Now that the scrim has been removed from around the radio house at the New Orleans Square train station, we can see that the building was badly burned and part of the roof has melted.
The fire broke out overnight in late December. Disneyland said in a statement that nobody was injured. Construction walls, scaffolding, and scrim were put up around the radio house, which was the only building damaged by the fire.
From a Disneyland Railroad train, we can see a melted section on the side of the radio house roof.
The roof shingles almost look like they’re dripping.
The walls of the building also look splotchy and black.
It’s a stark contrast to the building’s usual cream-colored walls, light brown roof, and green doorways.
The above photo shows the radio house as it’s supposed to look, in the center. It is not used by guests and sits across from where guests exit and board the Disneyland Railroad.
The train station is based on a set from the 1948 Disney film “So Dear To My Heart.” Walt wanted to use the original movie set, but animator Ward Kimball did not want to return it after Walt had given it to him, so a replica was built. When the park opened in 1955, it was known as Frontierland Station. It was renamed in September 1966, two months after New Orleans Square opened.
The Disneyland Railroad was also then known as the Santa Fe & Disneyland Railroad, named for the sponsor Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The name was changed to the Disneyland Railroad when the sponsorship ended in 1974.
The radio house was used to film the “Two Brothers” section of Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln at Disneyland and The American Adventure at EPCOT. A Morse code message that emits from it is a translation of Walt’s opening day dedication: “To all who come to Disneyland, welcome. Here age relives fond memories of the past and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future.”
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