Train Ride

[CoasterKrazy]

Can anyone describe the story behind the old animatronic figures that used to be located along the train ride? I have almost no memory of them at all, but everytime I'm on the train I feel like something is missing.

[Dane]

I remember some animatronic fugures can recall specifics, there also used to be alot more buildings and themeing than there is now. Mabey that might be improved upon in 04!

Edited January 1, 1970 by Dane

[IcarusLives]

I don't really remember any story but there were several animatronic characters. There was a blacksmith who used to hammer on an anvil, a beaver who "chewed" through a tree, and several people who used to come out of the doors in the town and wave hi. There were several Native Americans (just staying PC) who were the "bad guys". They would have tomahawks and arrows. In the first years of the ride, they actually had real people dressed as Native Americans. They would hide in the bush and rush the train. There were also several cowboys on horseback who fired guns.

If there was a story it was basically "Cowboys good, Indians bad".

[CoasterKrazy]

Why were all these things removed? And were the animatronics saved, like with Phantom Theater?

[Dane]

Most likely because they can be reused and they are pretty expensive.

Edited January 1, 1970 by Dane

[TheRickster]

The way everyone is talking about this it sounds like it would easily be considered racist agaisnt native american's so id say thatd be a pretty big reason they removed them. But im sure theyed be falling apart even more now if they didnt.

[coasterfreak75]

I believe they removed all of these before everybody got so P.C. The up keep must have been unreal given those electronics out in the weather.

[SOB_TOM]

Ahhh, the old animatronic figures. I remember them.

The story behind the train (from what I can piece from memory) was that you are on a train ride through an old time western city. People would wave hello to you, and you saw many types of wildlife. As you rounded the bend to where now the turnaround from BB is, you would see Ft. Washington (I think thats what it was called). On the hillside right across from the fort was an indian attacking the fort. He had an old fashioned machine gun, and it would actually fire (like the old popguns). This is all I really remember.

[PKI_Man]

My dad knew about the animatronic figures they were like so realistic. they made the kiddies cry out of thier paints with cries "mommy they tried to get me" that sorta stuff

[darque]

To bad those figures weren't still there when I was at the park this past summer.

After 3 1/2 days of constant walking, coaster riding, and fire side drinking, the train ride was a welcome change of pace. Being a fan of natural visual's (tis is why I made the big drive for The Beast), I felt so let down by this short, uneventful train experience.

[coasterrz]

That is basically what I remember about the train as well. I think the animatronics were removed around 1990 or so. I remember hearing from somewhere that they were old and fallinf apart since they had been there since the park opened. I even remember hearing that the animatronics` arms kept falling off. I guess the park decided it wasn`t worth it to maintain or update the animatronics so they pulled the plug on them and kept the left over scenery. I personally think that if they brought them back it woould make for a more enjoyable train ride, but I don`t think they`ll do that anytime soon.

[coasterville]

train ride, but I don`t think they`ll do that anytime soon.

If it weren't for the waterpark, that train ride would have been gone. It wasn't all that popular in the years prior to WaterWorks, now it serves primarily as a transportation ride.

Don't beleive me, ask the folks at Paramount's Kings Dominion and Paramount's Great America what happened to their train rides. For that matter the Carrowinds sternwheeler ride.

Edited January 1, 1970 by Coasterville

[coasterrz]

Even Carowinds once had a train ride, which I believe was removed so that they could built Thunder Road and that section of the park.

[stewwill]

The figures you are talking about were brought from the original Train Ride from the old Coney Island. I think they were first installed in 1966-67. So when they were pulled..they were quite old. Just a little info from the past.

Stewwill

[coasterrz]

Are you sure that the figures used on the KI&MVRR were indeed the ones from the Coney Island and Lake Como Railroad? I did hear a while back that the train operating at the Cincinnati Zoo is in fact one of the trains from Coney which were manufactured by Mack, I believe. However, I had not heard that they moved the old theming to be incorporated at KI. Interesting if that is indeed true.