For Steve DeGaetano:

When will we see a book on the Disney World RR in FL, inasmuch in the same vein as what you wrote and published on the Disneyland RR in CA???

-K.R. Bell

K.R., I just don't have the sources or access to the trains and personnel that I did in California, so I won't be writing such a book. However, I am aware that one is being written. It will be Part 2 of a set, and information can be found here:

http://www.steelwheelonsteelrail.com/

One very interesting feature of the World operation is that the locomotives were "scaled" when they went through rebuild. That is to say, the boilers, cabs, domes and stack were sized to allow for the locomotives to appear smaller than they were built (a comparision to the size of the cylinders reveals this) so they would better fit with the scaled down buildings such as main street station.
Disneyland is a very professional operation, The Magic Kingdom of Disney World is not a mirror image. World does not do any of there own machine work nor do they have ANY steam knowledgeable people working in the shop. Often times parts are reproduced to worn out tolerances as what is correct is simply assumed. The maintenance/operational practices of World are, in areas, questionable in that they do not follow any standard practices or proper operating practices.
Shoes and wedges are unadjusted, actually intentionally left down, allowing the boxes to slam around. Shoes and wedges are only lubricated once a week. Just to name a few.
On the operating side, johnson bars are never pulled out of the corner, firing valves are rarely moved. The engine crews regularly allow the pressure to drop 40-50 pounds just between toon town and main street. This occurs due to a majority of the crews lack of caring and their voluntary ignorance, it is against company policy to allow such drops but there is never any corrective action. Anyone that rides the railroad, take a front row seat and observe.
What they do works for them but the perception of World should really not be that of professionals, rather that of merely rides employees that have much pride in what they do regardless of whether it is right or wrong. Disneyland deserves all of the praise I have read in this thread.

John