when i was little my parents took me to children's playground - i remember a ride in the hills above the carousel; a little train on tracks - later, as an adult with my own daughter i looked for it and couldn't even see any tracks - does anyone else remember it?

-- marcia aitken (haryn@cableone.net), May 07, 2003

Answers

Marcia: I take it you're referring to the Children's Playground in Golden Gate Park. If so, I remember that ride too. It wasn't really a railroad, though, but more of a concrete trough on the hillside on south side of the playground. As I remember the ride, kids sat on little four-wheeled carts and slowly zig-zagged down the hillside under the control of an adult operator. I remember exploring its concrete route many times, but only got to ride on the carts once. (I'm guessing it wasn't an economic gold mine.)

-- John Martini (jamartini@slip.net), May 07, 2003.

Yes, Marcia, I remember it very well. John Martini has it exactly right, it is indeed The Childrens's Playground in Golden Gate Park. His memory of it is exactly as mine. My folks took me there around 1930, and that, dear friends, is a couple of years ago. It must have been something to remember it for so long a period of time.

Kids nowadays probably demand much more in the way of power rides and excitement. As I recall, kids were not belted in, and it could be dangerous. People in this day and age are sue happy and the slightest accident would cause a lawsuit. Ah, for the good old days! Frank Grant

-- Frank Grant (grantstombtwo@aol.com), May 09, 2003.

Wow! I remember that too. It seems like I was pretty little (4 - 5?) in the late 1940's or very early 1950's. I remember it seemed dark and kind of scarey in among the bushes. I loved it!

-- Vivian Wills (VivianWills@compuserve.com), September 10, 2003.