The Walt Disney World Railroad No. 4 is a 4-4-0 "American" type steam locomotive built in February 1916 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works originally for the United Railways of Yucatan as No. 66, until it was renumbered to No. 251 in the 1960s.
This "American" type locomotive was used for passenger and freight service on the United Railways of Yucatan jungles of Mexico. In 1969 it was retired from service, and sold to Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida. It was overhauled in a shipyard in Tampa, Florida, and was renumbered to 4. While the railroad opened with the park on October 1, 1971, the locomotive's entry into service was delayed due to the need for repairs to a crack in its frame. It ultimately entered service on December 1, 1971. Today, it is named after Roy O. Disney, Walt Disney's brother who helped to make Walt Disney World a reality.
As of January 2024, the No. 4 locomotive has been shipped to the Strasburg Rail Road workshop in Strasburg, Pennsylvania for overhaul and rebuilding, becoming the last locomotive to be overhauled.
Trivia[]
- The "Roy O. Disney" is the oldest of the four steam locomotives at Walt Disney World and the oldest operating attraction at the park, beating out the Prince Charming Regal Carousel by one year.
- The smokestack that the locomotive wore was originally used by an unused 5th locomotive that had been purchased but was never restored due to the engine being in very poor condition.
- Both No. 4, and No. 1 are red engines that operate on the Walt Disney World Railroad, except that the No. 4 has a green cab.
- This locomotive was originally built as a wood burner until it was converted to burn No. 6 fuel oil in the 1950s. Today, it now runs on No. 2 distillate fuel oil.
- The locomotive's whistle is an American 5 inch 3-chime whistle; it is the only locomotive to have worn this whistle.
- In the 1980s, the locomotive's American whistle had one of its chambers modified, resulting in a raspy deep tone.
- In December 2010, No. 4 wore a Lonergan 4 inch 3-chime due to its American whistle being repaired until it was put back on No. 4 in April 2011. It happened again from December 2012 to March 2013. In early 2014, the Lonergan whistle was permanently worn on the No. 3 Roger E. Broggie locomotive.
- In the summer of 2015, the American whistle's modification was removed, thus returning to its actual original sound.
- In late January 2023, the American whistle became worn out and was replaced with a Crosby 4 inch 3-chime, which sounded almost similar to the No. 3 locomotive's Lonergan 4 inch 3-chime, but with a lower note.[1]
- On July 10, 2023, the Roy O. Disney was given a replica of the American whistle.[2][3]