Here's an interesting one... at first glance it is merely a slightly unusual look at the beautiful old passenger cars from the Disneyland & Santa Fe Railroad as the train waits at Frontierland Station. But as your eye travels to the right, you notice that the tunnel isn't entirely enclosed the way it should be. Instead, you can see those crossed red steel girders; this is because of the Haunted Mansion construction that was underway!
If you look at the photo below (yes, you've seen it before), you can see what it looked like from the outside. From what I understand, the two tunnels beneath the girders are for the portrait gallery (that's the tunnel on the right) and for the exit and the doombuggy unloading area.
From the same lot is the view of the river in Frontierland. To the left is the big green construction wall, hiding the New Orleans Square excavation work. Barely visible through the trees is Frontierland Station.
And finally, another view of the Rivers of America. A Keelboat, Canoe, and a Raft all add movement to the picture. I'm sure that many people tried to talk Walt out of the idea of having to take a raft over to Tom Sawyer Island, but it is part of what makes the whole experience so great!
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/obball123/rr%20round%20up/?action=view¤t=IMG_2710.jpg
ReplyDeletefirst car restored
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f43/obball123/rr%20round%20up/?action=view¤t=IMG_2708.jpg
the 4 cars together
Howdy pardner!
ReplyDeleteNeato pic of the train. So you could ride through there and see the construction. Oh to have been there. I'm just the sort to have jumped on the train a bunch of times just to look at that. :)
Ah I like the 2nd Frontierland pic, the Haunted Mansion dominating the scene to the right end, looking graceful and perfectly real and... somehow... strangely... haunted... right in the middle of broad daylight on a super sunny, lovely day. Brilliant.
WOWWWWWEEEE!!!! That first photo really clears something up. I remember your second photo and I've seen similar shots that were taken after the Haunted Mansion facade was finished, but before the show building was built (it sat that way for many years, right?) But you could never tell that that was an open area between the criss crossing girders....at least I couldn't. This is fascinating! Today, they would not want the guests looking out into a backstage area full of nothing. Did they shut down the train when they built the show building? Does anyone out there remember?
ReplyDeleteEven without the mansion stuff, that first shot of the passenger trains is a beaut!
ReplyDeleteVery neat photo of the train tunnel showing the girders from inside!
ReplyDeleteThe train was closed for a period of time during the actual construction. However I definitely can remember that the opening was there for a few years and yes, you could just look out the opening...on both sides.
ReplyDeletehow cool to have seen those things....these shots are great!
ReplyDeleteFrontierland certainly had some wide open spaces back in the day...