Sunday, June 02, 2019

Views From a Canal Boat, 1962

I've got one "Just OK" photo for you, and one loser!

First up is this shot of Casey Jr. as it crossed the fancy arched bridge that reminds me of the Roman aqueduct. Ol' Casey really looks like a wonderful toy here, I love his bright blue boiler and smokestack and the pink cab.


Blah! I have many better photos of this same scene. This one's blurry, and has a giant head.


16 comments:

K. Martinez said...

The Casey Jr. pic is a beauty! As he's crossing over the arched bridge, Casey Jr. is saying "Look, Ma! No railings".

Thanks, Major.

Nanook said...

Major-
Ken's correct... without railings, poor 'ol Casey might just fall over into the drink-!

Thanks, Major.

TokyoMagic! said...

The giant head (and his body) can go lay down on the giant patchwork quilt from Lullaby Land.

Gnometrek said...

Once again a Disney tune is rattling around in my head and that's not a bad thing at all.

Chuck said...

"Heed, MOVE!!!"

Note that Casey, Jr. has a balloon stack, increasing its Inherently Awesome Factor (IAF) by 47.3. The lack of handrails and widened right-of-way across the viaduct to accommodate said handrails takes the IAF right off the charts to a number that was heretofore only theoretically possible. Is there anything that little engine can't do?

I read recently in Todd James Pierce's Life and Times of Ward Kimball (a Christmas present from my amazing wife) that Casey's appearance in Dumbo was modeled after Kimball's own locomotive Chloe (seen here in Kimball's backyard in 1975). Chloe and her sister locomotive, Emma Nevada, are both on display today at the Southern California Railway Museum (formerly the Orange Empire Railway Museum) in Perris, CA. Well worth a visit if you have a chance.

Andrew said...

Casey looks all alone in the first picture! He looks precariously perched very high up from this angle.

I recently saw a picture with a sign for the ride designating it as "Casey Jones Jr. Railroad". Sounds weird, but it makes a whole lot of sense it you think about it.

stu29573 said...

I'd love an HO working model of CJ!

JC Shannon said...

Great pics today, I love the Casey JR on the bridge and the big head with too much pomade gives a unique perspective. Stu, while we are petitioning Walthers to build a Circus Train, lets ask 'em to crank out a Mine Train as well. Thanks Major, for the Sunday treat.

stu29573 said...

Agreed!

Major Pepperidge said...

K. Martinez, these were the days when Casey was young and reckless. The following year he tried to jump the Snake River Canyon is his rocket cycle.

Nanook, as we all know, most Disneyland rides had a tendency to fall over. That’s what made them fun.

TokyoMagic!, why not a giant memory foam pillow with Chewbacca printed on it?? Get with the times, man!

Gnometrek, I love that Casey Jr. song, as brief as it is!

Chuck, I was wondering if Mike Myers would appear in the comments section once I mentioned the giant head! Balloon stacks are cool, plus I just like that they are compared to balloons, of all things. And I’ve been to the Orange Empire Railway Museum (when did it change its name to the “Southern California Railway Museum”??) where I met up with K. Martinez and TokyoMagic. We saw the Emma Nevada, but the Chloe was nowhere to be seen. It’s a neat place to visit.

Penna. Andrew, not many people realize how isolated a little circus train’s life can be, but you picked up on it! Casey copes with it remarkably well though. And yes, the train is officially known as “Casey Jones Jr.”.

stu29573, now that you mention that it seems like a no-brainer. Come on Disney, how could you leave all that money sitting on the table?

Jonathan, Walthers is too busy making PPKs for James Bond. They have no time to make little toy trains!

stu29573, seconded and thirded, and possibly even fourthed!

Chuck said...

Major, the name change was a surprise to me, too. Their website is still "oerm.org." And now that you mention it, I do remember you talking about meeting up with Ken & TM! there. Or somewhere. Maybe it was at the National Steam Thresher's Convention. Or the National Tractor Pull. You know how unreliable my memory is. But I'm sure it was in NW Ohio somewhere.

Also...never noticed the miniature Golden Gate Bridge behind Pinocchio's Village before. How long did that feature last?

Melissa said...

I think the train aqueduct picture is totally awesome and completely rad! Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga CHOO CHOO!

JG said...

Splendid photo of Casey. That viaduct bridge must be modeled on the one in Scotland that is in all the Harry Potter films. Glad to see there the only rails are on the track.

That guy in the second photo needs to go see Trader Same and have his giant head shrunken into scale.

Thanks Major. I will unconditionally love all photos of Storybook Land, however fuzzy or demented.

JG

JG said...

*Trader Sam

argh.

JG

walterworld said...

That might be Glenn Yarborough in the second pic? :)

Thanks Major

Melissa said...

Viaduct?