History: Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was designed by Imagineer Tony Baxter and ride design engineer Bill Watkins. The concept came from Baxter's work on fellow Imagineer Marc Davis's concept for the Western River Expedition, a western-themed pavilion at the Magic Kingdom, designed to look like an enormous plateau and contain many rides, including a runaway mine train roller coaster. Sometime in the late 1800s, gold was discovered on Big Thunder Mountain in the American Southwest. Overnight, the small mining town of Rainbow Ridge (Disneyland) became a thriving one. Mining was prosperous, and an extensive line of mine trains was set up to transport the ore. Unknown to the settlers, the mountain was a sacred spot to local Native Americans and was cursed. Before long, the settlers' desecration of the mountain caused a great tragedy, which, depending on the park, is usually depicted to be an earthquake (Disneyland), which befell the mines and town, and the town was abandoned. Sometime later, the locomotives were found to be racing around the mountain on their own, without engineers or a crew.
While the design of the Walt Disney World version of this roller coaster was done first, Disneyland's version was the first one to open. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was one of the first Disney rides to utilize computer-aided design and control for the attraction. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad took five years of planning work, but once conceived, it took two years to build. The attraction is the third of four “mountains” to make up the Disneyland Range, joining Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain and later, Splash Mountain.
While the design of the Walt Disney World version of this roller coaster was done first, Disneyland's version was the first one to open. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was one of the first Disney rides to utilize computer-aided design and control for the attraction. Big Thunder Mountain Railroad took five years of planning work, but once conceived, it took two years to build. The attraction is the third of four “mountains” to make up the Disneyland Range, joining Matterhorn Bobsleds, Space Mountain and later, Splash Mountain.
The Model
Locomotive #5 U.R. Daring
The base for the #5 U.R. Daring is an LGB porter type locomotive that was purchased second hand. The locomotive was stripped down, cleaned, and the gearbox and mechanism cleaned and lubricated before starting the transformation into the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad locomotive. Decals for the project were created by Stan Cedarleaf. The following paint colors were used to replicate the prototype: Gloss Sunrise Red, Gloss Hunter Green, Gold, and Semi-Gloss Black. Even with the locomotives tiny frame, numerous electronics and lighting are squeezed inside including steam locomotive sounds and the recording of the safety announcement on the attraction at Disneyland
Frame
In order to replicate the front bumper on the prototype, the pilot was scratch built to incorporate two push buttons that would replicate the bumpers. Each of these push buttons will trigger the attraction safety announcement recording when pressed.
Boiler
The boiler section was modified by adding metal builder’s plates on each side of the smoke box and adding a large front headlight and headlight stand from an LGB Mogul locomotive. The smokestack was repaired since it came damaged from shipping, and the front number board was replaced with a part from an LGB Mogul. Slots were cut in the top of the boiler as well as behind the firebox in order to allow wiring to be run through the boiler for the various electronics.
Tender
Rivets were removed from the edges of the tender to allow room for the decals. Handrails were added to both sides of the tender using Ozark Miniatures sanctions and brass rod. Scratch built running boards were added to both sides of the tender using Evergreen plastic and Ozark Miniatures washer and nut detail parts.
Cab
All the glass in the cab was removed in order to match the prototype. The front center portion of the cab was cut out to make it look like another open window. A hole was drilled in the roof to allow the pull chord from the whistle to be strung into the cab. The cab is painted in several colors including a light green interior and name plate, as well as a hunter green exterior and sunrise red roof.
Electronics
A lot of electronics are crammed into this tiny locomotive! Track power is picked up through the locomotive wheels and distributed. Power to the motor runs through a start-up delay circuit and an on/off switch (located in the boiler) so that the lights and sound will be fully functioning before the locomotive begins to move (minimum 5 volts needed for sound boards). Power for the lights and sound boards are run through a bridge rectifier / capacitor / resistor arrangement (200V/4A RS403L Bridge Rectifier, 50V 1000microF capacitor, 1.2kohm resistors) to supply constant polarity to the electronics. These components, along with a 5 volt power regulator, are located in the tender above the boiler. A 3mm LED is placed in the headlight, and there is an orange flickering LED located behind the firebox.
For the safety announcement, a recording was loaded onto a sound board made by Audiofruit (located in the boiler) that can play either in a constant loop and be turned on or off by switch in the cab, or play after being triggered by either push button on the pilot of the locomotive. The sound card requires exactly 5 volts, so a voltage regulator was added to power the card. The regulated power also supplies the steam locomotive sound card located on the roof of the cab which can also be turned on or off by a switch in the cab. The bell and whistle are triggered by magnets located under the frame of the locomotive. iPhone 7+ speakers are used for the audio – two in the cab for the safety announcement, and one under the locomotive for the steam chuff and the whistle and bell. A total of four on/off switches are in the cab – the switch on the rear of the boiler turns the motor on or off; a switch on the engineer’s side turns the safety announcement loop on or off; and two switches are on the conductor’s side of the locomotive’s cab – the top switch turns the steam sound card on or off and the lower switch turns the chuff sound on or off. When the switches are positioned forward, the switch is on, when the position of the switch is to the rear of the locomotive, the switch is off.
The base for the #5 U.R. Daring is an LGB porter type locomotive that was purchased second hand. The locomotive was stripped down, cleaned, and the gearbox and mechanism cleaned and lubricated before starting the transformation into the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad locomotive. Decals for the project were created by Stan Cedarleaf. The following paint colors were used to replicate the prototype: Gloss Sunrise Red, Gloss Hunter Green, Gold, and Semi-Gloss Black. Even with the locomotives tiny frame, numerous electronics and lighting are squeezed inside including steam locomotive sounds and the recording of the safety announcement on the attraction at Disneyland
Frame
In order to replicate the front bumper on the prototype, the pilot was scratch built to incorporate two push buttons that would replicate the bumpers. Each of these push buttons will trigger the attraction safety announcement recording when pressed.
Boiler
The boiler section was modified by adding metal builder’s plates on each side of the smoke box and adding a large front headlight and headlight stand from an LGB Mogul locomotive. The smokestack was repaired since it came damaged from shipping, and the front number board was replaced with a part from an LGB Mogul. Slots were cut in the top of the boiler as well as behind the firebox in order to allow wiring to be run through the boiler for the various electronics.
Tender
Rivets were removed from the edges of the tender to allow room for the decals. Handrails were added to both sides of the tender using Ozark Miniatures sanctions and brass rod. Scratch built running boards were added to both sides of the tender using Evergreen plastic and Ozark Miniatures washer and nut detail parts.
Cab
All the glass in the cab was removed in order to match the prototype. The front center portion of the cab was cut out to make it look like another open window. A hole was drilled in the roof to allow the pull chord from the whistle to be strung into the cab. The cab is painted in several colors including a light green interior and name plate, as well as a hunter green exterior and sunrise red roof.
Electronics
A lot of electronics are crammed into this tiny locomotive! Track power is picked up through the locomotive wheels and distributed. Power to the motor runs through a start-up delay circuit and an on/off switch (located in the boiler) so that the lights and sound will be fully functioning before the locomotive begins to move (minimum 5 volts needed for sound boards). Power for the lights and sound boards are run through a bridge rectifier / capacitor / resistor arrangement (200V/4A RS403L Bridge Rectifier, 50V 1000microF capacitor, 1.2kohm resistors) to supply constant polarity to the electronics. These components, along with a 5 volt power regulator, are located in the tender above the boiler. A 3mm LED is placed in the headlight, and there is an orange flickering LED located behind the firebox.
For the safety announcement, a recording was loaded onto a sound board made by Audiofruit (located in the boiler) that can play either in a constant loop and be turned on or off by switch in the cab, or play after being triggered by either push button on the pilot of the locomotive. The sound card requires exactly 5 volts, so a voltage regulator was added to power the card. The regulated power also supplies the steam locomotive sound card located on the roof of the cab which can also be turned on or off by a switch in the cab. The bell and whistle are triggered by magnets located under the frame of the locomotive. iPhone 7+ speakers are used for the audio – two in the cab for the safety announcement, and one under the locomotive for the steam chuff and the whistle and bell. A total of four on/off switches are in the cab – the switch on the rear of the boiler turns the motor on or off; a switch on the engineer’s side turns the safety announcement loop on or off; and two switches are on the conductor’s side of the locomotive’s cab – the top switch turns the steam sound card on or off and the lower switch turns the chuff sound on or off. When the switches are positioned forward, the switch is on, when the position of the switch is to the rear of the locomotive, the switch is off.
Passenger Cars
The G Scale representation of the Disneyland Railroad Big Thunder Mountain Railroad passenger cars started out with an LGB 32441 Grizzley Flats passenger car set. While not an exact match of the attraction at Disneyland, the cars looked the part with the LGB Porter locomotive. The frames and brake wheels were painted Semi-Gloss Black and the wheels True Red. The car sides were painted with Behr Gloss Blazing Bonfire. Ozark Miniatures chains were strung across the openings in each car. Stan Cedarleaf created the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad decals for the car sides, and Woodland Scenics dry transfer numbers were used to letter the cars. The last car has a set of Ozark Miniatures red lanterns hung off each of the rear corners.
Each car contains an assortment of passengers, including several from Disney and Pixar movies. Each figure was painted and include details such as jewelry, watches, belts, and even trading pin lanyards. One figure is painted as a Disneyland tour guide (plaid shirt with Cast Member nametag) who is deep in conversation with Eeyore in car #6. A few figures have Mickey Mouse ears that were created by punching out 0.020” styrene sheets with a hole punch and gluing the cutouts on the figures heads. And finally, Woody from Toy Story wouldn’t be complete without “Andy” written on the bottom of his boot!
The G Scale representation of the Disneyland Railroad Big Thunder Mountain Railroad passenger cars started out with an LGB 32441 Grizzley Flats passenger car set. While not an exact match of the attraction at Disneyland, the cars looked the part with the LGB Porter locomotive. The frames and brake wheels were painted Semi-Gloss Black and the wheels True Red. The car sides were painted with Behr Gloss Blazing Bonfire. Ozark Miniatures chains were strung across the openings in each car. Stan Cedarleaf created the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad decals for the car sides, and Woodland Scenics dry transfer numbers were used to letter the cars. The last car has a set of Ozark Miniatures red lanterns hung off each of the rear corners.
Each car contains an assortment of passengers, including several from Disney and Pixar movies. Each figure was painted and include details such as jewelry, watches, belts, and even trading pin lanyards. One figure is painted as a Disneyland tour guide (plaid shirt with Cast Member nametag) who is deep in conversation with Eeyore in car #6. A few figures have Mickey Mouse ears that were created by punching out 0.020” styrene sheets with a hole punch and gluing the cutouts on the figures heads. And finally, Woody from Toy Story wouldn’t be complete without “Andy” written on the bottom of his boot!
