Last Two Snapshots From 1965
Here are the final two scans from a lot of photo prints, circa 1965. It was a good bunch!
We'll start with this view taken from a Monorail as it zoomed from the Disneyland Hotel back to Tomorrowland; we get a brief glimpse of this area near the west exit, with some empty bike racks. Imagine being able to ride your bike to Disneyland! THE DREAM (at least when I was a kid). A locomotive (the Fred Gurley?) waits at the station, pulling the old yellow passenger cars behind it. That fence looks very hoppable!
Here's a view taken from one of the big boats on the Rivers of America, looking toward the little mining town of Rainbow Ridge. It's nice to get a look at some of the buildings that are a bit more to the northwest than we usually see; meanwhile a line of Pack Mules has just started heading into Nature's Wonderland.
20 comments:
Major-
"That fence looks very hoppable!" You're not scared-off by the triple rows of barbed wire-? You ARE a man among men-!
Thanks, Major.
I think that's an Alice attraction poster in the tunnel. Is that also an AP just outside the tunnel? Not sure what is being depicted on it; looks like the Moonliner.
Which fence do you find hoppable, Major? The 3 ft. high one on the right? Or the 6 ft. high one on the left... with the happy strands of barbed wire strung across the top? If you mean the lower fence, then I'll just stand back and watch as you hop over it, and see what happens... Enjoy your stay in the Churro Mines.
There's another line of Pack Mules going by up on the ridge above the Town. Interesting, that the photographer took this picture in "portrait" mode. Evidence that he was giving some thought to his picture-taking.
Nanook, funny how we both fixated on the barbed wire fence.
So long, last of the '65 snapshots. They were good while they lasted. Thanks, Major.
@ JB-
Yes, that's the Alice AP in the tunnel (with the Monorail to its left). The first one on the fence is the Grand Canyon Diorama, followed by the Art of Animation, and then the .
Huh... "and then the ." What the heck happened, Blogger-??!! I know what I typed. It's the Autopia, you nitwit-!
JB, here's the poster you were asking about, and that Nanook identified. And now I just realized something, Knott's also has a train ride past the Grand Canyon.
https://dygtyjqp7pi0m.cloudfront.net/i/26273/23560229_1.jpg?v=8D2F2BD65493AE0
Yep Major, that's the Gurley again, the second time this week! I'd say it's actually in motion, as it's a good way off the tunnel.
To continue the train discussion from yesterday, I’m struggling to remember the names of the 5 locomotives. Fred Gurley, Ernest (or Earnest?) Marsh, C. K. Holliday, Ward Kimball, and …?
I’m assuming that the five never operate at all once, but only three at a time for safety?
Major, I can hear the bell and the announcer voice, the number one sound of Disneyland for me.
I’m imagining Goofy staggering into town as the High Plains Drifter looking for room in the Hotel. The mule team is passing by Tink’s Tower (?) which is doing a good job passing as an ore hoist for one of the numerous mines.
Great pics, Major, thank you.
JG
Oh duh, I read yesterday’s post again, E.P. Ripley.
Almost got it.
JG
wow, to ride a bike to DL would be great. I think that was the same area as the RTD bus stop... once I took a bus there from The Valley, with a friend from school. of course, we stayed way to late! we caught the last bus to downtown, but the 93 bus back to the valley had stopped. I had to call home and ask Dad to pick us up, was profusely sorry and offered to mow the lawn every day the rest of the summer (or something like that).
nice photos, Major!
Nanook, all it requires is a little bit of pre-planning! Stop behind a carpet store and grab a few scraps from the dumpster, and then draped those over the barbed wire. Voila!
JB, Yes, definitely an “Alice” poster, as well as a “Grand Canyon Diorama” and an “Art of Animation” on the outside. You can just see (faintly) a Monorail poster to the left of the Alice poster, in the tunnel. As for the barbed wire, see my comment to Nanook! If you hopped the fence early in the morning, it would be no problem. Then sneak into a restroom on Main Street and wait. For more tips on committing crimes, be sure to visit my website! You’re right about the other line of pack mules, I am still unsure as to the routes those mules took, I wish I had a better idea of the paths.
Nanook, I concur!
Nanook, oh yeah, I didn’t even notice the Autopia poster to the extreme right.
TokyoMagic!, wait, does the Knott’s train also pass the “Grand Canyon”??
Steve DeGaetano, I think you’re right, the train must have just gotten underway.
JG, reading ahead, I see that you already answered your own question! I assume that it might not even be possible for them to run all five locomotives at once, but perhaps I am wrong. And I’ve been there on crowded days wondering why they only have two operating, considering the long lines at the stations. I agree, those various ambient RR sounds are so wonderful. Goofy as the High Plains Drifter? Hmmmm… meanwhile, I don’t believe that is “Tink’s Tower”, I think it is just the mine head that we’ve seen in other photos. I might be wrong though!
JG, it’s OK!
LTL, yes, I’ve read accounts of kids who lived nearby, able to ride their bikes to the park. That truly would have been a dream come true for me when I was speeding around on my blue Schwinn (with tassels on the handles and a sparkly banana seat). When I lived in Huntington Beach, we could see the distant nightly fireworks from the bleachers of Edison High School, but that still would have been a haul (over 17 miles according to Google Maps).
JG and Major, I believe there's a publicity photo out there showing all five locomotives posed with the train CMs at Main Street Station. Of course, I don't know if all five were under steam and operating--one or two could have been towed to Main Street.
It wasn't unusual in the 1980s and 1990s to see four-train operation on busy days. The old block signal system did its job!
According to wikipedia, the DLRR has 11 segments, which means all 5 trains can operate at once, though only one train would move at a time to ensure an open block between each train.
Dean, I think that Wikipedia entry may be wrong(!). Before cab signals, the line was indeed divided into 11 blocks, but I think that number was reduced with the installation of cab signals. I'll check a recent SOP when I get home and update this thread with any new info.
That barbed wire fencing looks very "ORDERS MUST BE FOLLOWED" in a very Hogan's Hero's kind of way....seems severe to be so blatant....but wire cutters will do the trick quite nicely on this type of fencing. Not sure they had surveillance or cameras back in this day, and I am sure there were stowaways. Seems like a "Nannigans" that I would be part of as a kid. That giant rose bed is very impressive: what a sight and smell that must have been when in full bloom. An "un-vegatative Disneyland" is lovely: when things are so new...plants and trees have no scale of course...and now: everything seems to be very jungle-y...and large. When coming up and approaching the park: it kind of seems like Beverly Hills where there are amazing things behind very high hedges and trees. Let us get a peek please. It probably keeps the riff raff out much like the pointed shards on the chain link fencing. Why not use electricity? That will keep the vermin out. Rainbow Ridge is cute as a button...as cute as a button can be. I'm not sure I look down at my buttons and say "wow...how cute"...but perhaps next time I will. I wouldn't mind having a little Rainbow Ridge in the backyard...with all of my ideas it may get a bit "theme-y"....which is never a good thing: thinking holistically anyway. Would be nice to have some acreage to build some fun stuff...Money and time would be helpful too! That being said: Thanks Major!
Steve DeGaetano, wow, I can’t picture all five locomotives right in front of Main Street Station! I guess they are smaller than I imagine? Wow, it would be great to see four running at once, no waiting!
Dean Finder, I’m actually surprised that there are 11 segments, I thought that a “segment” would just be the space between stations. Clearly I am wrong.
Steve DeGaetano, Wikipedia is never wrong!!
Bu, I’m sure that a fence that was required to circle the entire park could only be done affordably using chain link, and of course that would be too easy for criminals like me to scale, so the barbed wire was necessary. Wow, cutting the fence, I like the way you think. I would think that in a lot of cases it would be tricky to hop a fence, wind up someplace backstage, and make it out to the public areas, without being noticed. That’s why I always thought a hard hat, orange vest, and clip board would be good props. Just spend $150 on a costume, tools, etc, and get into the park for free, back when it cost $4.50! I do like the roses out front, especially in older photos when that was much larger. High voltage electricity is a good idea, and traps that fire poison darts too! Or at least darts with “knockout juice”. Maybe “cute as a button” refers to button noses? Not sure. It is an odd phrase though.
Dean, the latest SOP I have is from 2004–right before they installed cab signals, and there were still 11 blocks. The research continues!
On Burnsland, a poster states there are now only 10 blocks; that comports with my memory of there being less than 11.
TokyoMagic!, wait, does the Knott’s train also pass the “Grand Canyon”??
Major, yes....as the Calico Railroad goes past Boot Hill, on the other side of the train is the mural of the Grand Canyon, painted on the back of the Walter Knott Theater (formerly the Charles M. Schulz Theater, formerly the Good Time Theater and the Toyota Good Time Theater, formerly the John Wayne Theater.)
^ Interesting! Now I'm having the same "italics" problem that Sue was having a few days ago.
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