It's time for more Kodak Instamatic goodness, thanks to the mysterious Mr. X. Who is he? From whence does he hail? Only Interpol knows for sure. When X was a mere lad, he took these photos, and by gum, they are nice.
Oh man, howsabout this great view of blue Monorail? It's still the Mark II trains; they started introducing the Mark III trains in 1968. And we have some photos from this batch that feature the New Tomorrowland (1967), so we are around '68 or possibly '69.
Zooming in, can you see the tour guide on the Monorail platform as the latest batch of guests exits? I love being able to see inside the trains, with their stylish white and red seats. And as always, the Santa Fe logo makes me happy when it is in Disneyland.
Here's a second excellent Skyway view, as Señor X managed to catch a single Matterhorn bobsled as it zipped by at lightning speeds. Other bobsleds near the chalet look great with their bright colors. I've always thought that the splashdown through an Alpine pond was a stroke of genius - note how the track dips just a little to make a nice splash.
Major-
ReplyDeleteMonorail blue, with the Santa Fe logo in bold red/white; and then on the signage - in blue/white. And yes, those guests are exiting the platform.
What a wonderfully-beautiful 'action shot' of the matterhorn-! A rarity indeed. And to think it was captured with an Instamatic camera-! Señor X most-definitely has the magic touch.
Thanks to Mr. X & The Major.
Mr. X, King of Instamatics! Two really great pictures today. You can practically see that bobsled moving.
ReplyDeleteCheck the matching stripey brothers right above the "gorillasdont" in the first picture!
Thank you Major and Mr. X. Those monorail shots are a doozy. Everything what Melissa and Nanook said.
ReplyDeleteDitto. The Monorail has always been one of my favorites at DL. So futuristic, sleek and a peek at what the future might bring. While sponsored by Santa Fe we could use my Dad's Southern Pacific employee Pass and ride without a ticket.
ReplyDeleteOf course, what's not to like about the Matterhorn.
Thanks for the pics, Mr X and Major
dz
So much to see in these Instamatic snaps. An unusual angle of the Monorail, a bit of Autopia and a Sub to boot. Three must-rides for sure. The Bobsled photo is another gem, The riders in line, and on a Sled zipping along at break-neck speed, great! The Major and Mr.X have made my day once again.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I have a hard time explaining what exactly I love about photos like these. The fact that Disneyland looks awesome is a given, but it is also the color (that metallic blue on the Monorail is so cool!), and how new and clean the park looks - it’s just a place I want to be.
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I can only assume that the bobsled is pretty clear because it happened to be a bright, sunshiny day - as Nanook pointed out, it’s pretty amazing that an action shot came out so nice from a humble Instamatic camera. You definitely have an eye for twins (or “near twins”)!
DrGoat, I’m glad you liked these!
David Zacher, L.A. now has a mass-transit train system, but the trains are pretty utilitarian. It’s too bad they didn’t go with a sexier design - there is concept artwork from a Disney proposal showing a classic Monorail zooming through downtown.
Jonathan, I think many people consider all three of those attractions (Monorail, Subs, Matterhorn) to be “must rides”! There are plenty more great photos from Mr. X to come.
Mr. X has done some great photography of Disneyland and Walt Disney World over the years. Both of today's pics are great examples of his talent for capturing the feel of Disneyland in its magical years. The monorail pic is a beauty.
ReplyDeleteCompared to the 1978 and 2012 bobsleds, the original 1959 single-car bobsleds weren't that fast. Thanks, Mr. X and Major.
Great pictures, unusual angles, and all from a simple inexpensive camera.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant work, Major and Mr. X. Thank you.
I think the Monorail shot must date from 1966 or earlier since there is no sign of the PeopleMover track or it's construction, which opened in 1967.
The bobsled shot is really nice. I have always loved that ride.
Amazing to think that all three of these attractions were designed and built together and are almost 60 years old. This practically amounted to a whole new "land" at the time.
JG
K. Martinez, yes, I am always impressed at how good X’s photos are, especially when I consider my own crummy photos throughout my life! Whenever I tell X how good his pix are, he gets kind of embarrassed. So the single bobsleds moved slower than the doubles? Is that on purpose (to speed up capacity), or is it just due to the increased mass?
ReplyDeleteJG, well, by golly, I think you are right. No Peoplemover track is visible. I have lots of photos from Mr. X with the brand new “Tomorrowland ’67”, but this must predate that by a bit. I consider the design and building of the Monorail, Subs, and Matterhorn in LESS THAN A YEAR to be nothing short of astonishing.
Did they just move people by hand back then?
ReplyDelete@ Melissa-
ReplyDeletePerhaps a 'hand truck'...-?