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findingmickey
10-27-2009, 01:40 PM
For Halloween Time 2008, the Kalamazoo Handcar was in front of the Disneyland Railroad's Main Street Station.

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv119/findingmickey/Disneyland%20Details/KalamazooHandcar.jpg

Has anyone seen it since?
The conductors we've asked seemed pretty surprised that it wasn't there.

Did it make a trip somewhere? Fullerton's Railroad Festival? The Disney Family Museum? We're really curious if anyone out there knows.

houseofmouse
10-27-2009, 06:58 PM
It was gone in July too and we are also wondering where it has gone.

smd4
10-28-2009, 07:18 AM
The folks in the roundhouse took it off line to have it repainted, as I recall, including replacing the red pinstripes on the wheel spokes that were painted over through the years. So no, it's not off Disney property. That has only occurred once, at the Fullerton event when it was on display.

Now...I'm sure most people here know that getting something approved by the higher-ups at Disneyland--even something as simple as painting a handcar--can sometimes take months of red tape and paperwork! And then, when you factor in union rivalries...forget it!

Oh, and one other thing: Props for noting the name of the handcar's manufacturer!

TowerofTerror
10-28-2009, 10:31 AM
I thought that little handcar they had on the Disneyland railroad was cool.

findingmickey
10-28-2009, 12:33 PM
thanks for solving the mini-mystery steve.

now we're left wondering if it'll ever make it back out onto the spur line.

smd4
10-28-2009, 12:47 PM
Oh, it'll come back. And when it does, it should look great!

By way of background for anyone that's interested, the handcar was manufacturerd by the Kalamazoo Manufacturing Company of Kalamazoo, MI. Disney received it in late 1955 or 1956, probably from railroad historian Jerry Best, but it wasn't put on display in front of Main Street Station until use of the original passing sidings was discontinued by the trains sometime in 1956.

The sources that claim it was given to Disney in 1964 are in error.

The Handcar has been a part of the Disneyland Railroad since the beginning, and is completely functional. In the past, Trains CMs would sometimes take it for a spin around the mainline in the dark after Park closing. Those must have been some wonderful trips!

houseofmouse
10-28-2009, 03:11 PM
Good to know what has happened and it is coming back. Thanks.

MouseVII
10-28-2009, 07:27 PM
The Handcar has been a part of the Disneyland Railroad since the beginning, and is completely functional.That answers my question of how they got it back to the roundhouse.

Thanks for the update!

darph nader
10-29-2009, 11:07 AM
Now...I'm sure most people here know that getting something approved by the higher-ups at Disneyland--even something as simple as painting a handcar--can sometimes take months of red tape and paperwork! And then, when you factor in union rivalries...forget it!

Gotta love bureaucacy. Here in town they've been pushing for a 'new' downtown something fierce. 5yrs and $2,000,000 later ,what do we have to show for it? Ziltch. Study groups,meetings,and 'more' study groups. :mad:

findingmickey
10-29-2009, 11:50 PM
we've heard stories of conductors and engineers taking the handcar out for a spin around Disneyland.

would be awesome if we could get a turn on the handcar? maybe if we ask really really politely? lol

Phil Johnson
10-30-2009, 06:48 AM
we've heard stories of conductors and engineers taking the handcar out for a spin around Disneyland.

would be awesome if we could get a turn on the handcar? maybe if we ask really really politely? lol

Sounds like a D23 adventure in the making to me. :)

mechurchlady
10-30-2009, 07:00 AM
we've heard stories of conductors and engineers taking the handcar out for a spin around Disneyland.

would be awesome if we could get a turn on the handcar? maybe if we ask really really politely? lol
Then they would have to put in safety railings, safety restraints, lights, bells, whistles, a dead man brake, and a canopy.

smd4
10-30-2009, 10:28 AM
Then they would have to put in safety railings, safety restraints, lights, bells, whistles, a dead man brake, and a canopy.Probably not far from the truth!