I’m going to guess that this December 1954 shot of the Chemical Wagon is from the Disney lot in Burbank; the closeup detail shot shows what appears to be some movie lights. Personally, the Burbank lot shots showing vehicles and figures out of their Anaheim element have always seemed a little bizarre to me...but I love seein’ them! Hope you do too.
Amazingly enough, this beauty is still around, safely ensconced in the Town Square Firehouse:
See more Disneyland photos at my website.
Those early studio shots of the Disneyland stuff do have a weird feel to them, a true reminder that the park is one big movie set!
ReplyDeleteAnd idea when the stopped running the Chemical Wagon and why? Great post, thanks!
That Chemical Wagon IS a beauty. And Tim, I guess we should be grateful, a friend told me that in Florida they no longer run ANY Main Street Vehicles (including the horse-drawn streetcars and omnibuses).
ReplyDeleteA three-up hitch is a tricky thing. One has to have three horses matched in pulling and personality, or the whole thing goes off balance. You get one of the three on a bad day, and it's a wreck waiting to happen.
ReplyDeleteAdd in the more feisty personality of miniature horses, and you can understand why Disney stopped using them around the public. I've had Mini's for a long time, and they are a wonderful animal. However; they are NOT easy keepers.
Tim - From what I remember, the Chemical Wagon was taken out of commission for awhile, then eventually restored and still used on rare occasions. I don't know of any dates though. David - what a bummer! I will be sure to get a full report when I go to WDW in January.
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