Monorails, August 1970
Here are two more photos, taken by my friend Mr. X back in August of 1970. I hope you like Monorails, because if you don't, this is not going to go well. The rest of you should be OK though!
Whoo-cool there goes "Ol' Greenie", the Monorail that seems to be less-photographed than the other versions. Monorail Green was added in 1968, so it was still under factory warranty at this point. This was the era when avocado green was in fashion (both the dark and light hues), but I admit that there is a part of me that would have liked something a little less muted. This after all my complaining about the bright colors that are used at the park these days! I guess I'm just a phony.
There's the blue Monorail! Or is it "Monorail Blue"? I always associated the latter with Walt Disney World, but maybe it was used at Disneyland too. Nobody tells me nothin'. I should merge the top photo with this photo, so that it looks like the two trains are going to collide head-on. And then I will sell it to the National Enquirer for a million dollars.
30 comments:
Major-
I'd insist the National Enquirer pay you two million dollars-!
Thanks, Major.
Look at all those people trying to hold up the Matterhorn, to keep it from falling over into the Sub Lagoon. I guess that rumor came along several decades later.
Are we seeing a maroon-colored Skyway gondola? Or is that color, burgundy?
- Trimmings Magic!
The Monorail...love it! Now...what about that DENT?
The green Monorail has always been my favorite. It has a sophistication to it, colorful, but without being gaudy. Also, we rode it from the Disneyland Hotel station to the park in 1975 (or was it '76?). We weren't staying at the Hotel, rather, at the 'campground' or trailer park that was at the northwest corner of the park. It must be the same one that Chuck's family stayed at. We would walk down the street to the Hotel and catch the Monorail into the park.
Is that Seattle's Space Needle poking up above the treeline? (Above the Monorail's second car).
I like seeing the striped red sails of the Pirate Ship in the background of image #2.
I think Fudgie is mostly obscured behind the Matterhorn's waterfall, but pieces of him are visible.
Trimmings Magic!, it sure looks burgundy. Have we ever seen one of those before? Have you spotted another oddity to add to our ever-growing list?
- Jumbled Boxful (of tree ornaments)
Jumbled B., there was a white Skyway gondola, which has shown up in at least two of Major's previous posts.
I'm wondering if Fudgie had been painted out, or had been washed away, by 1970?
I never noticed all of those dents in the Matterhorn, until just now!
And not to beat a dead horse, but I was looking at some opening day photos of the Castle, and I could not see the dent. So that tends to support Major's theory of something striking it, after it was in place. Maybe one of those wayward flying saucers, on a day when the air valves were working properly. Right, Sue? Anyway, here is one of those opening day photos:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EdFmRAmWAAAJ3VL?format=jpg&name=large
And here is another opening day photo of the Castle:
https://www.gannett-cdn.com/media/2015/07/16/Phoenix/Phoenix/635726411845305342-Disneyland-lorelei.cretu-arizonarepublic.com-4.jpg?width=2560
I felt like I didn’t appreciate the Mark III Monorails enough until they were gone. But they really were sophisticated vehicles for the time period and lived up with the contemporary “muscle” auto trends of their day. And that green color was extremely popular at the time lasting into the 1977 period. I think during their time MONORAIL YELLOW was my favorite. And as a reminder , Monorail Green’s actual Ditzler ( now PPG) was METALLIC OLIVE from their general FLEET FINISHES auto paint line DITZLER had supplied most auto manufacturers with their paint since the 1920’s. All four MARK III MONORAILS featured bucket seats in a two tone color scheme of OYSTER and a tan color that at the moment can not refer to its actual name. The MARK III’s were somewhat heavy but they were strong and built with quality and comfort for the Disneyland passengers. The Mark 5 was also well built and I liked their design. I also like the look of today’s MARK 7 MONORAIL but the exterior and the ride feel is cheap and low quality.
I wish people were aware of the Sleeping Beauty Castle “DENT” a few decades ago - it would have been easier to have researched its story as more of the construction maintainence people would have been around or probably would have recalled a story about it.
But I think one day we will have an answer.
Correction : the MARK 7 MONORAIL ( interior ) feels cheap.
Contrary to popular belief, “Ol’ Greenie” was photographed as often as the other three monorails, but its avocado hue blends into the foliage so well it might as well have been invisible.
I think a million dollars to send that picture to the National Enquirer is excessive. The postage should only cost you a couple of bucks tops unless you are sending it Priority Overnight.
JB, your memory of previous GDB comments - particularly from an era in which you weren’t commenting yourself - is impressive. I wish I remembered how we got to the Park on that trip. It wasn’t via monorail, but I don’t think we walked, either, and I don’t remember a tram. Maybe we just drove around the corner.
TM!, those photos of a Dentless castle suggest a cover-up, something that could only be accomplished by a devious and secretive cabal hiding in shadowy corners and dimly lit back rooms. I’m talking a conspiracy so vast, underhanded, and compromising it’d make Oliver Stone look conservative. The questions you need to ask yourself are “Who benefited? Who has the power to cover it up?” We’re through the looking glass here, people.
Correction: “Ol’ Greenie’s” ( metallic olive ) hue blends into the foliage so well it might as well have been invisible. ;-)
I kind of think Ol' Greenie reminds me of a B25. Maybe it's the color, combined with the "gun turret" bubble. Or maybe I'm just wacky.
The guy in the white shirt sticking his head out of the window (I'm pretty sure you haven't been able to do that in a while!) is saddened by the lack of mermaids in the lagoon. Perhaps they are frightened by pseudo WWII bombers?
The real star in the second shot is the fully unfurled Pirate Ship to the right of that big mountainy thing. That ship is so loved that I'm sure it will be there forever!
By the way, I hear there's a big shakeup going on with Disney management. Will it help? Probably not. They need to let the Gorillas run the show! Who's with me? Let's go!!!
Not all uses of bright color are created equal! I think the reason Ol' Greenie isn't quite as photogenic as her more colorful sisters is that she tends to blend in with the trees and other greenery. She's not quite "Go Away Green," but a little contrast makes for a more dynamic picture. Hey, nobody ever said it was easy being green.
I guess that guy in the first picture didn't hear the message to keep your hands, arm, feet, head inside the car at all times. Such a rebel. But if it were me, I'd be looking for the mermaids as well.
Nanook, the only way to get two million is to sell to World Weekly News.
TokyoMagic!, I would love to know how that “the Matterhorn is toppling” rumor started. Was there any structural instability to the Matterhorn? It just seems silly. That does look like a maroon/burgundy gondola to me!
Bu, I don’t see a dent in the Monorail!
JB, In my head I try to picture the green Monorail as the sort of frosty lighter green that my mom’s old Buick station wagon was painted. I think it would look pretty great, and still wouldn’t be too over the top. You must have stayed at the famous KOA that was near Disneyland, I think a lot of people experienced that. Fudgie seems to only be truly visible when the sunlight is just at the right angle, so he might very well be there, but camouflaged.
TokyoMagic!, those rectangular Skyway gondolas seemed to generally be - what, four or five basic colors? Red, orange (?), yellow, blue, green… it seems odd that they would go out of their way to make a single burgundy gondola. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. And I think the dent is there in that castle photo, but the flat lighting makes it blend in.
TokyoMagic!, well gosh, THAT lighting isn’t flat, and I don’t see a dent!!
Mike Cozart, it’s easy to take something for granted when you see it all the time. It’s only when that thing is gone that you realize how great it was. And I’ve never been crazy about the Mark V Monorails, though I know other people liked them a lot. I have noticed that older Skyway gondola colors definitely reflected hues that were popular in automobiles, such as those metallic blues, greens, bronzes, soft yellows, and so on. I didn’t know that the Mark IIIs were heavy, you’d think that Bob Gurr would have learned how to lighten up a vehicle after all of his Autopia experiences. And I agree, it’s probably way too late to ever learn how that castle dent happened.
Mike Cozart, yes I agree. Like it was made to be hosed off when necessary.
Chuck, that’s why I think that the Monorails should have been painted with “dazzle” patterns, like ships during WWI. You would never know if they are coming or going! As for postage, you obviously haven’t been to the post office recently, it costs $75,000 just to mail a postcard. While the dent doesn’t show up in that second linked pic from TM, I feel like it must have already been there? How could it not be?
Chuck, I like a martini with three metallic olives.
Stu29573, I suppose that I can see how the Monorail reminds you of a WWII bomber. Now I want a monorail with a gun turret! It’s always a little shocking to see people’s arms and heads sticking out of the open windows of the old Monorails - it’s no wonder the new trains have windows that are permanently sealed. Is there a big shakeup with Disney management? I don’t really follow the company that closely anymore, but whatever they do will probably not change things in any meaningful way.
Melissa, I guess they didn’t think about how that green would look in the surprisingly green landscape of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland! “It looked good on the drawing board”.
MRaymond, there are always wisenheimers who won’t follow the rules! Well, he won’t be laughing when he is decapitated. OR WILL HE? Maybe he sees mermaids while other people don’t.
For some reason, I remember Monorail Green more than the other colors. At that time, 1967-72 we had two vehicles, a car and a truck, which were that same color. It felt like the future was now.
I am convinced that Bob Gurr is/was a wizard, and if the Mark III trains were heavy, it was because that's what he intended.
I don't mind the current (Mark VII?)trains, I like them much better than the ones mimicking WDW. Are those Mark VI then?
As far as bright colors, Tomorrowland always had bright colors, and the other lands had color schemes in line with their "era" (i guess that's the word I want), so they were believable. Unlike the current "fever dream" palettes.
These are unusually fine pictures of the monorails, Major. Thanks to you and Mr. X.
If Disney is getting a management shakeup, it is no less than they deserve. I have been following the blogger "Fresh Baked" (thanks to Dr. Goat for the tip) and the current company direction he reports sounds like the Parks are our beloved relative being held hostage by criminal thugs who promise not to hurt Granny as long as we pay the ransom for "Genie +" and agree to order all our meals online because that allows them to hire fewer workers.
@Dean Finder, I did hear about that conference call quote you mentioned yesterday. While it might be something to say in a quiet room to like-minded friends, it's remarkably tone-deaf to bark that out in public. See above under "criminal thugs" and "ransom".
JG
It looks like where they put the star on the Matterhorn was pretty obvious from the Monorail platform.
Major, they used to serve metallic olives in Tomorrowland. Man, those things were huge. And in an incredible coincidence, I was just doing some research into dazzle camouflage yesterday. I believe the fifth Mark III train was painted in that scheme. I am deducing that from the fact that I've never met anyone who remembers seeing it.
JG, the Mark V monorails were the Disneyland trains designed to mimic the original Mark IVs at WDW. The Mark IVs at WDW were replaced by Mark VIs from 1989-91. The current Disneyland trains are Mark VIIs
Monorail Green. Just seems odd to me how I'd only notice it operating on very busy days. And I'd only notice while parking my car in the Employee Lot and walking to Harbor House. When I'd see it, Id think to myself that the attendance count was high. Back in those days, the recent daily past attendance, as well as the projected attendance for the day and the remainder of the week would be posted on a sign. This was permanently placed at a strategic location. After you punched-in and walked under the train and back up to the corner backstage. It was right there for all to see...it also had a few other messages that management might want to add. Turn left and you were going to Wardrobe. Turn right, cross the service road to the Locker Rooms. Now Major if you could find a picture of that sign....I'm telling you...THAT would be quite something! KS
As a kid, it was a fantasy to get to ride in the front of the Monorail. I figured you had to rate as a celebrity or hero or something, probably staying in the Disneyland Hotel as part of the deal.
Later fantasies included one of those cute tour guides, but that was a puberty thing.
These days the fantasy is just the classic visitor experience, on a day with light crowds and no lines. And all the shops stocked with 50s-60s merchandise. I really don't get the eagerness to dine in Club 33. Even if it's a great restaurant, it's all about leaving Disneyland outside. Give me deep-fried byproducts with a view of the Mark Twain!
Tokyo, I don't see any Dent in those photos either. Then again, sometimes it's really hard to tell.
Wasn't Walt's favorite Autopia car maroon? Maybe this is Walt's favorite Skyway bucket.
My comment regarding the MARK III MONORAILS being heavy : they were technically lighter than previous models but because the cars were longer , the cabins were taller and wider ( the reason for the longer redesigned monorail station to accommodate them) and that they still featured the stainless steal body trim AND ..... that air conditioning was provided in ALL cabins .... made them the heaviest monorail trains Disney ever used.
Also despite their use and age, the MARK III’s chassis were reused on the MARK 5s of 1987! They were MAPO TOUGH!!
Busy days or un busy days the four MARK III MONORAIL trains operated on equal maintainence cycles so all four colors saw equal operation time more or less. But guests memories of a bright yellow or red probably stood out more .. and was the desirable colors for things like souvenir guidebooks , brochures and postcards . However as I’ve mentioned before the 1969 MONORAIL GREEN appeared in a Disneyland Hotel brochure , on two postcards , in a souvenir pictorial guidebook and was the star of a DISNEY VACATIONLAND magazine.
One of my dad’s car magazines had done a big special issue when the American automobile turned “100” and there were lots of details and data .... like automobile companies actually offered seatbelts as early as the 1920’s but were options ( as opposed to Don Hahn’s Yesterday’s Tomorrows Book ) claiming Disney was the first to propose seatbelts at the New York worlds fair (???? Man what an egotistical lying claim that is!!) But an interesting bit of data was that EARTH TONES have always been the biggest and most popular automobile colors in ALL DECADES of the automobile. White is categorized as a earth tone interesting. Greens and browns were also way more common and popular than yellows and bright reds ...
..... IM STILL ROOTING FOR YOU MONORAIL GREEN!!! ( MONORAIL METALLIC OLIVE)
Another color detail regarding MONORAIL GREEN. While Ditzler was the source of the monorails ( and many other colors used on Disney vehicles ), MONORAIL GREEN used Ditzler Metalic Olive from their EXOTIC paint line under their FLEET FINISHES catalog. So it was not a general FLEET green color and would have been an extra cost to use. That metallic olive # appears to be unavailable by 1979 .... but I’m sure Disney was able to special order it or color match it.
“Fleet finishes” was for tractor trailer trucks , buses , taxis or people wanting colors for large groups of vehicles or automotive colors not offered on production automobiles - however Ford and Chevy offered some sports models that used Ditzler Fleet colors witch cross referenced with the auto companies color series.
JG, it is entirely possible that your visits just happened to coincide with the usage of the green monorail - I really have no evidence that Greenie was used less, it just seems that photos of it are generally less common. You make a good point about Bob Gurr making the Mark IIIs just the way he wanted! I know the original WDW Monorails were Mark IVs, but I have no idea if they’ve been upgraded since then.I assume that Bob Chapek is the one who might be under some pressure, since folks seem to not like him. Not sure if he is abrasive, personality-wise, though it does seem like some of his policies (massive price increases, mostly) are very unpopular. Somehow I’m sure he’ll be just fine.
Andrew, that is definitely true, and as far as I know, they were still using the star in 1970!
Chuck, I suppose that being “invisible” is a true sign of successful camouflage! Thank you for the info about the Mark VII trains, I figured that the original WDW trains would have to have been replaced after all this time.
KS, is it possible the Monorail Green was only used when there was a pressing need for more Monorail service? I have no idea of course, and it seems to me that it would make more sense to rotate their usage, but who knows. I didn’t know that the park ever announced daily attendance, even to CMs, so that’s interesting. Of course I would love to find a photo like you described!
DBenson, I do think that any ordinary person could ride up front, as long as they were willing to wait for the privilege. Maybe you’d have to wait for four or five complete circuits? Just a guess. I agree about the general fantasy about the perfect visit to Disneyland. I was never one of those people who avidly wanted to dine in Club 33, and even had an opportunity once (sort of, I couldn’t have gone because of work), but it’s a restaurant when all is said and done. Now I wish I’d done it because the whole club has been completely redone from its original Walt-era decor.
JB, if you stand on your head, it helps to see the dent.
Mike Cozart, I assume that the Monorail beamway, while certainly very strong, could only withstand so much weight. Interesting that the trains were still made of steel, I guess the use of aluminum was not that common back then, but think of how much lighter they would have been. “Mapo tough” somehow makes me think of “mopar”, ha ha. Thanks for the info about the monorail usage cycle, it is logical. I have the Vacationland with Old Greenie on the cover. I wonder what year was considered the 100th anniversary of the automobile? If you go to the Petersen Automotive Museum, there are cars that go back much earlier than I would have imagined, but they weren’t mass-produced. Each one was built by a carriage maker, essentially. And it’s true about subdued colors like “metallic olive” being more popular with the public than red or yellow. Unless you were driving Lamborghinis. Which I was.
Mike Cozart, our metallic (but probably not “olive) green station wagon was probably from around 1970, so it was right in this same general era. It also had that classy (!) fake wood paneling. Like the Griswold family vehicle! You sure know a lot about Ditzler’s colors.
Major, forgot to say this earlier - I think the campground JB is talking about was on the east side of West Street, across the street from the KOA and the (eventually) Disney-owned Vacationland. I stayed there as a kid in October of ‘76 and remember looking over the back fence from the top of the playground equipment (it was shaped like a caboose) and being able to see the eagle float from America on Parade in storage. By the time I moved back in the ‘90s, the lobby structure was still standing but the place was long closed. Wish I could remember the name. I remember arriving after dark once on a childhood trip and finding both Vacationland and the KOA full. We ended up staying at another campground a few miles away. My wife and I did stay at Vacationland several times as adults.
When I was little, our family car was a big old 1970s Plymouth Fury in avocado green. The back seat was so big my sister and I could both lie down on it together. Or we’d sit on the floorboards and use the seat for a table. Different times.
Chuck, you are correct about the location of the campground/trailer park. We were there in August of '76 (or '75, not sure). Sorry, I don't remember the name either, but I might a piece of paper somewhere that gives its name... but don't hold your breath. ;-)
Melissa : your Family’s 1970 Plymouth Fury was most likely EF8 Ivy Green. That was the darkest green available in that model ... the other greens were FJ5 Lime Light and FF4 Lime Green Metallic . In the non wagon models you could also special order the 1970 Fury in FJ16 SASSY - GRASS GREEN ( a high impact color offering)
Incidentally American Station Wagons from the 50’s thru the 70’s are VERY BIG with car collectors right now and have been bringing in some big bucks ...same with brass era automobiles as Hot Rods and Muscle car interest is waining.
Love today's pictures, Mr. X and Major - thank you!
I enjoyed all the Monorail info comments, today.
I'm still waiting for the Disney folks to sell a Monorail stuffed toy. They already sell Monorail kitchen sponges (just google something like Disney Park kitchen sponge red monorail).
TM! hahaha! If anyone could get that flying saucer to take off, it was my mom. I recently sent Major some scans showing my mom, in action on a saucer, with me in-tow. Wheeeeeeee!
Hey, I wanted to give a 'shout out' of thanks, to Dean Finder. I love that blog link (TouringPlans.com blog) added to yesterday's comments. I got a kick out of today's post regarding directions for Genie+ Lightning Lane reservations, for cutting in lines (I added "for cutting in lines").
Here are the instructions, listed on that blog:
The current rule to book your next Lightning Lane reservation is you can book a new Lightning Lane reservation after one of these events:
2 hours after making a Lightning Lane reservation
2 hours after the park open if you made your first Lightning Lane reservation before the park opened
after using your last booked Lightning Lane reservation
after your last booked Lightning Lane has expired
Before November 21, you could book a new Lightning Lane reservation after using a Lightning Lane reservation or after a Lightning Lane reservation expired. Also, it was possible that the above triggering events could be doubled up allowing guests to book two or three Lightning Lane events off of one Lightning Lane.
If you are not sure if you are eligible to book another Lightning Lane reservation, try. If you try to book a Lightning Lane reservation and it is too early, the Disney app will tell you who is not eligible.
* big sigh *
Sue, I still haven't eaten the chocolate Monorail car I bought at the Contemporary Resort in December 2012. I'm guessing now I probably never will.
Melissa, you CAN’T eat it—it’s a keepsake. I’d love to see a picture of it...
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