Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Kodak Store-bought Prints

Here are two more images, courtesy of GDB friend Mr. X. Years ago, Kodak sold photo prints that would have looked very similar to the kinds of photos that a guest might have taken - though perhaps a little nicer. Mix them in with your stack of blurry, under-exposed pictures of the backs of people's heads, and POW! "Oooh, did you take that?". "Why certainly!". I am not sure how many different Kodak views are out there - probably dozens if not more.

Let's start with this shot of the Columbia (so 1958 or later) in front of the Plantation House (which lasted until 1962). It seems like beautiful clouds like these tend to show up in the winter months, say February or March. Just a guess of course!



Having established that the photo is about 60 years old, it's not surprising that the colors have been affected to a degree. Using witchcraft and potions, I summoned demons and spirits to restore the picture to the best of their abilities! Those dumb spirits, they'll do anything one time, they mowed my lawn while I watched "General Hospital" and ate a whole box of cherry popsicles.


I'm not sure how one can easily identify these store-bought prints, since they are actual photo prints, and are on Kodak paper, with the same red stamp that you would find on the back of your own prints back in those days. I'll have to ask Mr. X if he knows. Or I will ask the demons.


Next is this swell view of a Nature's Wonderland Mine Train as it crosses that rickety trestle bridge. Mere mortals would never be able to take a picture from this vantage point.


Man, those demons and spirits deserve an extra bowl of viscera, they did such a nice job on this one! Drab and dingy no longer. Notice the ladder on the far side of the trestle, probably built by beavers.


Thank you, Mr. X!

32 comments:

Nanook said...

Major-

Boy, those folks at Eastman Kodak thought of everything. They should've printed Disneyland ticket books while they were at it.

Thanks to Mr. X for sharing, and to your special incantations.

K. Martinez said...

These Kodak photos strongly remind me of the 1965 Donruss Disneyland trading cards. The Mine Train photo is a real beauty!

Thanks, Mr. X and Major.

Melissa said...

Nice brightupification!

Look at all those naughty riders with their arms outside the ride vehicle. Tsk tsk tsk,

TokyoMagic! said...

Melissa, there is even a man standing up, on the far left!

Major, another beautiful job of color correction. Thank the demons for us!

I wonder if the Nature's Wonderland Mine Train ever broke down? And if so, I wonder if it ever broke down on that trestle? I guess if they ever built something like this today, they would have to put in eight foot wide walkways, on either side of the trestle.

Chuck said...

That NWRR photo is a beaut! I love the sportcoat-wearing guest hanging out of the cab with a camera. I wonder if he's another Kodak photographer? Maybe not - there are at least three other camera-totin' passengers actively shooting as well.

Budblade said...

Wow. With all that correction on the second photo you can really tell the engineer is hanging out the window playing candy crush on his phone.

Anonymous said...

Any say with the Natures Wonderland train is a good day!! The Columbia is loading up on chicken for its upcoming journey circumventing the entirety of the Rivers of America. Such trips often took up to two years. That was, at least, until they installed the jet packs on the back of the ship. Now they can make it in just under a minute! Technology!
Oh, and don't trust those demons. We've all seen horror movies and it doesn't end well...

JC Shannon said...

These Kodak moment photos are great! Of course, the Mine Train snap is my favorite but what a great shot of the Columbia as well. Thanks to Mr X and Mr Major.

Alonzo P Hawk said...

@Stu29573

Ditto! Love me some NWRR. That trestle shot came out awesome. Thanks to MR X and Major.

Like I said earlier in the week when I hit the lotto that train will be in my backyard. Here's the guy to help. Built a half scale train with scraps and it looks great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlZYhN8X5Ds

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, Eastman Kodak REALLY should have thought about digital photography! They stubbornly held onto film until it was too late.

K. Martinez, YES, you are right! They totally look like Donruss Disneyland cards!

Melissa, I would think an elbow sticking out a little bit would be OK, but for all I know they had to sweep up a pile of arms at some point in the ride (gross, I know).

TokyoMagic!, that guy is REALLY asking for it. On the other hand, I’ll bet he got a few exceptional photos. I would think that the Mine Train must have broken down over the years. If it was on the trestle, maybe another train could have backed up and towed it across? Or one could have pushed it. Not sure if an inoperable train would be pushable, or if the wheels lock up. Not only would they put 8-foot walkways, but also a wrought-iron fence.

Chuck, sitting in the cab would be cool, but in a way you’d also wind up with a partially obstructed view. I’d rather be at the front of the car right behind the tender. I’m guessing that the train stopped on the trestle for the photo, which is why the man towards the back felt emboldened to stand up, and why everyone with a camera is snapping away like crazy.

Budblade, I should have realized the man was looking at his cell phone - I thought he was sipping a mug of chicken noodle soup.

Stu29573, that’s right, if they had lots of chickens, that meant nuggets for everyone on board. “Arrr, I’ll have the spicy barbecue sauce!”. “Belay that, ya scurvy dog! We wants the ranch!”. Meanwhile, the demons want the spicy buffalo sauce.

Jonathan, I tried to find some sort of list of the pre-made photos sold in the Kodak shop, but there doesn’t seem to be such a thing. I really do wonder, did they sell dozens of views over the years? Or hundreds?

Alonzo, that half-scale Nature’s Wonderland train is incredible. I mean PERFECT. Justin Scarred has a video all about itfor those who are interested. I wish I had known that this train was going to be on display at Walt’s Barn a year or so ago, I would have gone to see it.

Melissa said...

Got to agree with the Maj - that scale model is seventeen kinds of awesome. Toot toot!

Nanook said...

@ TM!-

I'm certain former RO's can provide the answer to your question. But I know there were places in the track that were prone to water spray that could cause the drive wheels to slip on the slick steel rails - rendering the train temporarily immobile, I believe there was sand provided for just such circumstances. That problem happened to me on more than one occasion.

Omnispace said...

Nice job restoring the images, Major. They are now bright and cheery! They remind me of the slides my dad bought during our trip to Europe, when the weather was just not cooperating. The images often seem to be general, long distance views - but you are right that the Mine Train is a view one would not ordinarily get.

I find the Plantation House to be an interesting location right on the shoreline. I suppose if Disney had left it there then we wouldn't have the sweeping view along the promenade over to the Haunted Mansion. But if it was still there, just think of all the upcharge seating they could have had for Fantasmic!!

Major Pepperidge said...

Melissa, it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen!

Nanook, I remember reading about a “sand dome” on locomotives, used for sprinkling sand on slippery tracks. I could definitely see where the NWRR track could get slick as it went past one of the waterfalls. I wonder if they could have textured the track right there? Maybe it would have worn down too quickly to make that a practical solution.

Omnispace, in the case of the Mine Train photo, the diffused lighting is a good thing - we can see all the details, but there are no harsh shadows. When I was in Europe I just bought postcards (since I had no way to view slides), I still have a very large stack of them from all over. I have no personal memory of the Plantation House, but think it looks pretty great right there on the river - and you are so right, they could have made a fortune charging for Fantasmic seating, especially on the upper level!

Anonymous said...

Major, those limbs were sold to an arms dealer.

Also, the ladder was a "fish ladder", the salmon constructed those in the early days of the Park.

JG

TokyoMagic! said...

Nanook, thanks for that information! And that makes sense about the wet tracks. I guess that might have been a problem over by the geysers, as well as the waterfalls. I hope that when that happened, they let you get out and help with the placing of the sand on the tracks, because that would have been totally cool......especially without an eight foot wide walkway......or wrought iron fencing......Major, I forgot about the wrought iron fencing! Sadly, they would have that today, too!

I forgot to mention earlier, that Disneyland sold similar photos in little mini plastic photo albums, in the 1980s. They had a set for Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, It's A Small World, and the Main St. Electrical Parade. They looked just like photos that you would take yourself. They were also printed on Kodak paper, but they had that horrible textured paper that was often used back then. I forgot what they called it. Was it "matte finish" or "silk finish"? Anyway, I wish I had bought all of the sets, but I only purchased the one for the Main St. Electrical Parade. If anyone is curious to see that set, I posted it back in 2009, here:

https://meettheworldinprogressland.blogspot.com/2009/01/1981-main-st-electrical-parade-part-1.html

I posted the souvenir photo album in three parts, so if you want to see the other two parts, just scroll to the bottom of the comments and click on "Newer Post" for each page.

Melissa said...

This train ain’t your train;
This train is Mine Train.
Oh, it’s a nice train,
And it’s a fine train.
From the Rainbow Caverns
To the Living Desert,
This train was made for Walt Disnee.
As I went riding
That ribbon of train track,
The ride so bumpy
I got a sprained back,
Tossed ‘round that boxcar
Just like a feed sack;
This train requires a Ticket ”E.”
This train’s not thine train,
But it’s a Mine Train.
In California,
It’s the best-designed train.
From the Devil’s Paint Pots
To the Beaver Valley,
This train was gone by the Eightees.

TokyoMagic! said...

Melissa, pure excellence! I hope you don't mind me telling others that your song needs to be sung to the tune of "This Land Is Your Land." I realized it by lines five and six. Now I want to hear the Kids of Kingdom singing your song!

Major Pepperidge said...

JG, OH NO! (the pain!)

TokyoMagic!, I suppose that if the wind was blowing in the wrong direction, the geysers would definitely blow toward the tracks. I’d love it if one of the “redshirts” would chime in and let us know if the NWRR trains ever needed help beyond some sand on the tracks. How many photos were typically in one of those 1980s sets? Ugh, that “silk” finish is the worst, I just tried to scan some photos with that texture, with not-great results. Somehow glossy photos were never a problem, even though the ads claimed that fingerprints ruined them. Have you ever looked on eBay for additional sets? Thanks for the link to your Main Street Electrical Parade set! I guess the sets had a dozen photos! I wonder if 2009 was before I discovered your blog?

Melissa does it again! Points for “Disnee”.

TokyoMagic!, I can’t help hearing Melissa’s lyrics sung by Peter, Paul, and Mary.

"Lou and Sue" said...

Melissa, I love your lyrics and can now picture all of us Jr. Gorillas on the train singing it, with our arms hanging out over the car sides, smiling and having a blast!

Thanks, Major, Mr. X and Melissa, for the fun ride!

Sue

P.S. Major - You watched Luke and Laura?!

Anonymous said...

Once again knocked out by your wonderful song Melissa. I think a bunch of former Mine Train CMs need to come together and create a video singing this. Either that or GDB bloggers. Does anyone play banjo?

Nanook said...

@ Melissa-

Sigh.... I think a boy choir would be best for the singing task. (Perhaps the Mitchell Boychoir can be reinstated).

Major Pepperidge said...

Lou and Sue, I know Luke and Laura are from a soap opera, but that’s about as far as it goes. Why??

Anonymous, I like to imagine that all of the former Mine Train cast members get together once a year and have a swell time talking about the good old days! Too bad I never took ukulele lessons.

Nanook, why not a nice Tibetan choir with that cool throat-singing?

"Lou and Sue" said...

Major, I asked you that question because you typed, Those dumb spirits, they'll do anything one time, they mowed my lawn while I watched "General Hospital" and ate a whole box of cherry popsicles." And, yes, Luke and Laura are from General Hospital.

Stu, don't you play the guitar and sing? I do remember, in a past post, you either said the name of your band or gave a website where we could hear you - or something like that. You could lead the singing on our train ride!! (BTW, please give us your info, again, because I didn't write it down and did not yet look up that site...I want to do so, now. Thanks!)

MIKE COZART said...

TOKYOMAGIC , MAJOR, others :

Those Disneyland Picture Packs had neat artwork for the cover insert. I remember buying my first one (The Haunted Mansion) at the remodeled Frontierland Camera shop ( located in the Golden Horseshoe building , next to the StageDoor Cafe) it was $4.75 in 1981 .... which is kinda expensive for something like that back then. Since that time I’ve been able to get Pirstes and Electrical Parade. I haven’t seen the Small World or Jungle Cruise pack for sale since that time in the early 80’s. Someone told me there was a Disneyland 25th parade packet as well ( and there very well could be) but I always got the feeling they were confusing it with the Disneyland 25th Parade “bonus postcard album”.

I also have similar picture packs from Tokyo Disneyland dates 1984 for WORLD BAZAAR , WESTERNLAND and TOMORROWLAND. Did Walt Disney World or Epcot Center Hs e these picture packs?

TokyoMagic! said...

Major, I have never thought to check ebay for those mini photo album picture sets from eighties. It sounds like Mike has, though, and it sounds like maybe they are hard to come by.

Mike, thanks for that extra info. I know my MSEP set still has the DL price tag on it, but I guess I forgot to scan it when I was scanning the photos. And I bet you are right about that person confusing the 25th B-day parade postcard booklet, with a photo set. I don't remember seeing a photo set for the 25th parade, that entire year. I also posted that 25th postcard booklet, back in 2011.

And I forgot to thank Mr. X!!!!!!

stu29573 said...

Sue, I'll do it!!!
My current project is Low Places Band (Garth Brooks cover). Just search that on FB and a couple of videos will come up. Hopefully COVID will let up and we can play out!

"Lou and Sue" said...

Stu, let me guess — you are the one bouncing around and playing the “solo guitar” parts —amiright?? If yes, you are hired to lead the music and singing on our train ride!!

stu29573 said...

Lol, no, I'm the bass player. Just some plunckin', smilin' and swayin'.

"Lou and Sue" said...

You’re the ‘youngster’ in the band, then...that’s even better! You’re still hired to entertain us on the train! Yeah!!

"Lou and Sue" said...

I think I meant ‘yea’! The one that rhymes with hay.

Anonymous said...

YAY! I'll d it! And I work for peanuts...Literally!