Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Grand Circle Tour, 1950's-style



Using a mix of "old" and "new" (as in previously and not previously published) photos, today's post will give you a Grand Circle Tour around the park, starting with two Summer 1955 images at the Main Street Train Station. It's difficult not to get excited as you approach the entrance gates and see the E.P. Ripley patiently waiting at the Main Street Train Station for its next load of guests.



Can you imagine taking a spin around the park with this guy at the helm?



The C.K. Holliday is parked at the Frontierland Depot in this 1950's shot:



This 1956 photo shows the original Fantasyland Depot:



Going in a bit closer you can see guests exiting the Depot area, attempting to decide which attraction they will experience next. One of the Autopias? Storybook Land, perhaps?



A closeup of the Fantasyland Depot Ticket Booth:



Last stop on the Tour is the Tomorrowland Depot, circa September 3, 1958. #3, The Fred Gurley, is pulling into the Depot, only a few months after its March 28th debut.



Seeing these photos all together makes me yearn for a REAL trip aboard one of the beloved trains.

See more vintage & current Disneyland Railroad photos on my Disneyland Railroad web pages.

2 comments:

Major Pepperidge said...

My appreciation for the trains seems to grow as the years go by. Not sure why! I've always loved the Grand Circle Tour, but now it is one of the things I truly look forward to when I visit the park.

K. Martinez said...

The Grand Circle Tour is one of the best! I love the pre-monorail Tomorrowland Station image.

Lately I'm starting to enjoy the early vintage Disneyland attractions more than usual. Perhaps it's because of the rapid changes at the Disneyland Resort and they are some sort of connection to my early memories of the Park.