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Golden Nugget Final Days I was given permission to start removing props from the Golden Nugget during the third week in August. I made sure to take photos of my efforts to preserve Golden Nugget history. This page will display the props and scenery removed and some things in the nugget that could not be saved. You will read that I am trying to rework and use as much of the Golden Nugget props in our current dark rides as possible so that they can entertain the public once more. |
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This prop was installed for Dinosaur Beach and featured two doors that would shake open and closed as the rides would pass. I just refer to this prop as the "Facade" and it was located on the south east corner on the second floor. The facade was taken apart numbered and stored until later use. |
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The cave man prop was located on the second floor fist stage on the left. This static prop appeared in the during the mid 1970s and was paired up with the charging wolf prop. In the second photo you can see the contents of the small stage piled up awaiting removal. |
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This small stage was located on the second floor after the caveman and charging wolf and across from the corner with the facade. This area featured wooden boxes, barrels and dynamite plunger all original props to the ride. The white barrels use to be apart of the falling barrels trick that was located where the facade was built. All the stage items are stored and await future use. |
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The charging wolf prop was located on the second floor fist stage on the left. This prop was created by Bill Tracys Amusement Displays company and was paired up with the caveman prop. |
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Removing this prop alone. The photos show the direction I went to get this prop outside. Off this wolfs stage onto the track, then drag him to the access door down off the track to the floor and through the man door, down the second hill sideway on the tracks. Once at the bottom of the hill it fell of the tracks and into an open dhow way on the first floor. I thought I broke this prop for sure and after some lifting and pushing it was back on the track. At this point it was on the track across from the LV door the only problem was I had to lift it up onto the steel guard rail that runs along the turn at the bottom of the hill. Once over the railing the prop slid right down the wooden planks I set up on the other side of the guard rail and out the door it went. Oh by the way the prop still work! |
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The runaway mine train prop was located on the second floor. Before you would see this prop your mine car would come to a crawl down a dark hallway. Once you rolled to the end of this dark hallway the light would come on and another mine car with guest would come charging at you. |
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Once the prop was removed and I was going to leave the structure it sat on. However a week or two later I had a change of heart and figured itf I ever wanted to see it work again I needed to get rest of it out and so I did. So on to the track out the man door into the bottomless mine shaft and with rope I lowered it on the roof of the station and fork lifted the structure to the deck. This props is 100% saved! |
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The next six photo will show in what order this prop was dismantled. |
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One of the biggest props to dismantle was the falling timbers. This prop was put together square nuts and bolts and big gate hinges that had to be grinded off and apart to properly dismantle. The structure was held together square nuts and square through bolts and came apart with ease. |
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All parts of this prop went out the onto the roof of the station and removed by fork lift. The good news is the entire props is apart and can go back together very easy. Maybe the falling timbers will fall again while riding in Pirate of the Wildwoods or walking through the Curse of the Mummy. |
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After falling timber Dinosaur Beach had cut up the skeleton horse into fossils and turned the miners into archeologist. Both animated miners and the one static have been saved and await future use. The two animated miner props still work. Also all the skeleton horse parts have been removed and will be put back together this spring. I believe the skeleton horse is going to Dante's. |
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By removing the miners from the stage I had to go under the stage to disconnect power and found that the stage was built over lost of forgotten art work on the walls. |
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Down the drop to the first floor and around turn you hear the clacking of the roll backs and the mine train catches the chain. What could be around the next turn? Its a pop up dinosaur, located on the first floor south east corner the green rock wall/frame was made by Bill Tracys Amusement Displays company and the window use to feature a miner on an elevator that would ride down past the window. However this elevator prop was removed (counter weight still intact)Dinosaur Beach added this dinosaur pop up. |
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This access door from the back of the ride was the only way into this prop area. This prop has been removed and re-themed for Pirates of the Wildwood. |
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This fountain was located on the south east center corner on the first floor. This completely fiberglass rock fountain was one of the original 1960 props that opened with the ride. The fountain has been removed and installed in Pirates of the Wildwoods. The water pump still works. |
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Down the drop to the first floor and around turn you hear the clacking of the roll backs and the mine train catches the chain. What could be around the next turn? Its a pop up dinosaur, located on the first floor south east corner the green rock wall/frame was made by Bill Tracys Amusement Displays company and the window use to feature a miner on an elevator that would ride down past the window. However this elevator prop was removed (counter weight still intact)Dinosaur Beach added this dinosaur pop up. |
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The spinning barrel was actually two barrels and the inside of the barrel was covered with florescent fiberglass rock panels created by Amusement Displays. While the exterior use to have orange florescent spikes on it and was called the rock crusher. This forced perception tunnel would spin giving the riders a slight tipping sensation. This was and still is an amazing feature of the ride. Unfortunately it was two big to remove, in fact the first floor was built around the barrels. |
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With the help from the webmaster at Funchase.com we removed all the fiberglass panels from the barrels. I would expect to see them reused in other Morey's dark attractions. |
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