Rube Dugin's Diving Bell

shavethewhales · July 16, 2007, 06:11:31 PM

Rube Dugin's Diving Bell, the ride that was decades ahead of it's time. For those of you that never saw it, it was a state of the art motion/picture simulator, that provided an experience so real that many got sick or dizzy on the ride. This concept was first introduced to Disney World, but being as new an adventure as such a simulator was, they didn't see the true value of such an attraction, and SDC picked it up.
For more information and photos, go here -> http://geysergulch.tripod.com/divingbell.html

Sadly, due somewhat to the particular spot it was built in, SDC decided to destroy the diving bell to make way for the new Lost River, but the thought of bringing the ride back has been persistent. In fact, to this day many people have asked that SDC consider resurrecting the ride, so maybe one day we'll see it again.

Does anyone have any memories of this ride? I was too young at the time to remember much, so I was hoping someone here could tell us what a ride cycle consisted of.

Joy · July 16, 2007, 07:10:15 PM

I'm too young to remember it... I didn't start going to SDC 'til '94...

Conductor Sam's got some great info and wonderful big pics here:

http://silverdollarcity.blogspot.com/2007/06/rube-dugans-diving-bell.html

I'm trying to track down the movie he mentioned... There's one that seems it could fit, but the timing seems a tad off...

~ "Becky" Joy ~

Coaster · July 24, 2007, 05:57:45 PM

I wasn't born when this ride was here, but I did see Conductor Sam's blog entry about it, and my parents have also talked about this ride. It seems like a really fun family ride that I would've enjoyed. I doubt it will ever come back though...I'm sad to say.

sdcfan17 · August 30, 2007, 10:25:38 AM

Man I wish the diving bell was still operating I mean they were way head of their time for the technology. Heres a fun fact about the diving bell, there use to be a "fake" sub that went out on a track and the tracks still there

shavethewhales · August 30, 2007, 03:44:16 PM

^Really? I've heard something like that before, but I can never see the track. I believe some of the Lost River's structure is from the old Diving Bell though.

sdcfan17 · August 30, 2007, 08:54:31 PM

no, my dad said the cave if you know the story line that it had no physical relation ship of rube duggin but it is suppose to be the cave down in lake silver, the one you go in on rube duggin's ride.

Coaster · September 03, 2007, 01:07:15 PM

Where is the track from the Diving Bell?? I would love to see it during my trip in a few weeks.

sdcfan17 · September 03, 2007, 01:15:23 PM

go to silver dollar city inside track and go to rube duggin's page they have pics there

Coaster · September 03, 2007, 01:28:59 PM

I've seen that but I don't remember seeing the track piece. Where's it at?

shavethewhales · September 03, 2007, 02:03:05 PM

It looks like it must be on the very far side of the lake. Maybe you can catch a glimpse of it before your raft heads up the lift on LRotO.

Coaster · September 03, 2007, 02:05:05 PM

Hmmmm.... I really want to find that track piece.... It'd make a nice addition to the trip report I'm wanting to post after my SDC trip soon.

sdcfan17 · September 03, 2007, 03:58:20 PM

I'am planning a trip there soon so I will get some pics for you steve

Coaster · September 03, 2007, 11:05:06 PM

Could you take a pic of the Rube Dugan's track please??

sdcfan17 · September 04, 2007, 07:21:58 AM

yeah if I can find it

Copper · September 09, 2007, 07:34:44 PM

I will look for the track too! A friend had a lot of pictures of Rube's Bell and Lake Silver I will try to get in contact with her and get some scanned. I also know that they use to give boat rides on Lake Silver as well. They had geysers that would blast at the boats and they would float out to the sunken mine. The sunken mine is still there they painted it yellow when they added Geyser Gulch and you now shoot at targets on it.