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Jul 28, 2011
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A while ago, long before I ever went to KD for the first time, KD had a steam railway like BGW's. They closed the train to make room for, I believe, the hurler. The locomotive and cars were sent down to BGT. I am somewhat of a train buff, and was wondering if anyone else knew anything or had any pictures of this defunct railway. I have looked at the theme park trains page on this and was wanting to know more... Thanks!
 
RE: Old Dominion Line (Railroad)

I don't have the slightest clue about the layout the trains took, but there's a lot of paths in the back of Kings Dominion that link to other areas of the park. There's one of note that wraps around Grizzly towards the Rapids and Log Flume and also branches towards the main path of Water Works (it turns into an elevated dirt path between Hurler and Water Works.
 
RE: Old Dominion Line

Ok... that's a start, I am also looking for pictures for it at KD, not at BGT
 
RE: Old Dominion Line

I had found a map with the layout on it awhile back, but I've lost it. However I did find a pic of it at KD from Amusement Pics (Atlantis originally showed me the site).

453333446vOFZDj_ph.jpg

Copyright Amusement Pics

I'll ask a few of the people in my area if they have any pics of it as well.
 
RE: Old Dominion Line

http://www.themeparkbrochures.net/maps/1992/pkd1992.html
This map shows the station there at the same time that Grizzly was there. I never went to the park when they had a train, so I don't know anything else about it.
 
Old train pics

Hello everybody! Im an avid park railroad enthusiast who lives by Kings Island. I noticed that there is very little background on KD's old railroad while it still lasted. I know that #601 is at BGA and the other is in Oklahoma, I believe, but I can't find any pictures or articles on KD's old railway. So, does anyone have any old pics from the old railroad at Kings Dominion before it was torn down?
 

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RE: Old train pics

No idea which one the Kings Island one is :p I mass downloaded it from a website and they were all in the Kings Dominion Vintage album. Still can't find the link though :/
 
RE: Old train pics

Especially when Kings Dominion is in such desperate need for a transport ride. Source: I just spend all day walking around Kings Dominion.
 
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RE: Old train pics

I thought the KD train wasn't really a transport ride. Wasn't it more of a scenic ride that took you back to the same spot?
 
RE: Old train pics

Well if KD hadnt put their water park right in the middle of the park and hadn't built hurler there they could have used the train as a transport ride. They could have put the water park some where else and made it like kings island
 
RE: Old train pics

Hurler AND the train co-existed for about 2 years. Paramount had the park take the train out around the 1995 season.

Kings Dominion's train ride "The Old Dominion Line" was in operation from 1975 through about the 1994 season. There were two trains: "The Patrick Henry" (blue train) and "The Stonewall Jackson" (red/orange train). The original train track layout was never designed for in-park transportation.

The track was a loop on the west/south-west section of the park, with the train station anchoring the southern end of the Old Virginia section of the park (right where the pay-per sky-flyer attractions is now). Originally, there was a melodrama show where a actor/actress was on board the train and would interact with the passengers. At a couple of places along the track the train would stop and a "scene" would be acted out for the passengers between the acting person(s) on board the train and the other actors at the scene. This show was performed for about the first 4-5 years the park was open.

Later, the show was changed to a western stunt show and the train would stop about halfway around the loop where there was a "western town". There a stunt show happened with a light storyline. The show was only about 8-10 minutes long and, when over, the train would take you the rest of the way back to the train station. This stunt show only ran 2-3 seasons. By the mid-80's the park no longer offered a show. You just rode the train through the woods.

The train did still run for the first 2 years that Wayne's World was open. I believe, after the 1994 season, the train was removed for good. I do know that one of the trains went to Busch Gardens Tampa and still runs there today. I did not know what happened to the other train until the other person posted above (I thought both trains went to BGT).
 
RE: Old train pics

mwhinva said:
Hurler AND the train co-existed for about 2 years. Paramount had the park take the train out around the 1995 season.

Kings Dominion's train ride "The Old Dominion Line" was in operation from 1975 through about the 1994 season. There were two trains: "The Patrick Henry" (blue train) and "The Stonewall Jackson" (red/orange train). The original train track layout was never designed for in-park transportation.

The track was a loop on the west/south-west section of the park, with the train station anchoring the southern end of the Old Virginia section of the park (right where the pay-per sky-flyer attractions is now). Originally, there was a melodrama show where a actor/actress was on board the train and would interact with the passengers. At a couple of places along the track the train would stop and a "scene" would be acted out for the passengers between the acting person(s) on board the train and the other actors at the scene. This show was performed for about the first 4-5 years the park was open.

Later, the show was changed to a western stunt show and the train would stop about halfway around the loop where there was a "western town". There a stunt show happened with a light storyline. The show was only about 8-10 minutes long and, when over, the train would take you the rest of the way back to the train station. This stunt show only ran 2-3 seasons. By the mid-80's the park no longer offered a show. You just rode the train through the woods.

The train did still run for the first 2 years that Wayne's World was open. I believe, after the 1994 season, the train was removed for good. I do know that one of the trains went to Busch Gardens Tampa and still runs there today. I did not know what happened to the other train until the other person posted above (I thought both trains went to BGT).

9DA2CC2B-90E0-4BA4-94A5-881DD1F542E4-311-00000023B391BFEF_zps422f95d5.jpg


Its at Dry Gulch USA in Oklahoma
 
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RE: Old train pics

Here is the link to a couple of pictures on KD Golden Years Facebook site (Great place for Kings Dominion Historical stuff!). The pictures show the cast from the train melodrama show in the late 70's.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=240552766085482&set=a.233667630107329.1073741830.229513350522757&type=1&theater

P.S. Thanks for the picture of the train in OK! Do you know which train this was at KD (Patrick Henry or Stonewall Jackson)? Just Curious.
 
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