Lilly Belle Parlour Car

Lilly Belle Sign Lilly Belle Parlour Car

Below and to the left is a look at the Lilly Belle Parlour Car. Previously known as the Grand Canyon Observation Car number106, originally from the 100 series Disneyland Limited that surrounded Disneyland, making it's round non-stop, from Main Street Station. In 1966, Walt decided that the Disneyland Limited, also known as Retlaw 1 or Holiday 1, and it's enclosed cars and framed windows offered a poor view of his Grand Canyon and Primeval World Attraction, and therefore removed it from daily operation, and only used it occasionally during inclement weather. For almost 10 years, car 106 didn't see much light. Then a man named Ken Kohler, the Roundhouse Superintendent from 1961 to approximately 1990, suggested that the obesrvation car could be revived as a Bicentennial Car. Eventually that idea spawned into the building of this elegant private railcar it is today.

Inside the Lilly Belle The Victorian style found outside and within the Lilly Belle come from Mrs. Disney's own taste of decor. Some of this includes a Victorian settee and side chairs, the original leather benches were re-upholstered in a wine-colored mohair, Claret velvet drapes, walls paneled with Himalayan mahogany, four beveled mirrors, marlbe-topped tables, Victorian bric-a-brac, old Disney family pictures, and rimming the top of the car, at ceiling level are twelve stained glass panels.

Although, Walt had always wanted a pirvate car for his railroad, it wasn't realized till almost 10 years after his death. Considering whose taste it took to decorate this beautiful car, the Lilly Belle was named after Walt's wife- Lillian.

The Lilly Belle normally circles Disneyland behind the Holiday 5, offering a lavish tour of the park to all pre-arranged VIPs that hold a Lilly Belle ticket.
Images have been left in low resolution to prevent duplication
Lilly Belle Ticket Front Lilly Belle Ticket Back

Today, the Lilly Belle Parlour Car sits in the Disneyland Roundhouse, awaiting it's restoration. It has suffered from a servere case of dry rotted wood. Disneyland has budgeted for it's rehab, but other pending projects in the Roundhouse have greater priority and importance to the daily operation of the Disneyland Railroad. Those projects include the total restoration of Engine #1, the C.K. Holiday, and likely the restoration of Disneyland's newest addition to it's fleet of steam engines.. engine #3 (now engine #5 at Disneyland), the Maud L., from the Cedar Point & Lake Erie RR (to be renamed in the near future). Currently, the Lilly Belle's Rehab has been budgeted for fiscal year 2000 (originally 1999), being pushed back with two things in consideration: The other more pertinent projects in the Roundhouse, and the recent passing of Bill Norred, a previous member of the CPHS board, who had obtained and restored the Retlaw 1 cars.. and was going to aide Disneyland in the restoration of the Lilly Belle.

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This Page last updated on 3/17/1999.