Friday, October 16, 2009

“Old Betsy” at Knott’s Berry Farm - May 1963

Here’s the fun little Borax Mine Train “Old Betsy” that’s been at Knott’s Berry Farm for many, many years. This slide is dated May 1963. It’s interesting to compare the train over the decades.






In this undated but really old Postcard you can see the roof of the cab is a little different than it was in May 1963. There are other areas of the wood on the cab that don’t match up, probably a few other details too.






In my November 2008 photo you can see Old Betsy is still pretty much the same. Its amazing Old Betsey is still around, leave her alone Knott's… What’s even more amazing is the fact the “Engines & Hoists” has been painted in the same spot on that wall forever!





I have a really cool vintage price sheet from Knott’s that I was going to post with this slide, but it seems to have hide itself somewhere in all this vintage paper!!!! I’ll post if later if I can find it.

5 comments:

TokyoMagic! said...

I second that statement...LEAVE HER ALONE, KNOTT'S! That means you, Cedar Fair! They probably already have plans to replace her with the loading station for a new roller coaster.

Major Pepperidge said...

Old Betsy looks cleaner and shinier in 1963 than she did in that older black and white postcard. At some point she obviously got some TLC. Now she's rusting away again, but I'm glad she's still there!

Daveland said...

Fantastic photos; love the comparison stuff!

Anonymous said...

I would love to save this train. I just can't afford someone or Disney to remove it not knowing of its important history. I do not want to be scraped. That is the worst, I would like it back!

Unknown said...

My grandfather...ROY O. TODD... brought her in off the desert for Walter Knott...is she now at Disneyland...?