On July 2, 1956, the Rainbow Caverns Mine Train opened at Disneyland as part of the Living Desert exhibit. The attraction featured seven colorful waterfalls that glowed when water hit the pools below, using 270,000 gallons of water. Imagineer Claude Coats designed the beautiful sights along the railroad, while Marc Davis later added humor and animatronic animals during an eight-month overhaul in 1960. The ride ran for seven minutes on a 1,700-foot track with black, green, and blue cars pulled by a small gold-trimmed locomotive. After operating as Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland until January 2, 1977, the attraction was replaced by Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Parts of the original ride remain visible today, including Cascade Peak before its demolition in 1998 and the restored locomotive now displayed in Griffith Park.
Key Points:
- The Rainbow Caverns Mine Train opened on July 2, 1956, and operated until 1959 before being rebuilt as Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland.
- The original attraction featured seven colorful waterfalls that glowed when water hit the pools below, using 270,000 gallons of water.
- Marc Davis designed over 200 animatronic animals for the attraction during its eight-month overhaul in 1960.