Leftuggies™! All of the flavor and nutrition, but none of the guilt.
We'll start with this fun photo of "Betty and Jerry" (circa April 1958), waiting to hop aboard the Disneyland and Santa Fe Railroad. (YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE!). Where is everybody else? could it be that the DLRR wasn't operating? If so I'd assume that guests would not be able to get this close. We do get a pretty good look at the car with the forward-facing seats.
Next is this pretty nice shot of a li'l yellow Mine Train going through part of Nature's Wonderland - in this case it's about to pass beneath the waterfalls of Cascade Peak - demonstrating that the Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland really was very similar to the Jungle Cruise in many ways. Only there were fewer hippos (only four or five, if I recall). Would people love the Mine Train ride today? Hard to say.
Oh dear, It looks like Betty and Jerry both got a little too close to the Moat and lost a leg to the voracious Killer Swans. At least they lived to tell the tale, and act as a warning to others.
ReplyDeleteThis is a nice photo, with the two of them in casual, natural poses and expressions. And they're color coordinated with the train car. I think I like the forward facing seats better than the sideways seats; it just seems right. And it can't be that hard to turn your head to view the Grand Canyon Diorama (and Primeval World, when that is added). Maybe the Grand Canyon wasn't there yet, either?
It doesn't look like anybody is riding in the cab of the engine with the CM. That's a pretty snazzy costume for the train drivers. (what are they called? Engineers?) Is he reaching up to sound the whistle as they pass under the falls? I think I spot Vladimir Putin toward the back of that train car. Since Khrushchev was allowed in Disneyland, he sent one of his spies.
This is also a nice picture. We get to see enough of the colorful little train, plus the waterfall and the greenery. Was this taken from the top of a Keelboat, perhaps?
Uh-oh. Nanook removed his comment... he must've said something nasty. ;-)
Thanks for another helping of Leftuggies, Major. They were quite tasty today.
Major-
ReplyDeleteThat's an unusual handheld microphone seen on the DLRR passenger car, as it hasn't a push-to-talk button. I'm going to make a wild guess and say it could be an Electro-Voice Model 654A omnidirectional dynamic microphone. (Perhaps the trains were staffed by singers who would have little need for the P-T-T button...) How's about a rousing chorus from the Original Disneyland TV Theme, originally performed by the Sandpipers w/Mitch Miller & Orchestra...
Disneyland, Disneyland.
Shining star in Disneyland.
If your heart is the youthful kind,
You can seek there you'll find
Castles high in the air
All your dreams are waiting there. etc.
Well, I didn't say it was a good song-!
No one appears to be riding in the 'cab' of the engine on the Mine Train.
Thanks, Major.
Oops, that should have been "Khrushchev wasn't allowed in Disneyland." But you knew that.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I don't remember that song. Maybe I would recognize the melody?
They may be left, but they're not uggy! Betty gets the vintage fashion award, because look at her. Jerry and the Casey Jr. Engineer both got the red shirt memo. Is that a ring on Jerry's finger, catching the light? Some sort of spy decoder ring, no doubt. He's on a secret mission to keep Khrushchev from sneaking into the park and replacing the regular exploding swans with atomic exploding swans.
ReplyDeleteOh, and before I forget, choo choo!
This old geezer would definitely love the mine train today. Our family could have ridden it back in 1969 but ran out of tickets and only had one day to get everything in. I'd love to see that Rainbow Cavern just once... Maybe someone some day will create direct brain injection theme park experience recreations like this, or the Adventure through Inner Space, or the Peoplemover or whatnot. I can dream.
ReplyDeleteI have one word for you….Waterfalls.
ReplyDeleteMS
Photo 2 is my favorite today, and I’m sure every single Junior Gorilla would love the Mine Train today, yesterday, and all day tomorrow. I would get my lunch to-go and never get off.
ReplyDeletePhoto 1 does look like they are each missing a leg. I wonder if they noticed?
JG
Melissa, that's not a ring, it's a cigar band. The boy just finished the stogie he bought at the Main St. Tobacconist.
ReplyDeleteTom, it's coming. I saw it in a science documentary. It had a big Austrian fellow in it - I think it was called "Total Recall."
@JB-
ReplyDeleteIt's doubtful you'd know the melody; it's way too obscure unless you watched TV back then and caught the original Disneyland TV show on ABC, back in 1954. Listen HERE, scroll down to Track 1, and be prepared to ask 'who wrote those "strange" lyrics'.
Ah, "The Sponge." The Excursion Train seemed as if it could never be overloaded! But that doesn't seem to be a problem in today's photo.
ReplyDelete@ JB-
ReplyDeleteI should've also mentioned the song was performed by "The Sandpipers - Mitchell Miller and Orchestra". (Please don't call him 'Mitch'-!) According to the notation on the site, Oliver Wallace wrote the music; however my sources give credit for the song to George Bruns (for the music) and Larry Morey for those 'titillating' lyrics. (Just what was he thinking-?) That's quite a 'come down' from the songs of Snow White; Love is a Song from Bambi, Lavender Blue, and many others).
No doubt the Main Train Thru Nature’s Wonderland would have a big following with a select group of Disneyland fans and guests …. But If Disneyland management was so quick to shorten the Disneyland Railroad and The Rivers of America AND remove Big Thunder Ranch AND DEMOLISH the last remaining buttes and Natural Arch from the old “ Living Desert” for WOOKIE WORLD … what do you think would have happened to the Mine Train attraction itself here in the 2020’s??
ReplyDeleteI’ve discussed with Major before that as early as 1970 - 1972 Disneyland and WED were already planning to replace the Old Mine Train with a Runnaway Railroad type attraction as well as Natures Wonderland with a fairly large Frontierland expansion to take place after Bear Country’s 1972 opening.
Even imagineers left Natures Wonderland completely out of the Florida master plan as of 1968.
Sadly the Mine Train was a maintenance and operational nightmare for Disneyland and it couldn’t handling the increasing number of guests when needed , at the same time its ridership was dwindling. Marc Davis came up with many possible enhancement concepts in the early 70’s to try and breathe life into the attraction , But none of it really solved the maintenance and low guest capacity issues. One proposal re-introduced the mine train as a ALL indoor attraction where riders would experience the changes of the seasons … this version would have joined Thunder Runaway Railroad , The Western River Expediton, a new shooting gallery , in a new expanded Frontierland master planed in 1971-1972 with completion set through 1978.
How many Disneyland guests made it a point to experience Mission to Mars … Main Street Cinema … Country Bear Jamboree . Mr. Lincoln , Snow White , Pinocchio’s Daring Journey … Adventure Thru Inner Space … then lament their removals or closings …….
Melissa, ahem... Ducks explode (AEDs); Swans bite and rip with their nasty sharp teeth and claws. Ya gots t'keep yer GDB lore sorted correctly. ;-D
ReplyDeleteNanook, wow. You did your homework! Thanks for the link. And you're right, I've never heard it before. It does sound very Disney though, even if it IS forgettable.
Nothing better on a warm day than to enjoy going behind Big Thunder Falls. My guess is that the CM is reaching for the whistle lever as the picture was likely taken from the Mark Twain. Sometimes us CMs (train operator and CM in the Wheelhouse) would recognize each other and do a whistle "shout-out". It was always a treat to be assigned a shift there. There are so few tranquil places in the Park these days. KS
ReplyDeleteJB, yes, poor Betty and Jerry learned about the Killer Swans the hard way. “Why do they even have these swans?” they asked. And it’s a good question. I know what you mean about the forward facing seats feeling more “right”, and YET… when it comes to viewing the park, the side-facing seats are better. The Grand Canyon Diorama opened on March 31, 1958, so Betty and Jerry could very well have enjoyed that wonderful addition. Brand new, too! The Mine Train cab was available for guests (possibly kid-sized guests?), the… er… “pilot”? “Engineer”? “Train fella”? sat behind the cab on the tender. “The tender WHAT?”. Zoiks. I just assume that the photo was taken from the Mark Twain, but the top of a Keelboat is a real possibility.
ReplyDeleteNanook, you and your microphone knowledge! How is it that you know so much about them? I wonder if I’ve heard that original Disneyland TV theme? The lyrics don’t ring a bell, but I can imagine those wonderful 50s harmonies. Mitch Miller, what an odd character!
JB, I knew it, and believe me, I snorted snootily when I read the erroneous comment! But then again, I do everything snootily.
Melissa, you’re right, Betty and Jerry are looking good, much better than the t-shirts with nasty slogans that I like to wear to the park. Hm, interesting, that does look like the glint of a gold ring on Jerry’s finger. I didn’t get into rings (and gold chains) until I joined the mob.
Tom, oh I know that the Junior Gorillas would give anything to ride the Mine Train, I was mostly wondering if today’s guests would find the whole experience to be slow and boring? I hope not. Rainbow Caverns is one of my “time machine destinations”!
MS, that’s a good word!
JG, definitely, I would push an old lady out of the way to get a seat on the Mine Train. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t push her that hard, and I would apologize, which is what really matters. Now I can’t help thinking of Betty and Jerry as Civil War veterans.
Dean Finder, Jerry spoke with a deep, raspy smoker’s voice, even at the tender age of eight. An Austrian fellow? Starring in an American movie? Don’t be silly!
Nanook, OH YEAH, I definitely know that one. I kind of love it!
Steve DeGaetano, “The Sponge”, that’s a new one. Or did you mention that nickname in your book?? You know how my greatest talent is forgetting things.
Nanook, wait, didn’t “Mitchell Miller” go by “Mitch”?? My whole life, he’s been “Mitch Miller”. All of my posters, 8 X 10 glossies, pinback buttons, lunchboxes, collector thimbles… they all say “Mitch”! Whoa, Larry Morey, he goes WAY back with Disney. Maybe he only had a few hours to come up with the lyrics (which aren’t that titillating)?
Mike Cozart, yes, I’m afraid I agree with you, the old MTTNW took up so much real estate - they would not have been able to keep their hands off of it. I don’t know, maybe it was better that it just went away rather than being shortened and ruined? Not that it was ever going to happen, but I’m so intrigued to think what they might have done if they’d built a newer Nature’s Wonderland for Florida. How would it have been different? Would it have improved animatronics? Better, more immersive scenes? i did not know that the Mine Train was a maintenance nightmare - but I guess there was a LOT to it when I really think about it. Once Walt was gone, I suppose its days were numbered. An all-indoor version of the ride is interesting, but I don’t think I’d like it. I felt very guilty not watching the Lincoln show the last time I was at the park. Maybe it will turn out to be my last opportunity before it’s replace with “Great Moments with Iron Man”.
JB, listen, I watch so many David Attenborough specials, it’s hard to remember which animal does what horrible thing. All I know is that all animals are scary and I never want to leave the house, except for FroYo.
KS, oh man, I wish I could experience going behind Big Thunder Falls one more time! The sound, the spray… wonderful. I also love the idea of the train operator (there’s the word!) and the Mark Twain pilot tooting to each other.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the duck/swan confusion, I just noticed that I called the Mine Train "Casey Jr." Back to Gorilla School for me!
ReplyDeleteA friend and I used to joke about how they should expand the Three Caballeros to include birds from every North and South American country, but we never got further than Gordon the Canada Goose. Too polite to bite OR explode. His catchphrase would be, "Honk, honk, eh?"
Melissa : that’s going in your file.
ReplyDeleteMajor : your Disneyland passport guest /citizen tracking device already notified us regarding your choice to skip Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln …. And has been noted in your file. Please be aware this may cause longer than normal attraction waits on your next visit.
Also please be aware that this will result in your electricity rate to increase in your next billing cycle.