"Miners" toiling away
The mining car plunges even further downhill, makes a quick right u-turn and suddenly comes upon two miners hard at work removing ore. One skeleton is using his pick-axe on the walls, and another scoops ore from the conveyer belt. To the right of the shoveling miner is a huge stalactite from which dripped great amounts of water into a "reflecting pool" beneath. This scene, as many others, was illuminated with black light. With the addition of a few drops of Ivory soap, the water would luminesce a bright white under the black light, with the added benefit that it would keep the recirculating pump lubricated! No other type of soap would render this effect. Moving past this scenario, riders come face to face with The Giant Spider (see "Attractions")! Animated with wires to move the legs, the spider is guarding a vast horde of gold bricks on the ground. Dick Kraus fabricated the gold bars and hand painted each one. The gold paint reacted particularly well with the black light to create an appropriately eerie effect.. Then with one quick left turn, passengers are faced with an oncoming train in the darkness! The Railroad crossing arm lowers, warning lights flash, the sound of the warning bell rings out and the unmistakable clickety-clack of the train approaching becomes audible. In the distance, the headlight of the train grows ever larger and closer, blowing its whistle all the while, until it appears clear that a collision is unavoidable and imminent. At the last possible moment, the mining car lurches to the right and the parlor scene comes into view.