Maggie Valley question

bobyar2001 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 06, 2006 2:27 pm

I note that Allan Harper recently bought the defunct Maggie Valley ghost town attraction in North Carolina. Does anyone know if it still has its RR intact? I know the two Heislers were sold, but wonder about the track?

http://www.durangoherald.com/asp-bin/ar ... 0906_2.htm

tvrm349 · **Joined:** Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:07 pm **Posts:** 32

[quote="bobyar2001"]I note that Allan Harper recently bought the defunct Maggie Valley ghost town attraction in North Carolina. Does anyone know if it still has its RR intact? [/quote]

The railroad was never a part of Ghost Town, and the track was removed years ago.

whodom · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:28 am

Ghost Town does (did?) have a "park railroad" (~12" gauge or so) with a gasoline powered steam outline locomotive that runs in a loop around the "wild west" town.

johnacraft · **Joined:** Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:53 pm **Posts:** 660

xxxxxxx

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 1:02 pm

OK John, now explain who Herb Tarlek is to the younger members.

dave

johnacraft · **Joined:** Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:53 pm **Posts:** 660

Dave wrote:

OK John, now explain who Herb Tarlek is to the younger members.

dave

Dave · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:43 pm

Now I'm worried about why you know so much about Herb Tarlek......

Dr. Johnny Fever, sure....but Tarlek?

I always figured Loni Anderson's character owned the station, and she just worked there for amusement.

And, by the way.....BOOGER!

dave

Erik Ledbetter · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:50 pm

Just remember, those phone cops play hardball...

Steve Freer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:24 pm **Posts:** 380

Residential development? Not so says:

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060815/HAYWOODCOUNTYNEWS01/60815009/1011

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060822/NEWS01/60821046/1011

johnacraft · **Joined:** Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:53 pm **Posts:** 660

Dave wrote:

And, by the way.....BOOGER!

dave

Death Before Disco.

Steve Freer · **Joined:** Tue Nov 09, 2004 1:24 pm **Posts:** 380

Website(?): http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/

Alan Maples · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 5:00 pm

Here's a question about the old Maggie Valley tourist railroad. I'm away from my reference item, so I'm going on memory. Railroading magazine - I think - published an item on the Maggie Valley Railroad not long after it opened and included a photo of a beautiful open platform wood coach, which was noted to have been found too long to go around the railroad's curves, resulting in the use of cabooses or other shorter wheelbase equipment. My question - whatever happened to the wood coach?

Or am I thinking of the wrong railroad?

Alan Maples

whodom · **Posted:** Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:19 pm

johnacraft wrote:

whodom wrote:

Ghost Town does (did?) have a "park railroad" (~12" gauge or so) with a gasoline powered steam outline locomotive that runs in a loop around the "wild west" town.

My knowledge is limited to a mercifully short visit in the late 70s, and my memory extremely vague, but I think you're right - a typical 15" zoo putt-putt.

I think we've discussed this here before, but the value of the purchase isn't in a third-rate faux-Western amusement park. Harper didn't buy an amusement park with a bunch of fallow land around it - he bought the land for residential development, and the park is just something he has to deal with.

Even 30 years ago, "Ghost Town" was a slightly-embarrassing throwback - the Herb Tarlek of the Smokies, if you will. And much of western North Carolina has undergone a drastic transformation in the last 10 years - Asheville attracts artists like Austin attracts musicians, and the hills between there and Atlanta have become second-home and retirement fodder. While an amusement park may work there, just reopening "Ghost Town" without major changes will inevitably fail.

JAC

John,

I payed a visit about ~12 years ago to apease my (then) little girl. Ghost Town seemed to mount a local media blitz that summer with TV commercials every 5 minutes touting "Mile-High Ghost Town in the Sky". It was definitely a throwback; I think 95% of the stuff was the same as when I visited as a little kid in the early 1960's, and it showed. I wouldn't be surpised if they had the same stunt "cowboys" who got shot and fell off of buildings on cue every hour or so.

I'm not too big on cowboy-themed amusement parks, but I do have some fond memories of the place (and an obligatory 4x6 black and white photo of me, Mama, & Daddy in the inclined railway car on the way up), so it would be cool if the guy makes something viable out of it.

Who knows, maybe he'll put a real steam railroad up there somewhere. Maybe DLM can convince him to replace the inclined railway with a new steam rack train..... :-)

Dougvv · **Joined:** Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:52 pm **Posts:** 914

"I can't have men under me like this!" Johnny Fever

Dougvv · **Joined:** Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:52 pm **Posts:** 914

Was this the former Rebel Railroad site? Was Dollywood the former Rebel RR?