The Old Mine Train, 1958
I love the post-1960, bright yellow Mine Train; its so cheerful and toy-like. It fit the ride's newly added humorous scenes (courtesy of Marc Davis' brain). But the earlier version, with its more somber dark green and black feels a bit more authentic. Check out this nice image from 1958, it almost looks like a hand-colored black and white photo. Hey, that little girl is perched precariously high on the edge of that mine car... if she falls out and gets eaten by rabid weasels, her parents are to blame.
Mom has been doing some serious shopping, take a look at that extra-large bag! Not to mention her stylish souvenir hat. To our left you can see the Mineral Hall, sponsored by the "Black Light Corp. of America". Aren't they the secret organization that actually controls all of the world's governments? I'm not sure I've seen that sign in the background that is just legible:
Sounds cool, I like stuff that glows! This exhibit was entirely responsible for the hippie movement, but I'll forgive it.
10 comments:
I like that old bag. The blue and white one I mean. No, the paper bag. I like the the paper bag.
Waaay cool photos!!
I never knew the train had ever been green until now.
Thank you Major.
JG
old bag...tee hee!
hey!! it's my train #3 again!
major, i was finally able to weasel that photo of walt in #3 from that weasel. i had someone else buy it!
as usual, amazing stuff...
Jordan, now that I actually pay attention, it seems like old #3 shows up in a surprising number of photos. I love the way it looks in its dark green color scheme!
Yay! These are neat Maj, thanks so much! The top is a wonderful shot of a wonderful but unfortunately mostly vanished scene and the bottom shot makes me almost feel like I'm sitting in one of the cars. :)
Nice of the lady to display that vintage paper bag for us.
Is the world's largest geode still there...? Or has the Black Light Corp of America spirited it away to Iron Mountain, never to be seen by the likes of us...
Nice shots - and from an unusual angle!
Black lights -- that one childhood desire that was never fulfilled. >sigh<
Curse you Mr. Toad.
JG - the trains were always painted yellow. Budget constraints in the early years led to severe water seepage from Rainbow Caverns into the engine house/car barn, which in turn caused a horrible mold problem on the locomotives. This problem was later corrected with the 1960 rehab, which is why pictures from 1960 and later show shiny yellow locomotives instead of green, moldy ones.
JG, did your leg come off when Chuck pulled it so? Yes, from 1956-59 the Mine Trains were dark green. The yellow trains were from 1960-77.
It's always great to see Mineral Hall photos. Like others, I am hungry for any information or views I can find on it. I began to collect fluorescent minerals as a result of this fascination. I also have a few items known to be sold in that shop based on the stickers.
James Keeline
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