Big Thunder, July 17, 1980

Here's the last of Lou Perry's photos of the then-new Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - photos scanned by Sue B., Lou's daughter. Big Thunder had debuted a little more than a year before these pictures were taken... given Lou's interest, I assume that it's the first time he'd seen this attraction with his own eyes. And he was obviously impressed! Just looking at this picture gives a small impression of how complex this ride is.I've always wondered if the mostly-yellow mine cars were a deliberate callback to the ones in the previous Mine Train Through Nature's Wonderland? Or else it just looked good, which it did. Notice the one train in the distance climbing a lift hill, and the crows (or are they buzzards? I forget) atop the rocks to the left.It's incredible to think that this attraction is approaching its 50-year anniversary in just four more years! THANK YOU SO MUCH, Lou and Sue.