Train Rides...

[MisterP]

I think good train rides can make or break a park. Whether or not they have good sightlines, scenery, or theming, they are a key element to any theme park. I would say that of the parks Ive been to, Disneyland, with the Grand Canyon and Primeival World dioramas, is the best train ride Ive been on.

 

I would add

Busch Gardens Africa

Silver Dollar City

Dollywood

Knoebels

Cedar Point (at least there is some attempt at theming)

 

What are some other favs and why?

[YoshiFan]

WDW's and Knoebels (the longer train ride). I like how at Knoebels it takes you into the woods and is around an 8 minute ride.

 

Dorney's train ride used to be great. The circuit was over twice as long as it is now and had a stop at Wildwater Kingdom. They shortened the track and got rid of the station at Wildwater Kingdom when Talon was built since Talon is where a lot of the old track used to go,Now it is just a big circle.

[CPmaverick]

At CP you can get some great views of Millennium Force and Maverick form the train.

[carolinacaniac]

The thing I love about the train at Cedar Point is Boneville! The best cheap animatronics!

 

Busch Gardens Europe has some awesome views when crossing the bridge from the Italian section of the park to the German section.

[justint87]

Busch Gardens Europe train ride I think has some great scenery. The view when the train travel on the bridge over the river was amazing.

 

Looking to the left you get a great view of the river and the vegetation around it. The natural view is so beautiful. Then you look to the right and you can see the Loch Ness Monster, Alpengeist, Big Bad Wolf, and Griffon in the background over the river... amazing.

[OldJJman]

What are some other favs and why?

 

Great thread!!

 

I almost always try to ride train rides at every park I've been to. The only one to completely elude me is the one at Disneyland Paris. (A total of 7 days there, and never managed to get on. Lines were always way too long. Sad.)

 

Here are some ones that stand out to me:

 

Animal Kingdom - Great theming, and a nice ride to the zoo. Electric train though.

 

Busch Gardens Europe - Probably the most beautiful trains running. Just love 'em.

 

Lakeside (Denver) - Great, long ride around the lake. Best when ridden at night!

 

Little A-Merrick-A - Great, long ride past makeshift farm and roundhouse. Probably the best of the smaller park trains.

 

Port Aventura - Great ride with great views of the park, and themeing only for those on the train. Also gives unique views of the coasters.

 

Sliverwood - Another long train ride that takes you outside the park, along the highway, and back into the woods for a corny western show. Also has an on-ride commentator that can be very funny.

 

 

 

JJ

[mcjaco]

Animal Kingdom - Great theming, and a nice ride to the zoo. Electric train though.

 

I like that one too. Which made me remember when I realized SFGAm's was really a diesel made to look like a steam engine. Boo!

 

I'm hoping to finally get on BGA's train ride in the near future.

 

I'm always partial to WDW's train. I love the "All abooooooard." announcement.

[FeelTheFORCE]

Out of the ones I have been on, Silverwood's, hands down.

[Electerik]

It seems like most trains these days don't offer much besides trees on both sides and the backs of warehouses. I suspect that's because new ones aren't built very often, and the old ones have all had their parks expand to the point that there's not much left for the trains to look at.

 

I do like Knotts Berry Farm's, but there is a bit too much "backs of buildings." I agree that Cedar Point's is pretty good (shockingly enough). And, while it's been a while since I've been on it, I seem to recall liking SFOG's, which came complete with a kind of Jungle Cruise-esque commentary.

 

But Busch Gardens Africa's is probably my favorite, since it mostly looks at large, wide open animal habitats.

 

Nice thread, by the way.

[BuschSchoe]

As most people are saying here, Busch Gardens Europe, hands down.

Has wonderful scenery, and you pass a few of the coasters too.

[coastercrazed49]

I haven't been on the Busch Gardens, but the one at the Magic Kingdom is really nice. Its got great theming.

I'm always partial to WDW's train. I love the "All abooooooard." announcement.

I have always loved it too, that with the Tomorrow Land Transit Authority voice.

[socalMAN123]

Disneyland's is my favorite. Nothing beats the Primeval World section of the ride.

---Brent

[mike541x]

Favorites

 

Busch Gardens Europe-Very cool. When Drachen Fire was in SBNO, the train was the closest you could get to the ride. Also for BG's Hallowscream, the train ride is great.

 

Six flags Great America-I really like how the train goes through the rides like underneath Demon's corkscrew.

 

Knoebels-I've always loved that. Going through the woods, seeing the camp ground.

 

WDW-It's been a while but I remember how fun that was.

 

My only least favorite one is the one at Six Flags America's. I'll admit that it's pretty cool going through the Wild One and going through the back of th park. But it seems to short and not a lot to it. However during Fright Fest, it's called "Midnight Express" and it is an awesome haunted train ride.

[tntornadox]

Of course, I am a little biased, but I love Dollywood's the best. Seeing as their fleet is made up of REAL Baldwin 2-8-2 locomotives that have been painstankingly restored and maintained, it is a real trip into the past, being pulled behind two veterans of World War 2 (both of DW's locos were used by the U.S. Army on the Alaskan Railway during WW2).

[Dino_Martini]

Disneyland was pretty good.

[haux]

Of course, I am a little biased, but I love Dollywood's the best. Seeing as their fleet is made up of REAL Baldwin 2-8-2 locomotives that have been painstankingly restored and maintained, it is a real trip into the past, being pulled behind two veterans of World War 2 (both of DW's locos were used by the U.S. Army on the Alaskan Railway during WW2).

I have to agree. Dollywood's is really cool, but I blame that mostly on the engine. It's a fantastic engine. The course is pretty cool because it goes out into the woods, and it goes fast.

[coasterdude5]

My favorites are Dollywood, Busch Gardens Europe, Silver Dollar City, and Busch Gardens Africa.

[Holtskee]

Dollywood

 

 

None of the other ones really matter.

 

The actual 5 mile run of the Dollywood Express isn't really that interesting compared to how it use to be. The only reason I still bother to ride the train is because of the locomotives. (In fact, I try to ride on the locomotives most of the time...on many days the engineer will allow a few GPers to ride in the cab on the front of the tender)

[Jeroen_twee]

Efteling Stoomtrein Maatschappij!

 

The trains of the Efteling, 3 of them, are real trains, and are powered by steam. They go through the whole park.

[raptorcrew2002]

WDW, love the engines.

 

Nice break, and much better then the old days when they only had the 2 stops.

[raptor6]

I haven't been on many different amusement park trains (maybe a dozen or so), I always enjoy the Cedar Point Train (Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad). Great views of Millennium Force, Maverick, Mean Streak, Mantis, and who can forget the entertainment that is Boneville?

[FlyingScooter]

Dollywood had the best. How can you beat the Smokies for views, especially on a live steam train.

[jkwan]

I love Dollywood's train back when the people robbed the train.

I still remember when one of the robbers said "This is a stick up!"

The other robber held up a stick above his head.

I wish it was still there.

[Absimilliard]

I loved Tokyo Disneyland Western River Expedition. Due to some law in Japan, they had to make the train a ride with only one station and due to that, it only goes around Adventureland/Westernland. Awesome views and the indoor sections are amazing!

[Coastinmiller]

Just got back from Silverwood this weekend. They have a great train ride with an overall view and Bison.