Walt Disney decided to add a more modern train to the park in 1957. What was modern then though hardly looks modern now and so the inelegant Viewliner is usually remembered as the one of oddest contraptions to ever run on Disneyland tracks. The new Bob Gurr designed train had lots of similarity to other vehicles the not quite figure 8 track for instance was only 30 inches wide the same as Casey's and the Mine Train tracks the Viewliner's sponsor was Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad as it was for Disneyland's mine train and Disneyland Railroad
The cab on the front car was a cut down version of a 54 Oldsmobile 88 which meant a height of under 6 feet two swinging car doors a windshield like a car and a semblance of a cars blunt nose and headlight assembly. Inside the Viewliners cab the engineer shifted gears with an automobile clutch and drove with a steering wheel the strong gas powered V8 engine from a Chevy Corvette could accelerate the train to about 30 miles per hour and pull 5 cars behind the locomotive. When the Viewliner debut as a "B" ticket attraction in Disneyland's third summer it had two complete trains one blue and one red running on the same track there were stations in Fantasyland and Tomorrowland with each train operating from just one. Gurr was still putting out fires (literally) the morning of the Viewliner premiere.The two locomotives weighed 5,000-pounds each.
There were 2 trains each with 6 cars: Salmon colored Tomorrowland Viewliner and the Blue colored Fantasyland Viewliner.There were 2 stations: Tomorrowland station where the Monorail station is now and the Fantasyland station near the Matterhorn.Names of the cars were: Tomorrowland Viewliner: Jupiter, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Saturn Fantasyland Viewliner: Alice, Cinderella, Pinocchio, Bambi, Tinker Bell
From Viewliner Report:1959 THE STORY OF THE VIEWLINER The VIEWLINER is a i scale interurban, fast express train of the future... the only one of its kind in the world.SPEEDAt 30 mph the VIEWLINER is traveling the equivalent of 120 mph in a full scale train. The VIEWLINER is capable of 60 mph, or 240 mph full scale. The LOCOMOTIVE is an 0-4-4-0 type... weight: 5,000 lbs. The 8 wheel drive is powered by a gasoline engine with automatic transmission. drive shafts and differentials. Interior of LOCOMOTIVE cab is of an advanced design, clean and comfortable as a modern automobile. The Coaches weigh just under 2,000 lbs. each, built of aluminum an a steel frame. Suspension of the Coaches use standard automotive parts. They are connected with a gimbal bearing and are based on the articulated principle. Each Coach is equipped with 2 speedometers calibrated to the scale-speed of the train... They have communication speakers and automatic electric doors controlled by the engineer.SAFETY FEATURESVacuum operated brakes on every wheel... rotating head and tail lamps... Standard railroad block signal system plus an automatic electronic control on the LOCOMOTIVE which automatically applies the brakes if the train should run through a red light. An automotive gasoline engine and automatic transmission were used as a drive for the steel flange railroad wheels.Its low center of gravity and articulated cars enable the VIEWLINER, to maneuver curves at high speeds. Gauge of track - 30 inchesThe VIEWLINER was designed by WED Enterprises and was assembled at the Walt Disney Studio in Burbank, California.
Specs Capacity 1950 per hour -- Capacity per train 64 -- Cycle Time 4:00 -- Load Time 1:00 -- Unload Time 1:00 Trip Time 3:00 -- Trips per hour 30 -- Distance Traveled 2900 feet -- Speed 10.9 MPH
