaGaly of TJL Construction, Inc. stands by some of the metal pieces from the Mine Train that he is working on for the restoration. Photo by Mark Eades

But it also takes money. With that in mind, the Carolwood Foundation has launched a funding drive to raise $150,000 to fully restore the engine the cars, and even build a new tender, that held the actual motor and batteries for the train. (Though this restoration will not include a working motor nor batteries.)

The Mine Train engine sits in a storage bin at TLJ Construction, Inc. waiting for restoration work to start. Photo by Mark Eades

Here is the direct link at www.carolwood.org/contact and click on the donate to donate to this effort via PayPal. But people can also write a check made out to “The Carolwood Foundation” and put “Mine Train Resoration” in the memo space. Checks may be mailed to Carolwood Foundation, PO Box 2208, Toluca Lake, CA 91610, Attention: Larry Boone.

Some of the metal parts to the Mine Train that have all ready been restored. Photo by Mark Eades.

The foundation is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit foundation, so donations may be tax deductible. It also operates and cares for Walt’s Barn, which is located at the Los Angeles Live Steamers Railroad Museum in Griffith Park. The Barn is open free to the public on the third Sunday of each month.

Bill Barbe (left), president of the Carolwood Foundation, along with Tim LaGaly of TJL Construction, Inc. show of the undercarriage for the Mine Train cars to four members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief led by their president, Scott Fleener. Photo by Mark Eades.

Recently, members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief visited to see some of the progress being made. Members of the order used to work the original attraction and include a few “Club 55ers” such as Ron Dominguez. The order is also helping with a financial donation and expertise from their time working the attraction.

Bill Barbe, president of the Carolwood Foundation, shows two members of the Order of the Red Handkerchief some of the wheels to the cars of the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

Besides money, foundation president Bill Barbe says they are looking for additional items to help with the restoration. Those items include a Drive Wheel, an oiler for the wheels, color photos, particularly of the controls for the engine, and good color photos of the tender.

The smokestack and part of the roof for the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

They would also like either receive a donation of, or borrow the following, so they can do a 3D scan of them: an original bell, an original whistle, and a number plate. All three have been purchased at Disney auctions, mostly through the Van Eaton Gallery.

“If those who own them could either let us have them on loan for display, or to borrow so we can make a 3D scan of them to reproduce for the display, that would be terrific,” said Bill adding, “We’re trying to make this as authentic to the original as we can.”

Anyone who has these materials can contact Bill via email at: waltsbarn@carolwood.org, or send him a snail mail to his attention at: Carolwood Foundation, PO Box 2208, Toluca Lake, CA 91620.

A wood siding from one of the rail cars for the Mine Train, it is completely rotted and will have to be replaced. Photo by Mark Eades.

Unfortunately, most of the cars that followed behind the engine and tender were made of wood, and the wood has rotted to such a condition that it will have to be replaced. The underlying metal carriage and other metal parts, including the wheels, are in good shape and refurbishment of all of them is underway.

Part of the wood that was once part of the rail car that was part of the Mine Train. Photo by Mark Eades.

Bill also said they would like a couple of the rails from the original attraction to set the engine, tender and cars on when the work is completed. Anyone who visits Disneyland can still catch a glimpse of those rails along the Rivers of America, but there are also some rails in the two tunnels that are not really visible and hopes to get a couple of them.

A tunnel through which the Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland still exists at Disneyland in Frontierland. Inside the tunnel are rails from the original attraction. Photo by Mark Eades.