Trail Drive

Trail Drive, released by Bally in 1969, captures the spirit of the American Old West during a pivotal era in pinball history. This electro-mechanical pinball machine emerged during a time when western themes were incredibly popular in American entertainment, riding the wave of successful TV shows like 'Bonanza' and 'Gunsmoke'.

The machine's design likely featured classic western imagery including cattle, cowboys, and prairie landscapes, fitting perfectly within the late 1960s pinball aesthetic. As an electro-mechanical machine, it would have utilized relay switches, bells, and mechanical score reels rather than electronic displays. The gameplay would have focused on traditional pinball elements like bumpers, drop targets, and spinners, possibly incorporating western-themed objectives related to driving cattle or hitting outlaw targets.

Trail Drive represents an important transition period in pinball history, released just years before the industry would begin its shift toward solid-state electronics. While not as well-known as some other machines of its era, it serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of western themes in American amusement devices. The machine embodies the craftsmanship of the electro-mechanical era, where every sound and score was produced by physical mechanisms rather than electronic systems.

While exact production numbers are not readily available, machines from this era typically saw production runs ranging from several hundred to a few thousand units. Today, Trail Drive is considered a collectible piece that represents both the western genre's influence on pinball and the engineering ingenuity of the late EM era.