More Instamatics
Hey hey! It's time for more photos, taken by Mr. X on his trusty Kodak Instamatic camera. We've seen MANY of his awesome photos over the years, and these are worthy additions to the mix.
We'll start with this view of the Autopia, with a fleet of unused vehicles to our left. They have so many, shouldn't I own just one? If you look carefully behind the rearmost red car, you can see some sort of specialized gizmo that was obviously needed to do maintenance. It doesn't appear to be a hydraulic jack, but I also can't quite figure out what it actually is.
I also can't quite tell if those two women to the right are Disneyland cast members or if they are guests. If they are guests, how can they be standing in an area where moving Autopia vehicles could be passing behind them? Notice the Peoplemover on the track overhead, heading away from us I believe.
And how's this for a beauty? It's a dynamic and unusual view of a Mark III Monorail that has apparently just left the station (notice the Speedramp to our left). It looks like Mr. X was aboard an Autopia car when he took this picture.
22 comments:
Major-
Three cheers for the second image and its unusual view.
Thanks, Mr. X-!
I think we saw that "gizmo" a couple of weeks ago, too. Just guessing, but it looks like it's used to quickly lift up the front, or rear of a car so that the tires can be changed.
And speaking of gizmos, there are two more on the right, next to the lamppost. One gizmo appears to be an old-school type of jack. But if the blue gizmo can quickly lift a car, then why would they need that jack? Next to the jack is a big pile of whipped cream. At first I thought it was the base of a lamppost, but it's not connected to a post (and none of the other posts have a pile of whipped cream at their base). Farther down, at the next lamppost, is a red and white can of... what?... Gas?(why?)... Oil?... Whoop-ass? Family-sized can of chicken noodle soup?
This version of the Autopia cars looks especially sporty.
Neat picture of the Monorail with the PeopleMover track snaking in and out of the photo. Hmmm, from this angle, the Monorail train looks kind of squashed, vertically. I've always loved how there are so many levels, and varieties, of transportation in this version of Tomorrowland, intertwining with each other. (Oh dear, that sounded vaguely nasty.)
Thank you again, Mr. X. And while I'm at it, thank you too, Major.
I'll second JB's assessment of the specialized gizmo being used to lift either the front or back of an Autopia car. I have no idea on the other items.
The two women are definitely guests, there is a railing behind them, but the next batch of cars will be passing in front of them. They appear to be standing in the last two number positions (possibly 9 & 10- I don't remember for sure, it has been over 40 years since I served my time there).
Thanks Mr. X & Major.
-DW
Yes, those are guests in the first pic. The loading for Autopia had two sides, so those cars behind the guests were heading towards guests that would have been waiting in the second loading area (out of view). It was sort of like a big "W", but with two big "curves" at the bottom part of the "W", instead of being "pointed." Each curve was a separate loading area for a separate track.
When I look at pics like these, I just see perfection in design....of everything. Why did they have to go and mess with perfection?
Thank you, Major and Mr. X!
Let's go back to intertwining...I also enjoy seeing the intertwining of '67 Tomorrowland and agree with TM (tm)...perfection should not be messed with, unless you are doing something better...and it BETTER be BETTER. At a previous job, if we didn't make better better, we were called "lazy"...in a group of 30+ people...you learn to be better, and after all, if you CAN make it better, it should be better. Things can always be better, but the TRE of Tomorrowland was not better...and that is for a book I will write in retirement. AUTO TOPIA....(as my friend calls it who LOVES this attraction). I've said before: like "Lina Lamont" in Singing in the Rain: "I caen stan 'em". I enjoy Autopia for it's historic merit of course, and would not like it TRE'd by any means. Yellow Monorail is my favorite Monorail. The simplicity of primary colors (albeit, versions of) added to the cohesiveness and harmony of Tomorrowland '67 in a way that was not "cartoony" or artifice. I did not enjoy when PeopleMover went monochrome, but would take them back any day. Monochrome white (version of) was not better. As I say in work now...."I get it, but I don't have to like it." TGIF! Enjoy the last weekends of Summer Major and Mssr X!
The Monorail Gold pic is wonderful! What a great and unique view.
It's true. Tomorrowland and its transportation vehicles were perfection in design as TM said. I also disliked it when the Monorail and PeopleMover went Monochrome white. It made Tomorrowland look colder.
While Tomorrowland was sleek and white, it had lots of color in its ride vehicles to make it a warm and inviting place.
Thanks, Major.
I think that doohickey in the first picture may be nothing more than a tow bar that would allow a cast member to move a car around without having to start it or have a second cast member steer while they pushed.
Intertwine is the Word of the Day. I’ll use it in a sentence: My work schedule has so intertwined every aspect of my life lately that it is choking all the fun out of everything.
I’ve missed hanging out with you all in the VMH. Don’t have time to stop and chat. Just wanted to say “hi” and give you a “proof of life.” May you have the best Friday EVER!
Wow, Mr. X bringing the Autopia. Great shot of the monorail tail cone!
Yes, “intertwining” is the term for the “World on the Move”, now significantly Diminished by the loss of the PeopleMover.
Also “pylons”, lots and lots of pylons.
That gadget to the left is almost certainly a jack, while the oddity on the right looks to me like a jack stand, which is a static support placed under the axle while the car is lifted. Jacks per se, are not safe to hold the vehicle weight while work is conducted, but a stand doesn’t move. Only one is needed since only one wheel is replaced at a time. My 0.02 anywho.
DW, was there a backstage garage area for more extensive repairs?
The POL drums have a nice “garage” look as trash cans here, themed, yet not themed, a “found object” aesthetic.
JG
Nanook, I cheered, but softly so I don’t disturb my neighbors.
JB, we have seen many photos with that contraption, I agree, it looks like it is made to lift up either end of an Autopia car. Did one person have to lift while another changed a tire? Or could it be lifted and somehow wedged into staying up? I could see how they might need one of those things AND a jack. Whipped cream was essential in keeping those cars running properly, it’s technical. It does seem as if the Mark III Monorail was wider than previous models, or is that just an illusion? No idea. “Intertwining”… this is a FAMILY BLOG! Everyone must stand with their arms at their sides at all times.
DW, if I ever own an Autopia car (any day now!) I will also need one of those thingamabobs. The ultimate obscure accessory. How can you forget about positions 9 and 10? The most exciting and popular ones! ;-)
TokyoMagic!, I’ll have to look for an aerial photo (or blueprints) of the Autopia load area to get a better idea of what you mean. All I know about the big “W” is that is where the money is. I really do believe that they change things just so they can look like they are doing something. At least in some cases.
Bu, my friend Mr. X hates the gigantic Autopia load building with a white-hot passion. “It’s too big! It’s unnecessary! It’s ugly!”. And I can’t disagree. Somebody just wanted their idea to be realized, whether it was for the better or not. Please sign me up for two copies of your upcoming book! I’m like you, I don’t necessarily ride the Autopia anymore, but I’m glad if people like it, and I’m glad that it (in one form or another) goes back to 1955.
K. Martinez, I think it should be called “Monorail Mustard”. Or “Monorail Canary”? The change from colorful vehicles to mostly-white ones was a head-scratcher, but I assume that somebody felt that the colors were “dated”. They were wrong. BUT… at least we still had the Peoplemover.
Chuck, oh interesting, that’s a good idea about the gizmo allowing an employee to move a vehicle around. I would just use my psychokinetic powers, but also understand that it is not an option for everyone. What the heck is the VMH? Is it anything like the DMV?
JG, there is a friendly YouTuber who occasionally gets my hopes up about the return of the Peoplemover, even though I know it’s never going to happen. I can’t help wishing for it, though. Jacks and jack stands. And jack accessories (nod to Hank Hill). I just use my mom’s Faberge Easter eggs (stacked of course) to hold up my car safely. Human ingenuity is quite a thing. For a time I believe that they did service Autopia vehicles behind the old Skyway terminal, but these days - who knows.
Major, VMH = Virtual Market House. Thankfully, nothing like the DMV (although I believe the lines at the DMV are actually faster than the real-world Market House's current configuration as a Starbuck's).
“a world of concrete on the move” … even just standing there, it swoops and swirls and I swoon. Photo #2 illustrates the multi-level nature of Tomorrowland ‘67, with not just candy colored vehicles moving all about, but also “speed-ramps” moved humans up and down too. I always loved the cheeky touch of having the PeopleMover pass over the monorail beam. Layers of clever.
Even the modern fence is set back so nicely… although I can imagine some idiot climbing up on that railing getting whomped upside the head.
MS
Major-
"... if I ever own an Autopia car (any day now!) I will also need one of those thingamabobs".
A thingamabob. Of course. Now I know what to get you for Xmas-! And to think you were this close to getting a 'current iteration' of the Disney Parks 100 Years of Wonder Cinderella Carriage Metallic Popcorn Bucket-! [Whew] I'm afraid all that 'vacuum metallized' plastic "chrome" is a bit too rich for my blood - but I was trying to save-up for it. (Maybe for 2025...)
Well look who the cat dragged in: Chuck! How can you let (so-called) "real life" interfere with your time here at GDB? Gots t'get yer priorities straight, pal.
Thanks for checking in. :-)
Major, whipped cream: Ha! I got one right! (For once; I knew it would happen some day.) I'm pleased to know that whipped cream was indeed, essential to the Autopia cars... even though you neglected to say exactly how or why. (How does one make a scowly face emoticon?)
Remember it was the design master Bob Gurr who determined that the WDW and later in 1987/88 that the Disneyland Mark 5 Monorail would be all white with a single color call out. I’m perfectly happy with Bob’s design choices. His job was to updated these vehicles and adapt them to meet design trends so they seem futuristic. There is no Disneyland PeopleMover worshiper than me! I guarantee it! But as much as I appreciate the 60’s color schemes … there were no longer futuristic and at 25 plus years old … they looked “amusement park “ in color … as did the skyway and Autopia cars . The 1988 PeopleMover color changed was selected by John Hench and Bob Gurr …. And frankly those two knew what They were doing. A simple color change greatly updated the PeopleMover look and kept it up with design trends …. tomorrowlsnd architecture was beginning to go with the less masses of white and larger masses and areas of color and mural
Patterns … like the magic eye theater , star tours buildings ( and the pending TOMORROWLAND 2055 would have continued) so it would hade been too busy and overdone to have all the transportations systems and structures with extreme coloring … my degree is in Environmental Design - emphasis is architecture so color in design is something I’m very conscious of even in theme parks .
Another note regarding the 1967 PeopleMover colors is that the FIRST colors selected were all existing marine Fiberglas colors from the mid 1950’s …. So already - as much as we love the 1967 PeopleMover colors , they were already a decade old and more 50’s than modern …. But fiberglass coatings were limited … so it was a technology restrictions . Also the 1967 PeopleMover colors WERE changed - slightly in the 70’s …. The turquoise color had been a different finish in 1967 and changed into later rehabs .. the yellow … Abs the dark blue all had their colors changed to newer coatings in the 70’s … only the red remained the sane color finish #.
Do you know what the most popular automobile color is now and fir the past 7 years???
WHITE - all WHITE …. Bob Gurr and John Hench REALLY did foresee the future of design!!
Major, I had read about the cars being repaired backstage behind the Skyway station, but I don't recall ever seeing a gate or a route to get out of the track enclosure across to the station. Definitely isn't one there now. That whole region is heavily landscaped with fancy fences and railings and it feels "higher" now, like the track area was elevated somehow since the old days, maybe when the track directions were reversed.
Yes, I watch that guy pleading for the PeopleMover, it makes me kind of sad because I know it's a lost cause.
JG
All mechanical ride vehicle repairs - including Autopia cars were done in a building behind it’s a small world , just a little west … ( upstairs was the newer recording studio that replaced the “tape room” above Circle vision. Things like engine repairs and general vehicle maintenance were done at the “garage” a few hundred feet north of the cycle shop. General oil checks and refueling could be done for Autopia on the secondary “staging” roadways.
With the exception of the ride vehicle maintenance- all the other support groups were located off property - displaced by WOOKIE World . A gas station for company service vehicles remains to the far left of its a small world … that dates from the early 60’s.
Autopia cars that have had their fill scheduled maintenance or special repairs are delivered to Autopia castmembers by mechanics … and left near the “Agrofuture” billboard. Cast members remove the roadway govennors then drive them back to be added to the main line of cars before park opening.
"Monorail Mustard" sounds like something when WDW partnered with McDonalds. Monorail ketchup, Monorail relish, Monorail Special Sauce!
I could get interested in driving an Autopia without a governor.
That “Agrofuture” sign used to be the Disneyland Naval Yards sign right?
JG
JG, don’t you mean the sign for the Disneyland Oceanographic Research Institute? ;-)
The roadway govenor was a kind of rail and kick switch in the track … the cars were not driven to the ride and engineering shop but truckee there
A old manger of mine at one time was a tomorrowland attractions manager and told me one time they got radio reports from
Security that guests were driving Autopia cars around backstage and across the DL RR crossing . It turns our that morning after removing the Autopia cars from the line to be serviced next, the employees forgot to move the hive or switch back to its closed position… and the first “brigade” of Autopia car guests that morning drove right off the attraction roadway and were free wheeling it backstage …. Probably pretty dangerous had a train been coming down the mainline or outta of the “roundhouse” to the the switch .
I love the second photo, with 4 modes of transportation swirling around. No two photos are ever alike...there's aways a different combination of vehicles moving in and out of the picture frame.
Chuck, thank you for explaining what VMH means. I was googling it earlier and came up with VentroMedial Hypothalmus; Victory Medal of Honour; Value per Man Hour; Very Many Hours, and a few others...and I figured none of those were right. Stupid internet.
By the way, Chuck, our DMV requires us to make an appointment WAY in advance - we can't just walk in. Sort of like Disneyland's VMH, now Starbucks.
Mike, I LOVE that last story you shared. What a blast! I'd definitely be one of those people trying to see how far I could get, before someone stopped me.
Thanks, Mr. X and Major!
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