This was an idea I had been kicking around in my head for a long time: how to integrate a version of the Mine Train Thru Nature's Wonderland in present day Frontierland. Finally a thread on another site finally got me to develop it further and my result was a sprawling "duel-adventure" attraction called the "Red Canyon Ridge Railroad". This is a complex that includes a small "sub-land" and two "mine train" rides that intertwine with each other and each has it's own distinct "flavor", one deals with logging and the other with underground mining. I designed it so it would be sort of a tribute to Nature's Wonderland, but not making a carbon copy of it; some elements were just too good to let go forever.

In order to explain all of this visually, I turned to what I do best, model making. I didn't have time to do sketches and color studies and scene gag drawings, so I focused on making a nice model. I wanted to represent the entire area in miniature, without going too small, but not going too big. Knowing that I had to store it somewhere when I was done, I scaled out my initial layout drawing to fit the space behind my studio door and it came out to Z scale, or close to Z scale, 1/240-- the exact same scale as some plot plans I have of the park. I set to work on it, with about two weeks alotted for it (that if I can squeeze an hour or two a day) and I ended up cutting a lot of the features and details to save time, like pieces coming apart to see show scenes below and the roof of the showbuilding coming off. The model I built measures 48" X 31", a nice size to work on, despite how small Z scale is. I used foam for the land forms, floral foam mainly, for all the hills and foliage covered areas. Foliage is Woodland Scenics clump foliage (unfortunately I think I used all of my supply up!) and the track is just a plastic screen I cut up into strips.

I made the model in the style of a "concept model" that Disney does, a model that shows off the general look and feel of a proposal. These concept models don't necessarily have to have every little detail that the later models in the process have, and they don't need to be totally accurate either. The colors are also have a little more kick, since Disney wanted to wow their execs who will be footing the bill.

So, here it is, the finished model:






And here's the lengthy write-up which explains the entire "Red Canyon Ridge" complex with attraction scripts and many more photos.
Red Canyon Ridge Railroad

Excuse me now, I need to get back to Nature's Wonderland, which is a big shocker in scale since I've gotten use to working 192 times smaller than usual!

As I said over at MC, Sam, brilliant! Your eye for detail and your modeling skills are really first rate. You realize that in Glendale they'd have an entire team of people to put together a concept and pitch like this? The fact that you did it all on your own - brainstormed the concept, fit it into the existing infrastructure, wrote the show and built the model - makes it that much more impressive. Well done young man. Take a bow.

Sam, You have got to send this to WDI HQ! The Red Canyon Ridge RR is a great attraction concept(although I don't agree with all the ideas!). For some time now, I have also been working on an idea to bring the NWRR back to DL. My idea was that there are twin peaks towering over Big Thunder trail with Big Thunder on the right and Cascade Peak on the left. Like your scenario, the NWRR is hauling in fortunes while Big Thunder is pennyless.

I think you would have a job if Walt was still around This is great work!

Wow! That's about all I can say.

And when you make it to the big time, don't forget about us little folks.

Thanks guys! Should I be able to get in, and should I be on a pretty good project, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a tribute that consisted of a certain green and red logo with a black train on it.

I love your ideas. I am not sure if the 'short attention span' public of today would even begin to understand. Look at what non-Disney parks, and even Disney to an extent, are building today. Carowinds NASCAR / DE Sr roller coaster, 'Rock and Roll Coasters etc.



Now that Roy has passed I really wonder what will the new rides be in the coming years. Will the Haunted Manson be gutted and coaster tracks replace the Doom Buggy?? Didn't they add Johnny Deep to the Pirates ride?? No ill will to Johnny (love most of his movies) but leave some of the greatest attractions in the world alone. Will we ever see all new dark rides? New visual, as opposed to speed/thrill, rides? Old man rant over.

That was my concern, if the audience would seem bored with something like this. But I realized, it could work considering Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, It's a Small World, Jungle Cruise and even the latest Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage seem to survive well among the "short attention span crowd"--without any coaster tracks in sight. I thought with this idea, I could "thrill" them with the high suspense moments, and not with the speed with the ride vehicle. Even though it's a got a high speed portion, Radiator Springs Racers is going to give Pirates of the Caribbean a little competition in terms of detail and art direction; so 'classic' dark rides aren't a thing of the past!

Sam.....I am so glad there are folks like you.....Sometimes I worry that the average public is not able to understand why most of us here love NWRR and like rides. But you understand what many your age don't. Done in true Disney tradition, like you show, it could work.....I just worry at times that Disney magic is hard to find or the public is too slow to understand.

Have you ever seen the movie 'Idiocracy' ???

^ Don't water your crops with "Brawndo".

There are people my age that actually want something like a detailed ride that doesn't need to make your pulse go up; unfortunately, there aren't very many of them compared to the rest of the visitors.