Messages

31

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: SDC Railroad

« on: March 03, 2009, 01:03:19 PM »

Last year, there were several of us there in mid-May and had a blast with the crew. Even were invited back the following day and did receive some special attention. Crowds were very light and the group we were with tends to create our own fun. We definitely livened up some of the shows and attractions we attended. More than one occasion we had regular guests notice us from earlier in the park and ask us where we were heading because they wanted to be in the show we were going to be in.

I know it can be difficult for some of the employees doing the same thing, day after day, especially if the guests are just along for the ride and don't want to "participate".

We are going back this mid-May and just wanted to give a couple of the guys warning. When we were on the train the second day, we had fun with the Bolins so much that they asked the conductor to just shot them now so we could get out of there. People in the other cars seemed to have really enjoyed it.

And no, we didn't do anything that wasn't family friendly. We just have lots of fun.

Our hope is that we made such an impression that they remember us this year. It's happened before to us, even at places 750 miles away that we only get to once a year.

32

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: SDC Railroad

« on: March 02, 2009, 01:14:59 PM »

Okay, let me apologize for not reading every post of every thread. I do know that there are some SDC employees that visit this site. Are there any of the conductors that read the posts? If so, I have a question for them. Will post the question after I find out.

33

Construction/Rumors / Re: Train Tracks...

« on: January 31, 2009, 08:12:52 AM »

Hey Doc. What happened in the area of the missing track. Can you update us?

34

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: SDC Railroad

« on: January 13, 2009, 09:45:28 AM »

Actually Steam, in the book, there is a picture showing the engine pulling two cars. One car is not too much different from what we have today. The other looks like a frankenstein between that type of car and a caboose in that it has a upper spot for a conductor to sit. Once again, I will have to try to get it scanned in today and posted. If someone has a picture of the caboose where the hobo is taking a shower that they could post, it would be interesting to see if perhaps that is one of the cars originally bought from Adventure Town.

35

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: SDC Railroad

« on: January 12, 2009, 09:35:40 PM »

Okay, I know SteamFreak is going to like this. And, I am sorry, but the fact that no one knew this should make us all question our knowledge of SDC.

I found out some more information regarding the steam locomotive that is on display across from the station. I think it was Steam that even found a postcard on ebay recently showing it in use at SDC in a different paint that what it currently is in. Well, this information comes from... wait for it... The Story of Silver Dollar City by Crystal Payton. A friend of mine bought a copy of this last time we all were down there.

I was at there house tonight (bored) flipping through the book and found this on page 54-58:

"From the beginning the Herschends took their projets and reinvested them in the City. Adventure Town of Alexandria Bay, New York, a frontier-themed amusement park, was making way for a golf course and their equipment was for sale. Pete saw the ad in Amusement Business magazine so they sent him to buy a train. He brought the Davy Crockett Express, a narrow gauge railroad including locomotive and tender ($15,000) and their two stagecoaches ($5,000) back to the City for the 1962 season.

The coaches each had a story: one had been made in New Hampshire in 1888; the other was a Tally-Ho road coach once owned by the Vanderbilts. They had been held up on every trip through Adventure Town. The train was something special. It had been used by Henry Ford's grandchildren to learn the rudiments of steam locomotive operation. According to the Greenfield Museum at Dearborn, Michigan, it had cost Henry Ford over $60,000 to re-design this locomotive to duplicate the 4-4-2 engine. A favorite attraction at Adventure Town, it, too, had been held up by masked men on horses on every outing.

The train was a dandy addition to the young city but it took some time and ingenuity to get it into operation. It couldn't quite climb the grade back up to its new station. It kept sliding back down the hill, wheels churning furiously, setting fire to the surrounding trees. The problem was solved in a classic frontier-theme-park style when it whistled into operation in 1962. While the boilers built up steam for the uphill push, Ozark outlow Alf Bolin, and his gang held up the train's passengers. "

Okay, there we go. There is a good picture on page 54 in this book. I will try to scan it in this week and post it. There also are a couple of pictures of it on the website of Adventure Town: http://www.adventuretown.net/

The first picture you can see the cars in the distance in the background. A little further down the page, you can see a good picture of the train and the robbery.

Now, I guess the big question is: What happened to the original two passenger cars?

SteamFreak, you want to take this homework assignment?

36

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Re: What puts a rumbly in your tumbly?

« on: January 09, 2009, 01:48:59 PM »

Strawberries and ice cream in front of the saloon. Even when it is a cold rain out. Been there, done that.

37

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Random Stuff Round-Up

« on: January 08, 2009, 04:44:29 PM »

Wow, SteamFreak. Good find. Don't you do anything during the day? Oh, you are probably at work like me!

Thanks. It is good to see that it actually ran. You know, we have some old VHS tapes that contain old 8mm footage at home. I know there is some SDC footage. I will have to take some time and see what is on it.

38

Construction/Rumors / Re: Train Tracks...

« on: January 06, 2009, 09:47:39 PM »

Actually, I have to agree with KB and shave. I have never seen any railroad remove that much rail to simply change some ties. Also, I have never seen them replace that many ties in a row, typically they replace every 4th or so, depending on the quality of the ties. They would remove those to install a switch as the ties would need to be much longer.

39

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Random Stuff Round-Up

« on: January 05, 2009, 01:36:19 PM »

Thanks for checking. I think I posted this previously, but I asked different employees previously how many locomotives they had and have consistently been told 5. Curious? The only thing I can think of is that they have two "running", one spare, the display and the one Ickobad wrecked?

One more thing I noticed, the passenger cars looked like they are really getting worn out. You can tell that they have way too many layers of paint on them and that there are some pretty rough spots in them. Would be nice to see some major work done on them.

40

SDC Memories/ Park History / Re: Random Stuff Round-Up

« on: January 05, 2009, 11:23:16 AM »

Okay SteamFreak. I was watching some old SDC home videos over the holidays and one question popped into my head. The old steam engine that is on display on the engineers side of the tracks as you leave the station (the one with the tender), did they ever run that engine at on the Line? I have never seen any video / pictures of that engine running?

41

Construction/Rumors / Re: New Parking Lot/Road Plans

« on: December 01, 2008, 01:03:51 PM »

Actually, we have always parked in A for free. Of course, we are always on the motorcycles. We really love that. BTW: before anyone says anything, look at how many bikes can get crammed into that little space on the left. Try fitting that many cars into the same space.

42

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Caboose?

« on: October 14, 2008, 04:19:03 PM »

Haven't found anything about this anywhere but I am curious; when we were there earlier this year, May to be exact, there was an old Missouri Pacific caboose across the tracks from the train shed. Does anyone know why it is there and what they would possible plan to do with it? I can't believe no one has said anything about it.

43

General Silver Dollar City Talk / Silver Dollar City Railroad

« on: September 02, 2008, 08:17:16 AM »

Hey all, I have been reading the forums for quite a while now but just never registered. Sorry, I should have been more interactive before.

I do have a question and wonder if anyone knows the answer. During the train robbery, Alfie and Ralfie usually do get some gold, silver, copper or dollars from the train. What do they do with that money? Is it donated to local charities like, I believe I read, the lost and found after a period of time?