Disneyland Railroad No. 5 Ward Kimball
Overview
Disneyland Railroad No. 5 Ward Kimball is a preserved three-foot-gauge Baldwin tank locomotive built in September 1902 for the Laurel Valley Sugar Plantation near Thibodaux, Louisiana, owned by the Barker and Lepine Company. Originally named Maud L., it spent its early career hauling sugar cane before receiving a second preservation-era career at Cedar Point in Ohio. Disney acquired it in a trade in 1999 and rebuilt it for the Disneyland Railroad, where it entered service on June 25, 2005.
No. 5 is the newest locomotive to join the Disneyland Railroad roster, but it is more than a century old. Its history connects Louisiana plantation railroading, amusement-park preservation in Ohio, Southern California restoration, and the personal railroad legacy of Disney animator Ward Kimball.
It is the only Disneyland Railroad locomotive not named for an Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway executive.
Quick Facts
| Current Railroad | Disneyland Railroad |
| Number | 5 |
| Name | Ward Kimball |
| Original Name | Maud L. |
| Original Type | 0-4-4T Forney |
| Current Configuration | 2-4-4T |
| Track Gauge | 3 feet |
| Builder | Baldwin Locomotive Works |
| Builder Number | 20925 |
| Built | September 1902 |
| Original Owner | Laurel Valley Sugar Plantation (Barker and Lepine Company) |
| Later Railroad | Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad |
| Acquired by Disney | 1999 |
| Entered Disneyland Service | June 25, 2005 |
| Fuel | Oil / biodiesel |
| Restored By | Disney, Hercules Power, and Boschan Boiler and Restorations |
| Current Status | Under overhaul at Hillcrest Shops since November 2024 |
Built for Louisiana Sugar Country
Baldwin built the locomotive in September 1902 for the Laurel Valley Sugar Plantation near Thibodaux, owned by the Barker and Lepine Company. Carrying the name Maud L., it worked in the region’s sugar industry.
Like No. 3 Fred Gurley, it began as a compact plantation locomotive designed for industrial utility, tight curves, lightly built track, and low-speed service.
Originally a Forney
Maud L. was built as an 0-4-4T Forney tank locomotive, carrying its fuel and water on the locomotive frame instead of using a separate tender.
A leading two-wheel truck was later added, producing the 2-4-4T arrangement it carries today. Sources associate that change with its preservation-era service at Cedar Point.
A Second Career at Cedar Point
After its Louisiana plantation career, the locomotive moved to Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, where it continued operating as Maud L. on the park railroad.
Cedar Point preserved the locomotive through continued use rather than static display, allowing it to survive long enough for Disney to acquire it.
Acquired by Disney
Disney acquired the locomotive from the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad in 1999, trading it for a different locomotive that had been dedicated at Walt Disney World as the Ward Kimball. The acquisition expanded the Disneyland Railroad roster from four locomotives to five.
The engine required a major reconstruction before it could enter Disneyland passenger service.
Rebuilt for Disneyland
Disney built a new cab, and Hercules Power, subcontracted by Superior Boiler Works, built a new boiler. After the project stalled for budget reasons, Boschan Boiler and Restorations of Carson, California, was awarded the contract in late 2004 to complete the restoration, which included new driving wheels and a new smokebox door.
The completed locomotive retained its Baldwin origin and industrial heritage while receiving the mechanical renewal needed for Disneyland’s operating environment.
A 50th-Anniversary Debut
No. 5 entered Disneyland Railroad service on June 25, 2005, during Disneyland’s 50th-anniversary year. On February 15, 2006, Ward Kimball’s son John Kimball christened the locomotive at its dedication.
Its debut completed a fitting transformation: a locomotive built for a Louisiana sugar plantation entered service at Disneyland more than a century later while honoring a Disney artist whose railroad enthusiasm helped shape the company’s culture.
Named for Ward Kimball
The locomotive honors Ward Kimball, one of Walt Disney’s Nine Old Men and a leading studio animator. Kimball was also a serious railroad enthusiast who operated his own Grizzly Flats Railroad.
Naming No. 5 for Kimball broke the established pattern of honoring Santa Fe executives and gave the locomotive a unique identity within the fleet.
The Jiminy Cricket Detail
The sides of the locomotive’s headlamp carry gold-leaf silhouettes of Jiminy Cricket, a character Ward Kimball animated.
The detail links Kimball’s two creative worlds: animation and railroading.
No. 5 and No. 3
Ward Kimball and Fred Gurley form a natural pair. Both were built by Baldwin, began as Louisiana sugar-plantation locomotives, were originally 0-4-4T Forneys, later received leading trucks, and were extensively rebuilt for Disneyland.
Fred Gurley entered service during Walt Disney’s lifetime in 1958. Ward Kimball survived through plantation and Cedar Point service before debuting at Disneyland in 2005.
A Locomotive with Three Careers
No. 5 has had three distinct identities: Maud L. at Laurel Valley, Maud L. at Cedar Point, and Ward Kimball at Disneyland.
Each chapter contributed to its survival. The plantation provided its original working history, Cedar Point preserved it through continued operation, and Disney supplied the extensive rebuilding required for a twenty-first-century career.
Operating Preservation
A new boiler, reconstructed cab, renewed running gear, altered fuel system, and other changes mean the locomotive is not physically unchanged from 1902.
Those interventions do not erase its history. They are the reason its history remains visible, audible, and in motion.
Current Overhaul
Secondary sources report that No. 5 left Disneyland on November 20, 2024, for another major overhaul at the Hillcrest Shops in Reedley, California, and remained under overhaul during 2026.
No completion date has been announced.
Why No. 5 Matters
Ward Kimball represents Louisiana sugar railroading, Baldwin construction, the Forney design, Cedar Point railroad history, Disneyland’s 50th anniversary, Ward Kimball’s animation and railroad legacy, and the continuing mechanical investment required to preserve operating steam.
It is also a reminder that Disneyland’s railroad story extends beyond Walt Disney alone. Ward Kimball shared that passion and helped sustain railroad enthusiasm within Disney’s creative culture.
Preservation Status
Disneyland Railroad No. 5 Ward Kimball remains part of the Disneyland Railroad fleet. Current secondary sources list it as undergoing overhaul following its departure from the park in November 2024.
Related Railroads
- Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad
- Disneyland Railroad
- Grizzly Flats Railroad
Related Equipment
Related Topics
- Baldwin Locomotive Works
- Forney Locomotive
- Laurel Valley Sugar Plantation
- Narrow-Gauge Railroad
- Steam Locomotive Preservation
Sources
- Disneyland Railroad, Wikipedia (accessed October 25, 2026)
- Disneyland Railroad No. 5 notes, SteamLocomotive.info
- Disneyland Railroad Running 4 Trains for First Time in 6 Years, WDW News Today (December 2025)
Gallery
Photo gallery coming soon.
Western Rail Archive Notes
Fred Gurley entered Disneyland service while Walt Disney was still personally shaping the park’s railroad. Ward Kimball arrived half a century later, but its story is no less connected to Disneyland’s origins.
A Louisiana plantation locomotive survived through another amusement park, crossed the country, and was rebuilt to honor one of Walt’s closest fellow railfans. No. 5 is more than the final locomotive added to the roster. It is a tribute to the wider circle of people who shared Walt Disney’s belief that railroads were worth preserving.
Archive Status
| Page Status | Category | Type | Gallery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational Article | Equipment | Locomotive | In Development |