A Tale of Two Monorails, March 1962
I have two sweet Monorail photos for you, both from March 1962, though they are from different lots of slides.
We'll start with this photo of the Mark II red Monorail (bubble dome!) as it returns to the station above the Submarine Voyage queue; by this time the Monorail could leave the park and head all the way to the Disneyland Hotel, which is pretty cool. There's just something so exciting about seeing these sleek, quiet trains!
Next we have this unusual shot of the Mark II "old bluie" at rest, the doors are open, waiting to swallow a new batch of guests.
We can see two photos mounted inside the Monorail cars (we can see the Kodak logo on the nearest picture), but I'll be darned if I can figure out what they depict. Maybe you guys will have better luck!
19 comments:
Major-
Just two words: Bob Gurr.
Thanks, Major.
You hit the nail on the head, Major: Exciting! That's what I feel too, when I see the monorail come swooshing into one of the stations. I wonder if today's kids feel the same way when they see the Monorail?
I see only three trashcans and one ashcan. And, could that be one of the feral cats next to the ashcan? (Probably not. But I'd like to think so.)
It's unusual to see a photo that shows the interior of the Monorail up close like this. And the Monorail is full of people, except that the people are all trapped in the window glass! Some horrible freakish accident in the space-time continuum!
I see lots of things in the framed pictures inside the Monorail; but most of it probably isn't really there. Like: In the left-most pic, a horse galloping toward us with powerlines and a hay harvester in the background. In the right-most pic, the Fantasyland Chalet with Skyway buckets going in and out; the slurry-covered Fantasyland pathway; and lots of giant feral cats peeking over the top of the Chalet... I told you most of it probably isn't really there.
Thanks for the exciting Monorail shots, Major.
Note how Monorail Red has stopped just beyond the yellow line on the platform marked “Employees Only,” taunting guests waiting to board.
Those Kodak prints inside Old Bluie are one of the untold Mysteries of the Universe, just like who built the Matterhorn and where babies come from.
JB, Old Bluie’s windows allowed views into the Phantom Zone. You’ve heard of “Disneyland Jail?” This was it - the ultimate torture of being able to see Disneyland all day, every day, but not interact with it. It was banned by international convention in 1968, and although the Senate never ratified the treaty, the US still abides by the spirt of the agreement. The windows were not re-used during the upgrade to Mark III monorails, and the inmates were humanely freed into a nearby black hole.
Ah, the monorail! (cue Simpsons cast).
I think the front picture is the Swiss Chalet and the back picture is Earnest Borgnine in McHale's Navy. I'm sure of it. No need to look any more. STOP LOOKING!
I have to go eat my Pop Tart now... Hmmmmm strawberry....
Wow, what a nice opening view of Monorail Red and rare pics of an interior too!
I remember pictures inside, but not of what. These photos don’t help much, but I’ll take them anyway.
JB, that might be a cat, hard to tell from the angle.
Thanks Major, you’re proving once again that Bob Gurr was a Genius.
JG
Those open doors are so inviting!
Can't beat those interior shots of "old ka-bluie", so rare to see. Thanks, Major.
Wow. Takes me back to a forgotten era. I recall seeing pictures on the original monorails. Just last wee, I was riding the monorail in Las Vegas too. Quite a contrast. KS
Nanook, the two words I was thinking of were “chocolate cake”, but “Bob Gurr” works too!
JB, I’d like to believe that the novelty of seeing the Disneyland Monorail is still exciting to young people today. It’s not like anything else! Seeing that ashcan makes me grateful that we don’t have to deal with cigarettes in the park (I know it is tough for smokers though). Gosh, that sure looks like a cat!! It sounds like it would be bad to be trapped in window glass, but it’s actually kind of fun. It tickles. I’m starting to think that the photo to the right (inside the Monorail) shows the Nature’s Wonderland bears at their fishin’ hole. I can’t find a good corresponding photo to prove it though.
Chuck, sometimes you just have to show those guests who’s boss! “You want to ride the Monorail? How BAD do you want to ride it??”. Hey, where DO babies come from, anyway? Nerd question: was the “phantom zone” from Superman II original to the movie?
Stu29573, you’re right, I’m almost positive I see Ernest Borgnine’s twinkling eyes. I hope your Pop Tart is frosted.
JG, I think I’ve had at least one or two other photos that show pictures mounted to the walls of the Monorail. I remember that one of them showed the Indians in Frontierland. And maybe another showed the Swiss Family Treehouse. Maybe.
K. Martinez, “Old ka-bluie”, ha ha!
KS, I wasn't sure if the monorail was still in Vegas. I believe that they used to have retired Disneyland trains, but they were replaced at some point.
JG, I agree. The shot of the interior is fantastic.
Melissa, going back to yesterday's comments, I bought the boxed set of Deadwood and the movie. One of the best things that was ever shown on a TV screen. It's like Shakespeare in the old west. With lots of swearing.
Forgot, thank you Major!
In one of those Kodak monorail cabin photos I think I see the Swiss Family Treehouse. Back in the mid 90’s I had purchased a group of items from a Disneyland sign shop employee who was one the forced early retirement victims of the Pressler Regime. There were signs and posters as well as other related items including a very large cardstock envelope marked “monorail photos” and I thought they were going to be photos OF the monorail … but they were various same sized photos of all over the park …. Many in duplicate . They did not have Kodak on the front , but later learned they were Monorail cabin display photos. Prior I was not aware that the monorails featured these “contemporary” photos of the park. This batch of stuff also included an envelope from the Disney Studios to WED to the sign shop of dozens of studio photos from Davey Crockett and the River pirates … mostly of the keelboats but portraits of Mike Fink and Davey etc. i assumed these were printed for imagineers as reference from the studios … there was a studio form listing the transparency library numbers the images were made from . It was many years later on STUFF FROM THE PARK I saw these same images framed and displayed on a keelboat river course map sign “billboard” on the early keelboat dock and inside the actual keelboats!! Sadly I sold them all off many years ago in order to buy other Disneyland things.
Does anyone remember in the mid to late 1980’s Disneyland sold all kinds of color Disneyland prints mounted onto heavy chipboard ? These were sold in bins inside the Main Street camera shop and over at the Disneyland hotel . They were offered in Different sizes and some were pretty big!! Like 24”x36”. They featured high quality color images of Disneyland and many were interior shots … like the hitchhiking ghosts and the Matterhorn’s abominable snowman …. Many were familiar images from guidebooks and other Disney publications. I remember almost purchasing a Big Thunder Splash Down photo and a abominable snowman and a haunted mansion exterior … they were rather large. And they were expensive …. And I changed my mind and put them back in the bins. I’m surprised I’ve never seen these for sale at Disney shows or on eBay . Either they didn’t sell well or people just kept them or over time they faded …. Or all the above!! It’s interesting there was a time not that long ago where the parks would try selling unusual things … like when you’d walk into Disneyanna and they would sell the previous lamppost event placards … or outdated ticket booth signs… or actually used emporium animated window figures ….. or the Disney gallery selling off the unused supply’s of original atttraction posters …. Or when pieces of eight sold the Disneyland pirates of the Caribbean striped costume socks! ( the same ones Disneyland uses ( new ofcourse) they were constantly being requested by guests so Disneyland costuming obliged!!) or the reverse glass panels with the Disneyland “ D” or castle Silhouette made by the sign shop for sale in the park … or the giant board mounted photos from the Disneyland photo library ….
Now it’s RARE LIMITED EDITIONS OF 400 million pieces and plastic popcorn buckets!!
Mike, was Mickey riding on the fire truck in one of those larger pictures? I have a number of them boxed away—and from WDW too, with characters in front of the castle, etc. I’ll have to send you some cell phone shots — to see if that’s what I found, in my dad’s collection...
Sue
DrGoat, you're @#$%ing right!
Sue: these were different. The ones you are taking about features mostly Walt Disney World scenes and most had the costume characters . They were sold as “laser print photos” and were sold if gift shops and stores like Gemco , FEDMART and Woolworths etc. that company mad all kinds of prints Disney and none…. I remember their prints of the Space Shuttle. they could be purchased framed and unframed. I remember having the gang on the fire engine and one of the horse car in front of Cinderella Castle.
The ones I’m referring to appear to have only been sold at Disneyland and I never saw equivalents ( although it’s possible) for WDW. These were not sold in frames or smaller than maybe 18” x 24”…most of the prints were pretty large….. very unusual at the time. The quality of the image was very nice …. But I recall the print of the hitchhiking ghosts and a space mountain at night print seemed a little fuzzy or blurry ….. but the others all seemed to be very crisp and clear …. And again no matter the print size they were mounted to thick … maybe quarter inch chip board.
Major, the Phantom Zone actually originated in the comics in 1961. The Phantom Zone also makes an appearance at the beginning of Superman: the Movie (a.k.a. Superman I), with Jor-El (Marlon Brando) banishing General Zod and his two henchpeople whose names I can’t remember (neither of whom was John Hench) into the Phantom Zone, which then sets up the beginning of Superman II: the Next Movie.
Also - was so focused on trying to decipher the pictures inside the Monorail that I missed the red Santa Fe logo on the outside. Find the amber rotating light just behind the pilot’s bubble, then track left and down. It’s on a blue side panel, just aft (the nose of the train is facing away from us) of the silver material that covers the articulation point between cars.
Mike, I would have loved to have had a set of those prints. In fact, I still would. Along with an Action Comics #1.
DrGoat, Deadwood: I came for the drama, but stayed for the swearing! They even used more-than-four-letter gems. I learned a lot. And you’re welcome!
Mike Cozart, wow, you had so many opportunities to acquire cool stuff! THE DREAM. And you were smart enough to actually get some too, I’m sure many people didn’t want to bring that “old junk” home. Little did they know. Interesting that you saw those envelopes with “Monorail photos”. Man I wish I had some of those! I have to wonder how much stuff went into nearby dumpsters - probably a LOT. The Sign Shop sounds like it was the source of some pretty amazing treasures, our old friend Huck got some good stuff from there as well. I’ll have to look at the old “Stuff From the Park” blog to see if I can find the photos that you mentioned!
Mike Cozart, unfortunately I don’t remember those, for some reason the 1980s is a blur when it comes to the park. I know I went, but only a few trips registered enough to stick. 24” by 36” IS big, that would be super cool. If you thought they were expensive, maybe they really did not sell that well. And as you pointed out, photos do tend to fade over time. The only things I remember during my one or two visits to the old Disneyana shop were old non-Disneyland things. Now I wonder if they had attraction posters, but that was before I was interested? Argh! If only the park had the same wonderful items (like the ones you mentioned) for sale!!
Sue, I feel like I’ve seen the image you referred to on a postcard, often you’d see “official” photos over and over. I’d love to see the ones that Lou bought!
Melissa, heavens to Betsy!
Mike Cozart, I think I’ve seen photos like that with the whole gang of costume characters hanging off of one of the Disneyland trains. And maybe one with the motorized fire engine too. If I can find them I’ll scan them (doubtful though). Mounted on quarter inch chip board! That’s pretty heavy-duty!
Chuck, thank you for that info about the Phantom Zone. I also wondered if it was always represented as a square thing that the offenders would be somehow trapped in. Maybe in the early years it was a yo-yo. Admit it, that would be pretty cool. ADMIT IT! It’s been so long since I’ve seen either Superman or Superman II that they kind of mush together into a delicious stew. Needs salt, but otherwise very tasty. Good eye on that Santa Fe logo, it always makes me happy. Unlike the Starbucks logo. My dad claimed that he had an Action Comics #1 when he was a kid, and that his mom threw it out when he went into the Navy.
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