Jackdude101 Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I've searched high and low for the Zephyr's track gauge (space between the rails), but unlike many other park railroads where I could easily find this info, I can't for this one (probably because it's custom-built and not pulled by a steam engine). I also tried e-mailing Dorney Park, but of course, since it's a big corporate park, I never got a response. Do you any of you guys happen to know the Zephyr's track gauge? It is probably 24-inch or smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I've searched high and low for the Zephyr's track gauge (space between the rails), but unlike many other park railroads where I could easily find this info, I can't for this one (probably because it's custom-built and not pulled by a steam engine). I also tried e-mailing Dorney Park, but of course, since it's a big corporate park, I never got a response. Do you any of you guys happen to know the Zephyr's track gauge? It is probably 24-inch or smaller. I don't know the answer, but if no one can help you here on TPR, I'd expect a quicker response with the question directed to a Dorney Park fan forum, than the Park itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted February 25, 2014 Author Share Posted February 25, 2014 As a frame of reference, the Disneyland railroad and the Six Flags Over Texas railroad are 36-inch gauge, while the Lagoon railroad and the Canobie Lake Park railroad are 24-inch gauge. Also, the other railroad at Dorney Park, the Cedar Creek Cannonball, is 30-inch gauge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linearinduction Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Looks 15" or 16" Gauge to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. M Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 Yeah the Zephyr is tiny, possibly the tiniest park train I've been on (though Kneoebels' is pretty tiny as well). Funny, never thought I'd see this ride get its own thread. It's one of the oldest rides at the park, right? I love how it's so futuristic and streamlined, unlike most amusement park trains that are so antique-y. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 It's one of the oldest rides at the park, right? Yeah, it was first opened in 1935. Ironically, most park trains you see that resemble steam trains (though are diesel underneath) operating today are younger than Zephyr! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanM64 Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Knoebels' train is 24" gauge, and the Zephyr is a good bit more narrow than that. I'd guess the Zephyr is right around 16", but of course that is just a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollerbee Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Anywhere between 7.5", 15" or 24". Without seeing it person or a picture with some scale, cant say for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linearinduction Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Knoebels has a 16" Gauge Crown and a Couple 16" Gauge S-16s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 After an exhaustive search for the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge, I decided to find it indirectly. In short, I have confirmed that the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is 24 inches using the picture below. I researched the exact height dimension of that orange Igloo cooler to the left of the tracks and found that it is 23.25 inches tall (source: http://www.target.com/p/igloo-10-gallon-seat-top-beverage-cooler-with-cup-dispenser/-/A-10281492#prodSlot=medium_1_0&term=igloo+10+gal+cooler). If you copy the part of the image with just the cooler and paste it horizontally over the tracks, it fits inside the tracks with about one pixel row to spare on each side. So, based on this analysis, we can infer that Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is less than one inch wider than the height of an Igloo 10 Gallon Seat Top Beverage Cooler, which equates to 24 inches. This is not surprising, as this is a very common track gauge for amusement park railroads, such as those using Chance Rides C.P. Huntington trains, which are all 24-inch gauge. Feel free to tell me your opinion of this finding, and whether you think its genius, makes sense, or just nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linearinduction Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 ^ You could always e-mail the park to verify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soldier148 Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Been to Dorney only twice in my life, but I have no idea how I missed this unique train! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. M Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 After an exhaustive search for the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge, I decided to find it indirectly. In short, I have confirmed that the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is 24 inches using the picture below. I researched the exact height dimension of that orange Igloo cooler to the left of the tracks and found that it is 23.25 inches tall (source: http://www.target.com/p/igloo-10-gallon-seat-top-beverage-cooler-with-cup-dispenser/-/A-10281492#prodSlot=medium_1_0&term=igloo+10+gal+cooler). If you copy the part of the image with just the cooler and paste it horizontally over the tracks, it fits inside the tracks with about one pixel row to spare on each side. So, based on this analysis, we can infer that Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is less than one inch wider than the height of an Igloo 10 Gallon Seat Top Beverage Cooler, which equates to 24 inches. This is not surprising, as this is a very common track gauge for amusement park railroads, such as those using Chance Rides C.P. Huntington trains, which are all 24-inch gauge. Feel free to tell me your opinion of this finding, and whether you think its genius, makes sense, or just nuts. You're definitely very close to that fine line between genius and nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 ^ You could always e-mail the park to verify. I did! No response. I have e-mailed a few other parks about their park railroads asking for this same information, and I have had a 0% success rate. Parks are very tight-lipped about revealing technical aspects for their rides to individuals, which I have found out the hard way. I have found work-arounds for most of them, though, like this work-around for the Zephyr Railroad. The only other park railroad that is still a mystery to me is the cable train at the end of the Marvel Cave attraction in Silver Dollar City. I THINK its track might be 48 inches wide (an unusual gauge), but I have no way of proving it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MFJorts Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 After an exhaustive search for the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge, I decided to find it indirectly. In short, I have confirmed that the Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is 24 inches using the picture below. I researched the exact height dimension of that orange Igloo cooler to the left of the tracks and found that it is 23.25 inches tall (source: http://www.target.com/p/igloo-10-gallon-seat-top-beverage-cooler-with-cup-dispenser/-/A-10281492#prodSlot=medium_1_0&term=igloo+10+gal+cooler). If you copy the part of the image with just the cooler and paste it horizontally over the tracks, it fits inside the tracks with about one pixel row to spare on each side. So, based on this analysis, we can infer that Zephyr Railroad's track gauge is less than one inch wider than the height of an Igloo 10 Gallon Seat Top Beverage Cooler, which equates to 24 inches. This is not surprising, as this is a very common track gauge for amusement park railroads, such as those using Chance Rides C.P. Huntington trains, which are all 24-inch gauge. Feel free to tell me your opinion of this finding, and whether you think its genius, makes sense, or just nuts. I like the creativity that went into the analysis, but I don't know that you can just rotate the barrel sideways and span it directly across the tracks like that and end up with an accurate measurement. Looks to me like the tracks are at an angle to the camera, and so the barrel is not perpendicular to the tracks. You would need to skew the barrrel at an angle and somehow keep the "depth" of the barrel the same so it does not grow or shrink due to being brought closer or further in the foreground of the image. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackdude101 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 I like the creativity that went into the analysis, but I don't know that you can just rotate the barrel sideways and span it directly across the tracks like that and end up with an accurate measurement. Looks to me like the tracks are at an angle to the camera, and so the barrel is not perpendicular to the tracks. You would need to skew the barrrel at an angle and somehow keep the "depth" of the barrel the same so it does not grow or shrink due to being brought closer or further in the foreground of the image. ^^^Eh...it's close enough for government work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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