Welcome To WDW 1970's/ 80's and 90's

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow, that is one of the rarest pictures yet. I know I can look this up, but how long after the park opened did it take for Space Mountain to open?

That's easy. The year 1975 is used in a lot of the merchandise and props in Space Mountain.

So that is four years after the MK opened.

TCD

[Lou... 3,118]

It took over 3 years from Magic Kingdom opening for SM to open.

The year 1975 is used in a lot of the merchandise and props in Space Mountain. So that is four years after the MK opened.

10/1/71 MK, 1/15/75 SM

[Discamper 394]

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

 

I am guessing that is a picture out of a train window somewhere in WDW?

[Discamper 394]

That is out the train window looking at the Meadows Trading Post

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

Wow, I guess I didn't realize that it was that close to the Meadows.  I kinda thought that might have been at the old Frontierland train station. 

[Discamper 394]

 

 

This is the old waiting car used by the horse back ride in it old location by the unhitch area as you enter the Fort

[The Troll 67]

I'm still not seeing it.

This is a map that shows where the tracks were:

In this close-up, you can see that the tracks crossed in front of the 1500 loop, not up by the bridge.

That photo still is confusing me.

TCD

 

I agree...that photo was totally confusing me, too. I think those plans, though, turned out wrong once the tracks were laid. I blew up your photo to illustrate what I see:

 

I think the tracks (neon green) actually cut right through the intersection. The photographer (red circle) is facing the direction of the arrow (blue). The train is approaching the photographer on the photographer's left. I see it now. The plans have to be wrong. I bet when the work crew actually went to lay the tracks, they realized there was some obstruction that the survey crew didn't account for. Sorry for the hijack, everyone. But this important forensic evidence.

[Discamper 394]

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

I agree...that photo was totally confusing me, too. I think those plans, though, turned out wrong once the tracks were laid. I blew up your photo to illustrate what I see:

 

I think the tracks (neon green) actually cut right through the intersection. The photographer (red circle) is facing the direction of the arrow (blue). The train is approaching the photographer on the photographer's left. I see it now. The plans have to be wrong. I bet when the work crew actually went to lay the tracks, they realized there was some obstruction that the survey crew didn't account for. Sorry for the hijack, everyone. But this important forensic evidence.

 

I don't know Norm.

 

I'm not sure the train could turn like that.

 

And, your hypothesis would have the train crossing the road in a zig-zag pattern.

 

There are still some old ties in the ground that seem to line up with what those plans show. So the plans are accurate-at least for some point in time.

 

The only thing I can think of to explain it is that at one point they reconfigured the tracks.

 

TCD

[Discamper 394]

 

Hear is the Map you can see the bridge right in front of 1500 loop

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

Hear is the Map you can see the bridge right in front of 1500 loop

 

That bridge in front of the 1500 loop is a pedestrian bridge.  It's the one that is still there today.

 

You can see they used the same symbol for the pedestrian bridges over by the Meadow Trading Post, and the bridges that used to cross the canals near the 1500 loop and 300 loop.

 

The map shows the tracks crossing Big Pine Rd. at an angle much more acute than the photo that we are discussing shows.

 

TCD

[Discamper 394]

TCD there was a RR bridge that crossed the water just on the left hand side of 1500 loop Disney took it out over 15 years ago. Look at the photo and map again you will see it.

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

TCD there was a RR bridge that crossed the water just on the left hand side of 1500 loop Disney took it out over 15 years ago. Look at the photo and map again you will see it.

 

I know about that bridge (technically a  railroad trestle).  I thought you were talking about the bridge in front of the 1500 loop on the map.  What we were discussing is train crossed the canal at just a slight angle, as shown on the map, and then continued on to near the 1500 loop entrance, where it crossed the road at an angle.  The photo makes it look like the train crossed the road after the bridge at pretty close to a 90 degree angle.  That photo seems to not match up with what the map shows.

 

TCD

[Discamper 394]

TCD did you like the out the window shot of the Meadows?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

TCD did you like the out the window shot of the Meadows?

 

Yes.  Really cool.  I recall seeing a similar photo before.  It's hard to believe the train came right by there like that.

 

TCD

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

I have gotten a look at some old pictures from my MIL from when my wife was little and they visited Disney in 78,79,81, and 84.  I will be posting them over the next few days.  Unfortunately they weren't campers so no Fort Pictures.

 

I believe this is of Crystal Palace from the sidewalk heading towards Adventureland.

 

[ftwildernessguy 778]

I would scan as many of those old color pics as I could before they are lost forever. Those old dyes just didn't age well.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I would scan as many of those old color pics as I could before they are lost forever. Those old dyes just didn't age well.

 

I agree.  And check to see if your scanner has a color restoration option.  Mine works really well.

[Discamper 394]

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

 

That is a really cool photo! 

 

I guess they must have been testing the monorail.  There would not have been a reason to have it running with the Contemporary still under construction.

 

TCD 

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

I agree with TCD, some of these photos of the early construction are awesome.

[YENSIDCAMPER 66]

I would scan as many of those old color pics as I could before they are lost forever. Those old dyes just didn't age well.

 

 

I agree.  And check to see if your scanner has a color restoration option.  Mine works really well.

 

Yep these pictures need a good scanner, but I didn't have one handy so I actually took a picture of the pictures so these aren't good quality.  I have touched them up and tried to get the glare out of it as much as possible to try and make them as presentable as possible.  This next picture was blurry to begin with.  I had really hoped to be able to read the name on the side but I wasn't able to.

 

[The Troll 67]

And, your hypothesis would have the train crossing the road in a zig-zag pattern.

Well, no, that squiggly end of my neon line is just the product of my shaky hand.

 

There are still some old ties in the ground that seem to line up with what those plans show. So the plans are accurate-at least for some point in time.

Yes. I've been searching my visual memory of the area, and I agree that the tracks seem to travel at a much more acute angle than what this picture seems to depict. So this is bothering me. It does appear the train is traveling perpendicular to the canal in this picture, which, according to my mental positioning of the tracks' remains, is wrong.

If they reconfigured the tracks, why isn't there some documented history of it? And why would they?

Are we sure that's the bridge near the 1500 loop? Confused. I think someone must recreate the picture at the modern day Fort to settle this.

 

[Discamper 394]