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Disneyland - 2010

• 2002
• 2003
• 2004
• 2005
• 2006
• 2007
• 2008
• 2009
• 2010
• 2011
• 2012 - introducing the DCA Red Cars
• 2013 - a truncated trip
• Disneyland Books
• Return to Park Trains and Tourist Trains

We paid a visit to Disneyland in July, 2010. The weather was cloudy in the mornings and warm and muggy the rest of the day. I don't think the temperature ever topped 80F.

We had a nice room on the 9th floor of the Dream Tower of the Disneyland Hotel. This tower had just been refurbished. The room was nice, but there was not as much drawer space as there had been in the old configuration.

When we got up the first morning, we saw crews setting up for a bicycyle/skateboard exhibition that went on over the weekend and caused all sorts of noise and mess.

Disneyland Railroad locomotive #1, CK Holliday, arrives at New Orleans Square. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

We saw Disneyland Railroad locomotives 1, 2, 3, and 5. We did not see 4 (Ernest S Marsh).

Number 1 is one of Disneyland's original locomotives, a 4-4-0, built in 1955 by Disney's WED Enterprises in the Burbank studios.

Disneyland Railroad locomotive #1, leaves New Orleans Square. The caboose brings up the rear. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

New Orleans Square Station in the evening. July, 2010.

Disneyland Railroad locomotive #1, CK Holliday, arrives at New Orleans Square one evening. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Locomotive 1 pauses at Toontown Station. July, 2010.

2 (EP Ripley) is one of Disneyland's original locomotives, a 4-4-0, built in 1955 by Disney's WED Enterprises in the Burbank studios.

Locomotive #2, E P Ripley, crosses the Critter Country Trestle. This view is from the Hungry Bear Restaurant. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Number 3 (Fred Gurley) is a Baldwin locomotive, built in 1895 as an 0-4-4 and converted by Disney to a 2-4-4T in 1958.

Locomotive #3, Fred Gurley, crosses the Critter Country Trestle. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

The New Orleans Square Station water tank. July, 2010.

At New Orleans Square Station, locomotives blow down. This involves opening a valve to release water from the bottom of the boiler, which carries out any sediment that might have accumulated. The superheated water flashes into steam when it hits the air. July, 2010.

A pipe leads from the blow down to an opening behind the old station building. A plume of steam rises into the air as Locomotive 1 blows down. July, 2010.

The semaphore signal indicates the approach of a train at New Orleans Square Station. Both arms up means no train is coming. If the black-and-white arm is down, a train is coming. July, 2010.

Ward Kimball, who passed away in 2002, was a Disney animator and railfan. He designed the gold Jiminy Crickets on the sides of the headlight. Number 5, a 2-4-4T, was built by Baldwin in 1902 as an 0-4-4T for a plantation railroad in Louisiana. This was Disneyland's first new locomotive since 1959. Disney acquired Number 5 in a trade with Cedar Point, an amusement park in Ohio, where it had operated as Number 1, the Maud L, from 1963 to the early 1990's. Cedar Point had added the leading pony truck. In return for Maud L, Cedar Point received the first Ward Kimball, a Davenport 2-4-4T which Disney had intended to operate on the Disneyland Railroad, but which proved to be too heavy for the bridge at Critter Country. The locomotive went to Walt Disney World in Florida, where it proved to be too light (!). The new Ward Kimball sat in storage until 2004, when restoration began at Boschan Boiler & Restorations.

Locomotive 5 arrives with its train at Tomorrowland Station, seen from the Autopia queue area. July, 2010.

Locomotive #5, Ward Kimball, arrives at New Orleans Square station. A cloud of steam rises from behind the old station building as the crew blows down the boiler to remove sediment. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Locomotive #5, Ward Kimball, leaves New Orleans Square station. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Locomotive 5 passes in front of It's a Small World after leaving Toontown Station. July, 2010.

Looking down the lead track towards the engine house. The upper level is used as the monorail shop. July, 2010.

Horse car 3, pulled by Kayla, carries a group of singers from the Plaza. July, 2010.

We saw and rode behind horse car Numbers 2 and 3. This year the horses had their cast member badges hanging in the cars. On busy days, the conductors walked in front of the cars to clear oblivious guests from the tracks.

Horse car 2, pulled by Danny, rolls through the passing loop. July, 2010.

Horse car 2, pulled by Danny, heads toward the castle. July, 2010.

Horse car 3, pulled by Kayla, lays over at the Depot. City Hall stands in the background. July, 2010.

Another view of horse car 3, pulled by Kayla, laying over at the Depot. July, 2010.

Orva's cast member badge, displayed in horse car 2. July, 2010.

Orva leaves the depot with horse car 2. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Orva pulls horse car 2 down crowded Main Street towards the Depot. July, 2010.

A view from the lower deck of the double decker bus as Orva pulls horse car 2 down Main Street towards the Depot. July, 2010.

A view from the lower deck of the double decker bus as Orva pulls horse car 2 into the passing loop. July, 2010.

Orva pulls horse car 2 into the passing loop as Sulley does the same with car 3. Their conductors, clearing guests from the track, walk ahead. July, 2010.

Horse car 2, pulled by Orva, pulls off of Main Street, towards the Depot. The conductor walks in front to clear the tracks. The Double Decker bus follows close behind. July, 2010.

Orva pulls horse car 2 around the loop at the Depot. July, 2010.

Horse car 2 lays over at the Depot. July, 2010.

Sulley pulls horse car 3 from Main Street to the loop in front of the depot. The conductor walks in front to clear guests from the tracks. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Sulley waits with horse car 3 at the Depot. July, 2010.

Sulley lays over with horse car 3 at the Castle. July, 2010.

Early one morning, Monorail Blue sits between the Lego Store and Downtown Disney Station, probably paused for a photo opportunity. July, 2010.

Monorails Red and Blue were operating while we were there. Each had been refurbished into a Mark VII monorail.

Monorail Blue sits in Downtown Disney Station, waiting to head into the park. July, 2010.

Mark VII Monorail Blue passes the Lego Store on its way to Downtown Disney Station on an early admission morning. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Monorail Blue arrives at Tomorrowland Station at night. (Adobe Flash is required. Some browsers will require two clicks to start the video.)

Monorail Red arrives at Downtown Disney Station in the early evening. July, 2010.

An early evening view of the Downtown Disney Monorail Station. July, 2010.

The Disneyland Double Decker lays over at the depot. July, 2010.

Guests board the Disneyland Double Decker at the depot. July, 2010.

The Disneyland Double Decker bus rolls around the circle in front of the depot. July, 2010.

"Great Moments With Mister Lincoln" had returned to the Opera House. I enjoyed seeing it again. July, 2010.

The Disney Gallery, which used to be above Pirates, is now in the former Bank on Main Street. I liked the sign, which resembles old ticket books. We enjoyed the show, "Day One Disneyland". July, 2010.

The Firehouse, next to City Hall. July, 2010.

Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand seen on a Mutoscope at the Penny Arcade. July, 2010.

A scene from a Tom Mix western seen on a Mutoscope at the Penny Arcade. July, 2010.

I like the paint scheme on the blue Mutoscope. July, 2010.

A closer view of the blue Mutoscope. July, 2010.

My family managed to ride every ride in the park, except for the kids' rides in Toontown.

This large sign at the Plaza lists wait times and operating statuses for various attractions. The worst wait was 60 minutes that afternoon. Indiana Jones broke down frequently. July, 2010.

Shortly before we went to Disneyland, OSHA made an inspection and commented that the outside section of the Alice in Wonderland ride was not safe because the leaves had no railings to protect workers or guests. Here we see the ride wrapped up while workers install railings. July, 2010.

A sign announced that the Alice in Wonderland ride is closed. July, 2010.

Another view of the Alice in Wonderland ride closed for safety upgrades. July, 2010.

The Alice in Wonderland ride covered with tarps. July, 2010.

Looking down at the entrance to Mister Toad's Wild Ride from Dumbo on an early admission day. I enjoy getting into the park early. July, 2010.

The Jungle Cruise entrance. July, 2010.

Tropical Imports, next to the Jungle Cruise entrance. July, 2010.

Looking up at the entrance to Pirates of the Caribbean from the queue area. July, 2010.

The entrance to the Winnie the Pooh ride. The Critter Country Trestle is in the background. July, 2010.

Star Tours closed while we were in Disneyland. It is going to be redesigned. Here is the entrance the day before it closed. This was during early admission. The lines got longer later. July, 2010.

The day after Star Tours closed. It will be many minutes until the next launch. July, 2010.

This warning sign still stood outside Star Tours the day after it closed. July, 2010.

Signs on the closed entrance announced that Star Tours will return in 2011. July, 2010.

Ducks flock in the Rivers of America near the Hungry Bear Restaurant. July, 2010.

A view of Columbia from astern as she sails up the Rivers of America. July, 2010.

Columbia's home port. July, 2010.

A look down the river at the starboard side of the Mark Twain. July, 2010.

A look up at the pilot house of the Mark Twain. July, 2010.

New Orleans Square from the bow of the Mark Twain. July, 2010.

A Tom Sawyer's Island raft at the New Orleans Square landing, seen from the bow of the Mark Twain. July, 2010.

A Tom Sawyer's Island raft at the island landing, seen from the bow of the Mark Twain. July, 2010.

The careless settler's burning cable has been extinguished and converted into the home of riverman Mike Fink. July, 2010.

Mike Fink's keelboat the Gullywhumper is moored next to his cabin. Keelboats sailed around Tom Sawyer's Island until 1997. July, 2010.

Another view of Mike Fink's keelboat, the Gullywhumper, with Mike's cabin visble in the background. July, 2010.

The locomotive and cars from the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland no longer sits on the tracks by the river. They may be undergoing preservation. July, 2010.

Mark Twain prepares to start her day. Note the shutters on the pilot house. Soon after, a deckhand unfurled the pennant. We were having breakfast at the River Belle Terrace. July, 2010.

Another view of Mark Twain prepares to start her day. The pennant has been raised, but the shutters are still on the pilot house. July, 2010.

Once each trip, I like to have Mickey Mouse pancakes at the River Belle Terrace. July, 2010.

A bird waits to help clean up at the River Belle Terrace. July, 2010.

One night we paid to sit and watch Fantasmic and enjoy a box dessert buffet.

A fuzzy look up at the pilot house of the Mark Twain during Fantasmic. A black and white Mickey Mouse, inspired by "Steamboat Willy," has his own wheel. Snow White, her Prince, and a Dwarf wave from the cabin deck. July, 2010.

Another look at the Mark Twain during Fantasmic. July, 2010.

A look at the stern of the Mark Twain during Fantasmic. July, 2010.

The Toontown Firehouse. The firetruck was not parked outside when we were there. July, 2010.

The Jolly Trolly parked in Toontown. Last year it was missing. July, 2010.

Another view of the Jolly Trolly. July, 2010.

The Golden Gate Bridge carries monorail trains across the entrance to Disney's California Adventure. The bridge is going to be replaced some time soon. July, 2010.

Disney's California Adventure is building a Red Car Line to carry guests. I'm looking forward to it. There will be an overhead wire, but it will not be energized, because of metallic balloons and parade floats. The cars will be battery-powered.

The Red Car tracks head towards Hollywood. I couldn't measure, but the gauge appears to be 3 feet. July, 2010.

The passing loop in the Red Car tracks. July, 2010.

A display near the Tower of Terror shows a Red Car, which resembles a Pacific Electric Hollywood Car, except that it appears to be single-ended. Behind the fence they were working on Cars Land. July, 2010.

An ad for the Red Car. The logo resembles the Pacific Electric herald. The car appears to have a double trolley pole. July, 2010.

Another ad for the Red Car, resembling a Pacific Electric advertisement. July, 2010.

The Wonder Tower and the Dream Tower show the before and after looks of the Disneyland Hotel. The Wonder was being remodeled while we were there. July, 2010.

We stayed in the Dream Tower, but the evacuation instructions already reflected its new name, the Adventure Tower. I always check the evacuation instructions. July, 2010.

Disneyland was celebratings its 55th birthday. July, 2010.

The big Ballyhoo this year was for The World of Color, a water and light show at DCA. There were no seats and huge numbers of people trying to go. We decided to give it a pass this year. We could see the lights from our hotel room.

Banners in the plaza between Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure advertise the World of Color show. July, 2010.