More Knott's Berry Farm Train Postcards
Recently, GDB pal Steve DeGaetano generously shared scans of his collection of vintage Knott's Berry Farm postcards, all relating to the two KBF locomotives. You might not know this, but Steve loves trains! See those three posts, HERE, HERE, and HERE. Now we have a bonus PART 4! What does Steve have to say?
So, since the last installment on my series of Knott’s Berry Farm postcards focusing on the Ghost Town a& Calico Railroad, I’ve managed to pick up a few more cards. Again, some are pretty common, but I’m saving the best for last.
I know the Major is big on variations, and that’s exactly what this one is. It’s nearly identical to one I posted previously here with one big exception: It’s got “Knott’s Berry Farm” prominently printed in yellow in the lower right corner. The shot is also cropped a little more, resulting in a cut-off cow catcher. Grrrr. Still, a nice portrait of Green River. The two lamps on either side of the smokebox below the headlight are “classification” or “class” lamps. They tell ground personnel whether the train is on the timetable, or running “extra,” or has other trains following behind it in sections. They usually have clear or green lenses—never red or orange as seen here—but those look cooler. This card is copyrighted 1993.
The next two don’t focus on the trains per se, but the trains do occupy the center of the shots, so I’m making exceptions. This one is a nice image of Calico Square, with some costumed cast members in the foreground, and Ol’ 41, Red Cliff, in the middle distance. A whisp of steam indicates the whistle has just blown. Someone hand wrote “1969” on the back of this card.
I always liked this view of the farm’s townsfolk milling about, while an engineer oils his steed, in the form of No. 40, Green River (this image was also used as the cover for one of the park’s souvenir guidebooks). With the lack of shadows, I’m guessing this photo was taken on a much more overcast day than the unrealistically intense azure sky suggests.
The three cards above I’ve seen many times, but this card is completely new to me. An undated “Plastichrome” card, featuring our beloved Red Cliff sitting front and center, unencumbered by chains, railings or fences. “Come closer,” it seems to beckon. “Some of my surfaces are only 300 degrees!” I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a clearer image of the train station, which, as some of you may know, is the actual Stanton, CA “Red Car” station from the old Pacific Electric Railway, which stood near the corner of Ball Road and Knott Avenue—originally known as Hansen Road.
Thus ends PART 4 featuring Steve's collection of Knott's train postcards. As a postcard collector myself, I really love these artifacts from the past, with their excellent views of features the way they looked decades ago. I even love the way the cards were printed, with their vintage colors, and occasional composited-in skies. True nerds (guilty) even enjoy the variations on the different card backs! Stamp box? No stamp box? Blue ink vs black (or brown) ink? And so on.
MANY THANKS to Steve DeGaetano for taking the time to scan his cards, and for taking even more time to write up descriptions of each so that we get some facts and context. I'm holding out hope that he finds more cards for a possible PART 5!
11 comments:
@ Steve-
We love seeing Knott's and trains. Naturally, these images fit right in.
Thanks, Steve and The Major.
1) Wow, a nice sharp picture! I love the clouds of steam billowing out the sides, engulfing the chain railing.
2) Fortunately, the Red Cliff is far enough away and partially obscured by people and such, that its color scheme doesn't assault the sensitivities of 'some people' ;-) ... not much anyway. This is a really nice postcard! The costumed ladies add immensely to its charm. The dappled sunlight also helps.
3) Again, the costumed folk (and that white baby carriage) add a lot to this image. That unbelievably blue sky makes the image look surreal.
4) With no fences or chains, I wonder if a CM (or whatever they're called at Knott's) walked ahead of the moving train to make sure people stayed clear of it?
Nice set of postcards, Steve. Thanks! Thank you, Major.
In that second image, we can see a kid posing on the bench with Nell & Belle (later known as Marilyn & Cecilia), over by the popcorn wagon. I wonder if the popcorn was 100% made-that-day, back when Walter and Cordelia were alive?
Even as a kid, I could always tell which postcards had the fake sky inserted into the pic and thought it looked bad!
I've mentioned this before, but back in 1985, Knott's moved the train station closer to the tracks and rotated it 180 degrees, when they were revamping the Ghost Town. That's also when they tore down most of the firehouse and left behind just some "ruins." The "1885" Ghost Town entrance sign went up at that time, too, and Mott's Miniatures was kicked out of Jeffries Barn so they could turn the structure into a performance venue.
Thank you, Steve and Major!
I wonder if a CM (or whatever they're called at Knott's) walked ahead of the moving train to make sure people stayed clear of it?
JB, before they installed gates to stop guests from crossing the train tracks, they did have employees stand there (one on either side of the track) and try to hold people back once the train was in motion. They weren't always successful, as some people would try to dash across the tracks. I don't know if there was ever any accidents, but either way, I bet some lawyers told them to install the gates. Oh, and the employees that stood there to hold people back, were the "train robbers." As soon as the train passed by, they would hop onto the caboose.
#4 is how I remember it, back when we could put pennies on the track.
I picked up a copy of the first postcard on my triumphal return to Knott’s after an absence of 17 years on November 10th, 1993 (oddly, we actually went to Knott’s before Disneyland after moving to SoCal that September, but I think that was because a) we had just honeymooned at WDW and b) we were broke newlyweds and Knott’s offered free admission for military personnel and their families during the week of Veterans’ Day). It lived under a plexiglas desk topper in my first three offices, with a mug bearing a similar image and the name “Chuck” always nearby. The fact that they hung signal lamps instead of marker lights on the locomotive is rather odd, but it does look cool.
The third image is very familiar as it adorned the cover of my family’s souvenir guidebook picked up in 1975 or 1976. I love all the Vintage People in these photos. I think their best records were Go West, Can’t Stop the Train, and their mariachi hit, Nacho Man.
JB, I’m ok. I took some Zofran before looking at the pictures,
TM!, your description has me imagining a herald walking in front of the train crying “Make way! Make way!” I do remember seeing the train robbers jump on the caboose just after the train left Calico Square. It’s a shame that Knott’s paid their crossing guards so little that they had to supplement their income that way.
Thanks again, Steve! We’re loco for Knott’s locos!
Thanks everyone! We're working on part 5 as time allows. We're short-handed here at work, so I'm pretty busy, and I just picked up another new card! The next installment promises to unveil a nugget about the KBF that's not even mentioned in the definitive history of Knott's--"Knott's Preserved." Stay tuned!
Oh--And that comment above is from me. Not sure why I appeared anonymously there!
Thank you Steve and Major! We do love both Knotts and trains, so this is perfect.
This post confirms the GDB Rule, “Come for the pictures, Stay for the comments”.
I Like the wide view and that portrait view too, both are new to me, I guess I’m not a real aficionado. And the last one is just outstanding. The engine livery is a sort of enchilada, beans, tomato sauce, and cheese.
Thank you again for an educational and interesting post!
JG
Nanook, those old trains are some of the best things at Knott’s!
JB, that’s not steam it’s cotton candy. Don’t worry, most people make that same mistake. When I think about the Disnified colors that Knott’s could have used (purple and teal), the Red Cliff looks pretty good. I guess Knott’s still has costumed people? Or maybe just for certain events? An employee would lay down in front of the train so that it wouldn’t proceed until it was safe for guests.
TokyoMagic!, thank you for pointing out “the gals”! i didn’t notice them. The popcorn was made that day, but they sprinkled asbestos on it for flavor. The fake skies on postcards is a weird thing - I get why they did it, but it’s always so garish. Someday I’ll share my Disneyland postcards - same cards, different skies. Etc! I wonder why they “had” to move the train depot during those changes? It sounds unnecessary. It always makes me sad when something that had been around for decades is removed. Ugh.
TokyoMagic!, thank you for clearing that up! I can’t imagine being dumb enough to dash in front of a moving train, even a slow-moving train, but that’s how people are. I really do wonder if there were any “accidents” over the years!
EricM, ha, I used to do that when I lived near train track in Pennsylvania!
Chuck, I think I had a 25-year gap between Knott’s visits! And now it’s been at least another 10 years. I had plans to go once but it rained (as you know!). I think you could do a lot worse than a day at KBF with your sweetheart. For me, it’s the old Ghost Town that’s the thing I really enjoy, but the roller coasters are OK too. There was some sort of Bigfoot Lodge that had just closed when I was there, I’d heard that it had amazing “Pepper’s Ghost” illusions, so I’m sad I never saw it. The Vintage People? I sometimes dress up as the old-timey cop!
Anonymous (now I see it’s Steve D!), wow, this sounds exciting! I can’t wait to see it!
Steve DeGaetano, I blame teenagers.
JG, I am very happy that we still have Knott’s, but I truly miss the old park, pre-“Roaring 20s”, though I liked the Roaring 20s area too. I think of the hours my siblings and friends spent at KBF, just enjoying the simple pleasures of that park. So great!
I wonder why they “had” to move the train depot during those changes? It sounds unnecessary. It always makes me sad when something that had been around for decades is removed. Ugh.
Major, they just felt that it wasn't serving it's purpose as a train station, since it was across the road/pathway from where you actually board the train. They moved it so that guests would now enter the station, before heading into the queue. The station has a closed-up ticket widow, which was used back in the day when the park was free and guests bought individual tickets for the rides/attractions. The reason for rotating it during the move, was so that the ticket window (even though no longer used) would face guests, instead of facing the R.R. tracks side. At least they haven't torn the station down, like they did to the Mine Train's original ticket booth.
Yeah, it was frustrating when they tore down the fire station. Just stupid decisions by......I'm going to say it.....stupid people. Management felt that the view of the restaurant, "Sutter's," was being blocked to the guests over on Main St., and that it might have been affecting sales, so they brought the firehouse down in height to just "ruins," in hopes that it would increase sales for the restaurant. Again, STUPID! That's also when they moved Aunt Hattie's cabin (which was next door to the fire station) and for the same reason. You featured a photo of Aunt Hattie's within the last six months or so. She's the woman who used to do the "spinning" demonstrations on the porch. They kicked her out during that move and changed her cabin into a shop, "Aunt Hattie's Parasol Parlor," at the same time as all of those other Ghost Town changes in 1985. After all, haven't you always wanted a hand painted parasol as a souvenir of your visit to Knott's?
- TokyoMagic!
Post a Comment