yellowyoshi398 Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Hey guys! I'm a child of the 90s so I always feel like I missed out on the glory days of the Kings Island & Miami Valley Railroad. To this day you can't ride the train without having someone talk about how much better it was in the 70s, when actors playing cowboys and Indians would battle and even board the train. Supposedly, there was also some more theming that has been removed from the ride over the years, such as some animatronics in the area of the wild west town that were apparently removed sometime in the 80s. Thing is, I've hunted around online and I've never really been able to find footage of this mysterious, nebulous live action show. I know personal camcorders weren't exactly popular in the 70s, but I imagine there has to be some video of the cowboys vs. Indians show floating around there somewhere, if it really was as integral a part of the Kings Island experience as everyone says it was. Really, though, I just love the train, and would love to see footage of it during any part of its storied 40+ year history. Seems like looking up "Kings Island and Miami Valley Railroad" on Youtube only gets you personal videos from recent trips, never anything older than say 5 years. Can anyone recommend me some good vintage footage of the train in days long past? 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldiesmann Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Skip ahead to 1:24... It's not great, but given the quality of home-movie equipment of the time, it's probably the best we're going to get. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Very good memories!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voicetek Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Just imagine of HD camcorders, personal computers, and sites like YouTube existed back in those days. Oh the footage of the park that would have been preserved for generations to come! Oh well, at least we have some video documentation from that time period. Better than nothing I guess! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I wonder if Taft Broadcasting has/had any film footage....Maybe even Kings Island has some film footage stored somewhere....anyone at KingsIslandPR have any idea? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CP&LERR Fan Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I wonder if Taft Broadcasting has/had any film footage....Maybe even Kings Island has some film footage stored somewhere....anyone at KingsIslandPR have any idea? That really sucks about how they got rid of the cowboys and animatronics. Cedar Point and lake erie railroad. Still has their animatronics that's at least 50 years old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowyoshi398 Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Skip ahead to 1:24... It's not great, but given the quality of home-movie equipment of the time, it's probably the best we're going to get. Thanks!! Man, amazing all the stuff they took out. You think they could've at least kept the teepees and wagons and stuff. It would be lovely to get some higher quality video though... You think in all their years of owning the park Taft would've filmed some of the train for promotional purposes. Thanks a bundle though, this is exactly what I was looking for! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KICoasterGirl Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 This doesn't really help with KI footage, but if you'd want to experience something similar to watching a live show while riding the train, Silver Dollar City still has a skit on their train ride. Oh how I wish I could have visited the park back then! The actors on the Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondson Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 I remember the early 70s well, when the train still had the cowboys and indians skit. It used to be one of my favorite rides, and it was actually a ride...not just a transport system like it is now. You didn't stop to let guests on and off at the water park. The only time you did stop was when the train robbers stopped the train, and I distinctly remember they had toy guns. The guns looked real, until you saw the end of the barrel and it was plugged up. One time I was riding it and a kid actually told the guy "That's not a real gun". The actor pointed it at him and ad-libbed something like "Shut up, boy, or you might get hurt". It was fun. That was when Rivertown was actually Rivertown, and you felt like you were in a different time when you were in that part of the park. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shawnofthedead Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 it seems like they tried harder back then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonofBaconator Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 I have collected multiple vintage KI pics that I've found online and I have a separate folder for the railroad as well as all the original rides. From multiple sites From https://www.visitkingsisland.com/ Couldn't find a link Couldn't find a link Found this pic from a website from the manufactures of the locomotives http://www.infinitevillage.com/html/crown/ Couldn't find a link One of my favorites from http://kiextreme.com/ From http://kiextreme.com/ From this site couldn't trace the link couldn't trace the link From http://kiextreme.com/ Couldn't find link (I'm making a folder for vintage Racer pics. If anyone knows of any online, please inbox me a link). Videos 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adventuro Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 The actors were cool and all back then, but nowadays people just don't like the idea of guns pointed at their faces. Also side note, I think the conductors do a pretty nice job of speiling informative and funny things, it still is a ride they make it unique. It just happens to stop at SC. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 ...which was why I was stunned at the stunt show first had when Action Zone opened. Tommy guns, gun fights. Then came Columbine, and the show quietly disappeared a few weeks later, making the water tower pretty much superfluous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jr for Birdy Posted June 22, 2013 Share Posted June 22, 2013 Don't sit in the back of the train if you cant stand the smell of cigarette smoke. Smoking section right where you stop at Soak City. Ride-op standing behind us yesterday doesn't like it either, I felt bad she has to breathe in someone's nasty habit every time the train stops there. I like riding the train when Soak City is closed, much more peaceful and relaxing. It always seems like we wait there for 15 minutes before we start rolling again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfdog Posted September 4, 2017 Share Posted September 4, 2017 The live cowboys and indians didn't really fight that much. The indians did charge the train and the fort at Ft. McHale. The animatronic old dude at Tommy Fry's cabin caught an arrow in his chest. The bad guys were the train robbers who stopped the train at the village and kidnapped Miss Jessica. The script varried...sometimes at the actors' whims, so you may hear a number of versions as to what actually happened. The guns were real and professionaly modified. They shot only blanks but made a serious noise. A part of the actors' jobs was keeping the guns clean...the blanks discharged downward out of the barrel and really did get dirty fast. I have some Super8 silent film but it is a pain to get it transferred and the quality isn't that great. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TombraiderTy Posted September 9, 2017 Share Posted September 9, 2017 @Elfdog, the animatronics came from Cincinnati's Coney Island's ride, including the arrow-to-the-chest fellow. You can see him at about the 4:00 mark here: Even if the Super8 films aren't that great of quality, I'm sure a lot of members here would still love to see them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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