Disneyland gets greener

Theme park's steam locomotives now run on biodiesel fuel.

ANAHEIM – The trains that fueled the dream for Walt Disney and his empire are being fed a steady diet of cleaner-burning, more environmentally friendly biodiesel.

The magic ingredient: soybean oil.

Since January, the four operable trains that run along the Disneyland Railroad have been injected with the orangey-yellow liquid (resembling apple juice), with workers slowly weaning the steam locomotives off of ultra low sulfur diesel. The trains are now a mix of 2 percent diesel and 98 percent soybean oil, known as B98.

It's a move that more and more companies are undertaking as legislators stress "green" alternatives in the face of climate change reports and dependency on foreign oil.

For Disneyland, the switch to biodiesel saves as much as 150,000 gallons of diesel fuel each year, while potentially reducing carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80 percent, Disneyland Resort spokesman Bob Tucker said Monday.

"The decision, once we knew the trains would perform well, was an easy one," said Frank Dela Vara, technical director for Disneyland's Environmental Affairs.

Talks began in June of last year with fuel provider SC Fuels, of Orange, to offer a biodiesel substitute. Most diesel engines can perform with biodiesel without needing specialized equipment.

The Disney locomotive tanks were cleaned out and retrofitted with new hoses and filters. The biodiesel is stored in underground tanks in the maintenance facility, and the fuel is pumped into the locomotives – just like regular gas.

"We didn't see any problems with start-ups or flame-outs," Dela Vara said of the initial testing phase.

An early concern was ensuring the new fuel source wouldn't damage the antique trains, but Disney officials say the process has been smooth with no discernible difference in the rides.

Today, about 600 fleets nationwide use some form of biodiesel in their engines, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

While biodiesel is known to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the state Air Resources Board classifies the fuel source under diesel because tests have shown it releases nitrogen oxide into the air, said spokeswoman Karen Caesar.

But for Disneyland, the conversion has also been cost-effective – while the regular diesel rate is $2.96 per gallon, the B98 biodiesel runs $2.42 per gallon.

The trains, meanwhile, continue to be one of the favorite attractions since their unveiling during the park's opening in 1955. On a peak day, they make about 40 trips around the park, shuttling up to 240 people a ride, said train engineer Ron Mason.

Disneyland officials also are looking into using biodiesel for other attractions and backstage equipment, such as tractors. For years, the boats on the Jungle Cruise ride have been running on compressed natural gas, another clean-burning fuel.

"We want other companies and the people that come and visit to be inspired by what we're doing, and practice their own ways of improving the environment," Tucker said.