Eureka Mountain Mine Ride reopening discussion

[iwerks]

If you plug a camera into a VHS/DVD recorder you should get okay results (that's how I transferred my old tape of MW). Once it's recorded onto a DVD and finalized you can put it into your computer and then upload it quite easily. I have one camera that is pre-digital that I'm going to transfer some old footage of WDW and 20th Century Fox Studios Sydney. I'll tell you how I go.

[Reanimated35]

Wouldn't this plus this do the trick?

I know my dad's still got both of those.

[iwerks]

^Pretty much. I have a Sharp Viewcam, which is 8mm(with no need of an intermediate cassette thing), which plays in mono, but the viewer no longer works. Luckily, you can still see the picture when you plug it into a video recorder. Problem with the pre-digital cameras is that every time you copy it, the picture goes down a grade in quality - still, better than nothing at all.

Looking at a close up of your picture Reanimated tells me that the cartridge is for a VHS-C tape - a different format.

[Brad2912]

People still own VHS players?

My tv doesn't even have the old yellow/white/red av inputs, HDMI only!

[Themeparkfan]

Hello! first time poster gold rush country/town of gold rush is dear to me as I grew up going to dremworld in the late 80s into the 90's and seen the park change over the years One of my favorite rides was the eureka runaway mine train ride I'd ride it as many times as I could evey time I visited the park. Any one remember the clackity clack noise of the break run and the hiss of the air brakes at the station the sound track of mining operations water dripping in the cave and distant explosions played on a loop through a hidden speaker near the tunnel opening and how when your cart left the station the track sloped down before the lift hill so your cart sped up went up the lift hill and the suddenly rolled back before locking into the lift hill chain? lol then how when you reached the top of the lift hill how warm it was inside the cave the smell of oil the animatronic going WATCH OUT SHES GONNA BLOW!! your cart sped up into the darkness the BOOM! Strobe lights flashed to simulate and explosion the you turn the corner blinded by daylight your eyes refocused in time to see your cart about to go over the edge of the mountain the ZIP back into the darkness then suddenly down you go into the first drop unexpectedly do a tight turn then drop again almost crashing into the skeleton miner! Aghh! Lol Then tight corner and drops and roars out into the daylight suddenly up into a shed on top of the station and back into the mountain then drops again in pitch blackness turns the corner and one more drop before blasting out of the mountain and into the break run that's how I remember it!

[rappa]

Oh my god for the sanity of us all. USE PUNCTUATION!

[webslave]

I have the right gear to convert off those for free if the need be. Happy for you to post it to me,

[Themeparkfan]

Edited April 10, 2015 by Themeparkfan

[Brad2912]

Did it say "watch out its gonna blow" on Eureka??

I know it says that on WWF

[DisneyDoll]

^{I don't recall any soundtrack in the mine. I remember some lanterns on the way up the lift hill & a skeleton on a corner that you swerved to miss, the rest was just a lot of darkness.}

[joz]

At the top of the lift it's 'Get down, it's ganna blow!' followed by an explosion sound and strobe.

Wild West is 'Get out, she's ganna blow, out now I tells ya'

Eureka's was much slower and deliberate, where as the Wild West one is more frantic and has the hillbillies accent.

That concludeds today's episode of 'Things Joz remembers that no self respecting adult should'

[Brad2912]

Haha... Well glad you remember it because I certainly didn't! Now I'm questioning how much I actually do remember from being on it and how much my brain has just constructed some alternate reality of the ride.

[pazzap]

Thanks everyone for help.. first yes definitely said it's gonna blow, and the first turn has an amazing headchopper style effect.

Thanks to all those who have given me such great advice re the video, i will be contacting who I need to shortly. Thanks again to all.

[Theme Park Girl]

There ya go, photo proof that the Eureka sideshow still currently used... it's open atm

Edited April 12, 2015 by OceanGirl

[Reanimated35]

And she looks so excited to work there. I hope you at least went and had a chat to give her something to do.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I wouldn't say it's all used - the duck pond is covered... and the cover really doesn't seem like the kind of thing you want to have 'on show'

[Theme Park Girl]

The attendant said the frog pond thing was broken, that's why it's not currently in use

[Andrewh]

Anyone have any further updates? I hope we see signs of construction soon

And any chance we could get the old POV?

Edited April 19, 2015 by Andrewh

[Brad2912]

No skill testers open today.

[Ryno]

Let's get over the fact of how these photos were obtained as we are just going around in circles and lets actually discuss the photographs and overall condition of the ride.

I'm no expert in ride maintenance but sadly to me it appears that the ride would need a major overhaul to get it fit to open to the public. The mine carts look in terrible condition, the loading station floorboards look rotten. The internal part of the mountain looks to be falling apart, the outside of the mountain actually looks okay compared with the inside.

I remember it as being a great ride as a kid but I too am wondering if we are all getting caught up in the nostalgia of it all and our own perceived memories of what the ride was actually like. I would love to see Dreamworld bring the ride back, but IMO I don't see them plunging a heap of money at a ride which appears to be nearly beyond repair. I do hope that a dark ride is brought to Dreamworld as the unknown of a dark ride always adds to the thrill but whether that means resurrecting Eureka, I strongly have my doubts.

[JacobSibbald]

Realistically, even though it requires a massive, massive demo and rebuild effort that isn't likely to come in the near future... Wouldn't you rather a new coaster over a reconditioned wild mouse?

[Andrewh]

I would personally like to see the ride torn down (I know, asbestos), and a new gold rush themed ride put in it's place, preferably a dark ride. I don't think letting it rot for another 10 years is an option

[bladex]

that ride isn't re-opening anytime soon from what i seen

[Andrewh]

Well will it be torn down or just keep standing for another decade?

[Ryno]

Richard, what's your take on Eureka getting off the ground again after considering the photographs depicting the condition of the ride as posted by AndrewH