Hello everyone. Welcome to another thread by this wanky Thomas the Tank Engine fan from central NC. This thread is not a “could this locomotive be restored”, but a question, and I want your honest opinion about this subject: What is your opinion on Theme Park Steam? I participate on a thread that talks about Disney's Railroads called Burnsland, and one person mentioned that theme park railroads, the one at Disney in particular is considered a “Toy Railway” to many. So, What IS your honest opinion on theme park steam?

I don’t normally visit the railfanning side of RYPN, but I am a fan of the Walt Disney World Railroad. I have taken the shop tour and have had conversations with employees who also work with standard gauge tourist lines. The WDWRR is an attraction and not part of WDW’s transportation system. Disney has given an impressive fleet of vintage locomotives a chance to live on and to continue to earn their keep. While the beloved WDWRR is very well organized, maintained, and operated, it is considered a ride, no different than the equally loved Jungle Cruise. Sure, I can see why someone would call it a toy. It’s a very impressive toy.

There was a considerable thread on something like this a while ago.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=32198

I know this has been discussed in depth before so I won't go into too much detail on my opinion of what is "a real train", but I will say that the Cedar Point & Lake Erie RR has always had my favorite stable of engines. Second only to Rio Grande and RGS power at Knotts Berry Farm and Hucklberry RR. If I was given the choice to have one, and only one steam engine, it would be either the CP&LE's Judy K or Myron H.

To answer your question directly. I like all steam locomotives, in or out of a theme park.

But more in-depth there are 2 types of theme park steam operation. There are, what I would call, "Park locomotives" the Crown engines running at Busch Gardens, Kings Island, Six Flags St. Louis, etc fall in this category. These are locomotives that were built only to operate in a theme park setting. They sorta fall in that "Live Steam" category as they seem a bit of a caricature of the real thing... yet they operate just like the real thing.

Then there are the theme parks that operate historical steam locomotives. Disney World, Disneyland, Six Flags Texas, Knotts Berry Farm, Dollywood, Cedar Point, etc.

But even then special mention needs to be made to Knotts Berry Farm that operates a full historic D&RGW train set with wooden coaches and historic paint scheme. Then there is Dollywood and Cedar Point that operate hand fired, coal burning locomotives. And then there is Dollywood... that runs White Pass & Yukon Locomotives with a longgggg train up a long steady grade. Dollywood is one of the best steam train rides east of the Mississippi if you like to hear a locomotive actually work. Any railfan that avoids Dollywood because it's a theme park is missing out.

Really... the only historic engines in a weird middle ground are the ones at Disney World and Disneyland... as they have been modified quite a bit in appearance and in operation.

Have you been to Tweetsie Railroad is Blowing Rock, NC? They've got just about the best you can get with a Steam in Theme Parks. They operate the last surviving Narrow Gauge Steam Locomotive of the Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad (ET&WNC) as well as a MacArthur from the White Pass. (192's at Dollywood's sister, #190.) They're coal fired locomotives, and even host a railfan weekend every year! Go up There If you get the chance, it's an awesome park! And they even have a cowboy show on-board at 2 stops along the mainline!

Yes, I've been to Tweetsie. It's been many years though. I'd love to see the #12 under steam. Hopefully I'll finally get there for the Railfan weekend this year (every year something seems to come up for me).

I agree Tweetsie is great! In my mind, I don't think of Tweetsie as a theme park, more of a standalone attraction. It just is what it is. I'm sure you know the connection with Tweetsie and the original Dollywood... would be a fascinating subject to fully research and write a book on one day.

Another weird hybrid that gets overlooked by the railfans (including me for many years) is the Henry Ford Greenfield Village in Michigan. The Railroad is set up like a theme park railroad making a 3 mile loop around the village with various stops along the way. It just sounds like a theme park train right? Well it's one of the best historical railroads in the country! They have 3 operating coal fired steam locomotives, a working historic roundhouse complete with armstrong turntable, working water pipe from stearns ky, working coal tower to load the tenders, and if that's not enough the Museum next door has an Alleghany and an 1860 built Rogers 4-4-0 on display!

I honestly would LOVE to visit the Greenfield Village, as I never have. Looked at it a couple times online, though I bet it would be hard to a determine a date if I wanted to ride behind Steam, since they have Diesels as well.

Greenfield Village runs steam every day (unless there is some unforseen circumstance.) I've been there many times when they were operating two trains... yes both steam. During the spring weekdays, they will run 2 trains on days they expect heavy school group traffic.

They also run 2 trains on Event weekends like the Old Car Festival, Motor Muster, etc. So if you can plan your visit around an event weekend you'll see 2 of them under steam.