More Big Thunder

"Hey, Mysterious Benefactor! Do ya gots more photos of Big Thunder Mountain Railroad?". "Sure thing, Major Pepperidge!". Gosh, what a guy. It's hard to believe that Big Thunder has been with us (at Disneyland) for around 47 years, opening on September 2, 1979. The much-missed Rainbow Caverns Mine Train/Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland was only there for 21 years.After seeing so many vintage photos of Rainbow Ridge, certain buildings are like old wooden friends who never borrow money (the best kind of friend!). That pointy-roofed structure used to be the El Dorado Hotel, and the "adobe" structure mostly out of frame was "Miner's Hardware". Nobody does crusty old wooden buildings like Disney. The crustier, the better. Just look at that filth! It makes me smile just thinking about it. This next one went pretty dark, and my attempts to lighten it only got me so far. I guess I'd forgotten that Big Thunder was "the biggest little boom town in the West". I thought that was Oxnard!…