Imagineers Reveal Backstory of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's Founder and President

The Walt Disney Imagineers are hard at work on a new project in Walt Disney World - updating Big Thunder Mountain Railroad's queue area.

The Magic Kingdom attraction is receiving a new, interactive queue, which will include the backstory of the gentleman pictured to the right, one Barnabas T. Bullion, the Founder and President of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. His story is as follows:

Barnabas T. Bullion is the founder and president of the Big Thunder Mining Company. The longtime mining magnate comes from a powerful East Coast family and considers gold to be his very birthright by virtue of his oddly appropriate name; in fact, he considers the ultimate gold strike to be his destiny. And that is why he is having so much trouble with Big Thunder Mountain. According to superstitious locals, Big Thunder Mountain is very protective of the gold it holds within, and the unfortunate soul who attempts to mine its riches is destined to fail. And so far that prophecy is coming to pass. The mine has been plagued by mysterious forces and natural disasters ever since. And yet the Big Thunder Mining Co. is still in operation. In fact, Bullion is discovering new veins of gold and digging new shafts every day, offering a closer look at the Big Thunder mining operation than ever before. But a word to the wise for anyone attempting to visit the mountain: watch out for runaway trains.

Imagineers will be working overnight to include Barnabas and his story and his portrait into the queue along with other interactive elements and new features. Keep an eye out for the updated queue elements in the next few coming months.

(One last thing: is it just me, or does the picture bear a strong resemblance to Donald Sutherland?)

Story and Photo Source