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[Junior]

The flooded mine drawing is not concept art...it is an illustration that was printed in one of the SDC souvenier booklets sold at HH and OM at the time. The illustration may have also appeared in some of those late 70s or early 80s picture books for kids that were published at the time. The office scene with the man falling through the floor was in the area where the tower is now. That scene was removed prior to 1977. Those windows in the background were still in place and the ore boats did pass right by it until sometime in the last few years when that area was covered up with new scenery. One of the jobs I moonlighted in about 80-81-82 was as a prisoner at the flooded mine. I worked the dispatch stand and also loaded folks into boats. It was a fun job. At the time, we sometimes played "mean" prisoners or "wardens" and had a wooden stick we would smack the que line railings with. It made quite a loud popping noise, and I am responsible for scaring the c--p out of more than one or two little kids. My boss Alan...lead man at the ride at the time, had to ask me more than once to tone it down a bit. (By the way, Alan STILL works at SDC at both the train and the flooded mine. When I last visited in December for the Christmas celebration, Alan was dressed as a prisoner and was working the railroad crossing behind the flooded mine. He didn't really remember me, but we had a nice little visit, and it was good to see him again.   

[palallin]

Thanks again, Junior!

I thought the cave-in was in the tall area.  Am I confused?  It certainly is possible since I didn't get to the city between '72 and '82.

[Junior]

The cave-in area you are probably referring to is the area I probably would refer as the rock-slide area. That big, tall tower just before you leave the building and circle around (now under the canopy) to the loading dock. Back in my day, they had a recorded voice shout "look out its a rock slide!" then a strobe light would flash and foam rubber "rocks" would fall down to just above the boat, where a net would catch them. They had a device rigged up to lift the rocks back up in place for the next boat. It was a pretty good effect for its time. Glad to have been some help!

[U Smell Smoke]

I always got a kick out of the rock slide.  I miss it.

[DeweyBald]

I agree about the rock slide.  Great memories!

[palallin]

One of my earliest memories is of a nightmare I had about the rock slide/cave in being real and sealing me in the mine all alone.  Strangely, the nightmare did NOT make my fearful of the ride!