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My Rails to Trails grou is looking at 500,000 grant so...

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My Rails to Trails grou is looking at 500,000 grant so...
Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:48 AM
We were thinking of puting ing some track for amusment park train ride on our trail. How much track can we get? There are 1 foot gauge 2 Foot gauge and other gauges? We want it big enough so any one could ride. It will be near Chautaqua lake
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Centennial, CO
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Posted by kstrong on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 12:22 PM
You're looking at ride-on and amusement park stuff, which is beyond the scope of those of us here. I think your question would be better answered on an Amusement Park Train forum or newsgroup, or ride-on live steam. Do a few Google searches and see what comes up. The only folks I know doing that kind of thing got the rail second or thirdhand from a "friend of a friend."

There is an outfit in Strasburg, CO called Ulrich Locomotive Works. They do work on full-sized trains, but also amusement park trains as well. I couldn't find them on the web, but I'm sure they're in the book. They may be a good starting point as well.

Later,

K
  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: South Western NY State
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Posted by wchasr on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 12:45 PM
WOW! That's cool! Even in my backyard so to speak! Of course I am assuming there is only one Chautaqua Lake & it's in western NY state right? Did you get the idea from the Midway Park train? I work with someone that found an old amusement train in a field and is restoring it too. He is also looking for cheap track. Heck any track would make him happy!

Chas Ronolder
  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: North of Chicago
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Posted by Tom The Brat on Thursday, March 17, 2005 9:05 AM
While my sons and I were planning our 1/6 scale railroad (9.5 inch gauge), I found http://www.railsystemsco.com/ and their instructions on building track.

When I found myself in the asylum, I scaled my plans back to 1/29th[8]
  • Member since
    January 2005
  • From: Slower Lower Delaware
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Posted by Capt Bob Johnson on Thursday, March 17, 2005 11:56 AM
Check the St. Louis, MO zoo; they have a pretty elaborate lengthy layout and possibly somebody could get the info off the builder's plate on thier loco's. Another you could try it the Milton, DE Chamber of Commerce (or is it the Kwanis Club) that owns the Milton Clipper which is an amusement park ride that they bought and brought into town. Again you would be looking at builder's plate info.

There are a couple of those rides on the Wildwood, NJ boardwalk, and possibly the Wildwood tourist info bureau would put you in touch with the ride operators such as Hunt's Piers, etc. that own those rides. Those operators could probably put you in touch with manufacturers!

Don't forget the big boys in amusement rides- Disney, 6 Flags, Busch Gardens, etc.

Somewhere in all those contacts you ought to get a hit!
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 18, 2005 7:43 PM
You may reconsider trains, Steve Irwin lives near me and he is putting into Australia Zoo canals to run flat bottomed boats on, like in the Polanesian Village in Hawaii.

Rgds Ian

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