First up is this exceptional shot featuring a Conestoga Wagon and a Stage Coach. Suh-weet! Both of these conveyances would vanish by 1959. I love that blue color used on the Conestoga Wagon. Even with the pre-shrunk horses, you can tell that both wagons are scaled-down. Notice the pack mules in the background, and a couple of workmen on top of the ridge.
The Rainbow Desert looked pretty convincing back then. Ignore that telephone pole! Or pretend it's a telegraph pole, sending morse-code messages ("Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. Stop.") . Did you know that the implementation of the telegraph caused the demise of the Pony Express?
The Rainbow Desert looked pretty convincing back then. Ignore that telephone pole! Or pretend it's a telegraph pole, sending morse-code messages ("Be sure to drink your Ovaltine. Stop.") . Did you know that the implementation of the telegraph caused the demise of the Pony Express?
I know that the saguaro cacti are fiberglass, but wonder if those other varieties are fake as well? If so, they look like the real thing to me.
Forget the telegraph pole, the real spoiler is Hard Hat Henry up on the ridge, killing the mood AND the scale! Like the Fiberglass Indians say, NEVER walk along the top of the ridge.
ReplyDeleteAlso notice in the shadows that the Conestoga wagon driver has a ... gasp ... beard!!! Perhaps the only employee in the History of Disneyland to have one?? Will we ever know?
At least some of those cacti are real, the short barrel ones with the pinkish tinge are real, I see them in the wild desert backcountry. I think the ones with the fluted branches may be real, at least there are real species with branches like that.
ReplyDeleteI think that is the same power line I commented on once before, continuing it's run behind the DLRR tracks from the Rivers Of America, which is probably to the left of this desert photo.
The wagons are cool. Are those little houses still in place up on the hill? I know some are still, farther to the right, but can't remember the ones where Henry is standing...
Thanks Major. Nice pics.
JG
Love that first photo - I know I was there, just have no memory of it, darn it! Oh time travel machine, where are you??
ReplyDeleteMajor,
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite rides when I was a child. Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland. I remember the mules, but I missed out on the stage coaches.
The color on these pictures is great. Almost as if they were taken yesterday. Are you sure you didn't snap them on your visit to Disneyland last week ; )
One of the problems with Frontier land today is too much pavement. I'm surprised they haven't poured concrete paths on Tom Sawyer Island or on the friendly Indian Village on the banks of the river yet...or have they? I mean look at the good rich Anaheim dirt in the second picture.
Great photos.
LOVE Kodachrome pics, and LOVE old Frontierland. Also love the look of that wagon driver. He is hardcore!
ReplyDeletebeautiful!! look at those colors! Kodachrome is definitely the way to go! i see pine trees and i love the little horses. Rainbow Ridge...it doesnt get much better!
ReplyDeletegreat images today!! :-D
Wow. That first pic is great. How many rare things can you fit in one picture?
ReplyDeleteWas the trestle in the upper left part of the scenery or part of the original track layout? The building it goes into looks like a forced perspective mine building too small for the actual train. Anyne know?
ReplyDeleteChuck, that bit of track was strictly scenery. I guess you were supposed to imagine a little mine car coming out of that tunnel, and crossing the trestle to dump the tailings.
ReplyDelete