What year did the Old West theme leave The Kings Island Railroad?

I haven't been on it in a few years, but it was still there last time I checked. It's probably been 3 years since I've been on it though.

I ment the Old west people that used to wave at you as the train pasted by and the sound track on the train.

The fort and buildings still stand, but the theming has been gone awhile now.

I believe the theming and animatronic figures left the KI and Miami Valley Railroad sometime in the early 90`s, because they were falling apart.

I believe the theming and animatronic figures left the KI and Miami Valley Railroad sometime in the early 90`s, because they were falling apart.

The animatronics were taken out the year before Water Works opened. The show was taken out sometime in the early 80's.

I thought it was around White Works time. Does anyone if PKI will add any new ride effects to the train on the way to the water park?

Kings Island is the last Paramount Park with a set trains still in the park. I hope they keep the trains and not get rid of them like they did at the other Parks.

Edited January 13, 200521 yr by Vortex

The train's capacity can be really high, since lots of people take it instead of walking to the water park. Did the other parks use it as a mode of transportation to their water parks if applicable?

I have a shot from my collection at Kings Island Flashback of a shotgun wedding scene that used to be on the train ride.

This photo is from 1981. Not sure when they took it out either, but I remember seeing it in the 80's myself.

Where was that on the track?

The shotgun wedding scene was where the Water Park is today I could be wrong be around that area. The other parks did not use their trains for water parks. From what I have been tould the trains where rides around some parts of the park. The other Paramount Parks had a monorails, trolleys, and the trains.

Edited January 13, 200521 yr by Vortex

Hay I love that Kings Island Flashback website, it's a step back in time.

I like that step back in time website too. However, I dont think PKI can afford to get ride of the train just b/c its a major part of the water part too. Most people would rather just take it nice and easy and ride the train. Plus, its capacity is really good.

I don't see them getting rid of the train all together either but I think it should go more around the park and stop in other areas. But on the point of people wanting to take it easy getting back to the park or getting to the waterpark. Do they not realize that its shorter a walk from the front of the park to the waterpark entrance than it is to walk back to the train and wait in line for the train and all that hassle?

I don`t see them rerouting the train in the near future. Why? Cost. It would cost too much to have to build new infrastructure around the new track if they made it travel to different areas of the park. Additionally, the current locations is good because in addition to going over to Boomerang Bay, it also is a location that is out in the woods and removed from the chaos of the rest of the park and can be a relaxing ride.

Plus, nothing else could really go where the train is now, thanks to the crazy terrain.

It seems funny how wildly varied the theming is for that train ride! Let's see, you leave the old river town of Losantisville (Cincinnati) on a pleasant, wild-west journey through the Little Miami River valley, encounter a petrified bear, a dilapidated hotel, a witches' academy (!), and then end up in modern-day Australia without ever crossing the Pacific! Wow! (Seriously, it's still a neat little narrow-gauge, and hopefully, that cool whistle will always echo through the park.)

The witch'es academy is a leftover from FearFest 2003 that didn't get taken down