The Train Bulletin hangs on a wall below the Main Street Train Station in Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, and is essentially a puzzle of Disney trivia. Each row represents a specific Disney reference. In order, here is what they all mean:
- Grizzly Bear Flats and Kimball Canyon - This row is a homage to legendary animator Ward Kimball. Kimball was a railroad enthusiast, and in 1938 he acquired a locomotive from the Nevada Central Railroad, and a Southern Pacific passenger coach. Thus, the Grizzly Flats Railroad was born in Kimball’s own backyard.
- Hickory and Siddons City - The 1966 film Follow Me Boys features the character of Lemuel Siddons played by Fred MacMurray. The setting is the quaint little town of Hickory in the 1930s.
- Medfield and Rutledge - These are the two rival colleges from The Absent-Minded Professor and its sequel Son of Flubber.
- Harrington Hills and Pendegast Plains - Harrington is the small town setting for the film Pollyanna. Pendegast is the name of the story’s primary villain, Mr. Pendegast, portrayed by Adolphe Menjou.
- Bullwhip and Griffin Gulch - The final row on the bulletin makes reference to the 1967 film The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin, starring Roddy McDowall.
Very cool. Never noticed the train bulletin before at WDW. Also love the site's new look.
ReplyDeleteI knew most of this, but not all of it. Personally, I love the reference to Ward Kimball.
ReplyDeleteUh, in THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR and SON OF FLUBBER, Medfield College's arch-rival is actually Rutland College. And POLLYANNA's Mr. Pendergast is no villain -- he's just a moody curmudgeon who blossoms in the course of the movie into a lovable guy. [He even adopts orphan Jimmy Bean (Kevin Corcoran) at the end of the movie!]
ReplyDeleteMy characterization of Pendegrast as a villain was a bit extreme--I stand corrected.
ReplyDeleteI firmly believe that the Bulletin designer's intent was to reference the Flubber films. I didn't think to go back and fact-check the movies. Or is there a possible Rutledge reference we haven't determined?