Wildlife Express Train

The Wildlife Express Train is a heritage railroad at Disney's Animal Kingdom that takes guests from Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch and back. On the ride, guests get the chance to see some of Animal Kingdom's backstage facilities, including animal holding buildings for rhinos and elephants, among other animals.
It takes about seven minutes to travel from the Harambe railway station in Africa to Rafiki's Planet Watch and an additional five to return. The full journey is a 1.2-mile round-trip.
The railway is part of the fictional Eastern Star Railway, running from Lusaka to Nairobi and Kisangani.
==Trivia==
*Disney is unusually strict about people standing up while the train is moving. They monitor it closely and will stop the train if they see anyone standing.
*The fictitious, "Eastern Star Railway" which serves backdrop for the attraction is mentioned in the Main Street Station of the Walt Disney World Railroad on a board.
*The builder's plates of the locomotives state that the locomotives were built in 1926 by Beyer Peacock of Gorton Foundry in Manchester. In reality, they were actually built in 1997 by Severn Lamb of Straford-up-Avon in England before the park's opening the following year.
*There are three locomotives that operate; their numbers are 02594 (Red), 04982 (Black), and 00174 (Green). The 02594 has been named the R. Baba Harpoor in honor of Imagineer Bob Harpur.
*While built to appear as steam locomotives, they are actually powered by a diesel-hydraulic mechanism.
*The three locomotives that operate on the Wildlife Express are 2-4-2T "tank engines", designated as class F1.
*The five passenger cars that the locomotive pulls can seat up to 250 passengers while riding the express contoured benches facing sideways per train.
*The locomotives wear the water buffalo skulls above the smokebox in front of the smokestack. But as of today the ones on Nos 04982 (Black), and 02594 (Red) were removed, most likely because they were damaged while the one on No. 00174 (Green) is in fine condition. However, as of August 2024, No. 04982 (Black) and No. 02594 (Red) have had their buffalo skulls reinstalled.
*The coaches have red and green bins that can be found. These are meant to represent the luggage that passengers have brought aboard the train. The color of the bins is a good way to tell the trains apart.
*Imagineer George McGinnis came out of retirement to design the locomotives for the attraction.
*While the engines are designated as class F1s, they were based on the L&YR Class 5 and Class 6 locomotives.
*The Roundhouse for the trains to be stored and maintained is not open to the public, and is located a mile next to Africa. At the Roundhouse they also have a Skidsteer for ballast work, and a Rail Speeder for mow/track work.
==Gallery==
337A9D79-61EB-45FC-8BB9-9BA8B0FE1595.jpeg
TgIMGuhg5896.jpeg
Wildlife express.jpg|Wildlife Express at the Harambe train station
Wildlife-express.jpg
FD46A46C-F541-4D50-8CE7-38E84808FEDA.jpeg
wildlife-express-train-plexiglass24827505u1200x900.jpg
Wildlifeexpressflickmusicaladventure.png|Wildlife Express in "Flik's Musical Adventure"
WildlifeExpressinFlik'smusicaladventuredeletedscene.PNG
Wildlifeexpressarrivesinoldvideo.jpg
rMGi04511LR.jpg
Wildlifexperssmembers.png|The staff members of the wildlife express
WildlifeExpressTrain855.jpg
W4544987654aff851db17abc.jpg
Wildlife Express Train.jpg
P1090802.JPG
Wildlifeexpresscabview.jpg|The cabview in one of the locomotives
Disney-1.gif
Wildlifeexpressattentandstation.jpeg
7B5860E1-5AEA-4FD9-9408-9B7F7063DC33.jpeg
042E9FFB-5C6C-49B8-ABB9-5C61DBA774A3.jpeg
5A0015FE-1527-4F52-9DD1-95CBD1D85083.jpeg
wildlife-express7776.jpg
Handcaratwildlifeexpress.jpg|A Handcar sits on display near the Harambe station
Untitzzxczxcxzc.jpg
imagesCAUTB2X7r.jpg
Wildlife-express-train-100.jpg
Wildlife-express-train-animal-kingdom-e1442771187925g.jpg
57259054-D4B0-42A9-93B8-601C8F4D11C5.jpeg
752897D7-C40B-4697-98A8-559430160940.jpeg
Wildlifeexpresscab.jpeg
WildlifeexpressRoundhouse.jpg|The wildlife express's Roundhouse
WildlifeExpress02594.webp
WildlifeExpresswithMickeyMouse.jpg|Wildlife Express with Mickey Mouse
WildlifeExpressincommercial.jpg
GuhgIMGb5876.jpeg
==Merchandise==
wildlifeExpresspin.jpg
DisneyPinAnimalKingdom's15thAnniversary1.jpg
liloandstitchwildlifeexpresspin.jpg
easternstarrailwaytraindiecast.jpg
==References==
Category:Transportation
Category:Disney's Animal Kingdom attractions
Category:Africa attractions
Category:Rafiki's Planet Watch attractions
Category:Trains