Miniature Railroad (Hersheypark)

Last updated
Miniature Railroad
Hersheypark
Coordinates 40°17′17″N76°39′25″W / 40.28806°N 76.65694°W / 40.28806; -76.65694
StatusClosed
CostUS$3,150.00(equivalent to about $106,820 in 2023)
Opening date1910
Closing date1971
Ride statistics
Attraction type Amusement ride

The Miniature Railroad was a ride at Hersheypark from 1910 until 1971. The train ran a course along Park Boulevard, near the intersection with Park Avenue, around Spring Creek into Comet Hollow. It was the second ride Milton S. Hershey purchased for his park, after buying a carousel. While the railroad is no longer in operation, the train has been undergoing restoration since 2007, and was first publicly displayed in 2011.

Contents

History

1909 - 1970

Milton S. Hershey, owner of what was then called Hershey Park, had made the decision to purchase a carousel for his amusement park in 1908. [1] Hershey decided to place the ride on the western side of the park, a considerable distance from the town center of Hershey, Pennsylvania. As part of placing the ride in that location, he was determined to purchase a transport ride to get visitors of the park from the town center to the carousel. [2] In 1909, Hershey had learned that a small resort outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania called Peoples Bathing Beach, owned by John B. Peoples, [3] was opening a miniature electric railroad. Hershey went to the bathing beach to see it for himself. Impressed with the ride, he decided to purchase one for the park. [4]

Purchased on May 8, 1909, for a sum of US$3,150.00(equivalent to $106,820 in 2023), [4] construction of the ride began in July 1910. [4] The ride opened for its first run in September 1910. [4] The ride operated a single track with no switches, which meant the track could only hold one train. [5] When the ride opened in 1910, there was one station located near the intersection of Park Boulevard and Park Avenue, which never changed throughout the remainder of the ride's existence. The other station was located in what is today western Comet Hollow near the carousel and the original pool. [2] When that pool was closed, drained and filled, following the 1928 season, the station in the western end of Comet Hollow was moved to the eastern end of Comet Hollow along the creek, near the entrance of the Mill Chute, a log flume ride. The station remained in that location until 1950, when it was moved to the southern end of Comet Hollow, adjacent to the Comet and parallel to Spring Creek. [6]

1971

Following the 1970 season, Hershey Park began a redevelopment plan which called for the park to become a theme park. Hershey Park was renamed Hersheypark, and the park went through a number of other changes, including removing a variety of old rides. [5] The Miniature Railroad, however, continued to operate despite the addition of the park's gate in 1971. The addition of the gate and the location of the ride placed a portion of the track within the park gate, and a portion of the track outside the park gate. The Comet Hollow station was inside the park, and the Park Boulevard station was outside the gate. Guests of the park could get their hand stamped so they would be able to renter the park by taking the Miniature Railroad back to Comet Hollow. [ citation needed ]

Towards the end of the 1971 season, the ride fell victim to vandalism. Vandals placed objects on the tracks, which caused the train to derail. The train was damaged and not able to be used for operation. As a result, the ride was placed in storage for the 1972 season. [4] However, the park still wanted to restore and operate the ride. One such concept was developed after the park opened the Rhineland section of the park in 1973. The ride would have been called the Rhineland Express. [7] However, due to the extensive damage done to train, combined with slow economic years in 1973 and 1974, among other plans cancelled, the plan to bring back the Miniature Railroad in some fashion was abandoned, and the ride was never repaired or refurbished.[ citation needed ]

2007: Restoration

Hersheypark celebrated its 100th season in 2007. This sparked an interest in seeing the Miniature Railroad restored. [4] Later that year, Friends of the Hershey Trolley, in conjunction with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts (owner of Hersheypark), announced that they were restoring the Miniature Railroad train. One car was placed on display in 2007, and again in the 2011 Hershey Memorial Day Parade. [8]

2020: Chocolatetown Exhibit

In July 2020, Hershey's Chocolatetown, Hersheypark's new entrance and region opened to the public and one of the cars from the Miniature Railroad was put on display infront of Milton's Ice Cream Parlor inside the Hersheypark Supply Co. gift shop. The car was on display until at least the end of November 2022.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hersheypark</span> Theme park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States

Hersheypark is a family theme park in the eastern United States in Hershey, Pennsylvania, about fifteen miles (25 km) east of Harrisburg, and 95 miles (155 km) west of Philadelphia. The park was founded in 1906, by Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company. It is wholly and privately owned by Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company. Hersheypark has won several awards, including the Applause Award.

William Jones (1884–1968), a seasoned veteran of the steam era who established the Wildcat Railroad in Los Gatos, California, was born the son of a teamster in the town of Ben Lomond, California, USA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Euclid Beach Park</span> Amusement park in Cleveland, Ohio

Euclid Beach Park was an amusement park located on the southern shore of Lake Erie in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, which operated from 1895 to 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Great Bear (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster at Hersheypark

Great Bear is an inverted roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed and manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard, with additional design from Werner Stengel, the roller coaster opened on May 23, 1998, in the Minetown section of the park. Great Bear was the first inverted looping coaster in Pennsylvania and cost $13 million, the largest project Hersheypark undertook at the time. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 90 feet (27 m), a maximum speed of 58 miles per hour (93 km/h) to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), and has a total track length of 2,800 feet (850 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midway State Park</span> State park in Chautauqua County, New York

Midway State Park, located in Maple Springs, New York, was established in 1898 by the Jamestown & Lake Erie Railway as a picnic ground. Today, it is recognized as the fifteenth-oldest continually operating amusement park in the United States, and the fifth-oldest remaining trolley park of the thirteen still operating in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comet (Hersheypark)</span> Wooden roller coaster at Hersheypark

Comet is a wooden roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Hollow section of Hersheypark, next to Skyrush. Built in 1946 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the coaster features a double out and back track layout. When built it was jointly owned by Hershey Park and PTC. The maximum speed is 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Storm Runner</span> Roller coaster at Hersheypark

Storm Runner is a launched roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Manufactured by Intamin and situated in the Pioneer Frontier section of the park, the Accelerator Coaster opened to the public on May 8, 2004. It reaches a height of 150 feet (46 m) and catapults riders from 0 to 72 mph (116 km/h) in two seconds. Storm Runner features a top hat element, three inversions, a dual loading station, and a magnetic braking system. In addition, it was designed to interact with three other Hersheypark rides: Dry Gulch Railroad, the Monorail, and Trailblazer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SooperDooperLooper</span> Looping roller coaster at Hersheypark

SooperDooperLooper is a steel roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. Designed and manufactured by Anton Schwarzkopf, the roller coaster opened to the public on May 8, 1977. SooperDooperLooper is located in The Hollow section of the park and cost more than $3 million to construct and build. The roller coaster reaches a maximum height of 70 feet, with a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour (72 km/h), and a total track length of 2,614 feet.

The Wild Cat, originally named The Joy Ride, was a wooden roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The roller coaster was constructed in 1923 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC). Under an agreement between Hersheypark and PTC, Hersheypark leased the land the coaster occupied, while PTC owned and operated the coaster. The agreement was for 15 years, at which point they had the option to extend the contract. The contract was ultimately extended to 1945. The roller coaster operated from June 16, 1923, through September 1945. PTC and Hershey Park elected to close The Wild Cat and construct a new roller coaster in 1946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jolly Rancher Remix</span> Shuttle roller coaster at Hersheypark

Jolly Rancher Remix is a steel shuttle roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. A Boomerang model manufactured by Vekoma and designed by Peter Clerx, the roller coaster originally opened as the Sidewinder on May 11, 1991. The roller coaster debuted in the Pioneer Frontier section of the park and cost $4.2 million. The Sidewinder was the first roller coaster installed in the park in 14 years since the SooperDooperLooper in 1977 and the fourth roller coaster in operation to be built. The roller coaster has a maximum height of 116.5 ft (35.5 m), with a maximum speed of 47 mph (76 km/h), and a track length of 935 ft (285 m).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trailblazer (roller coaster)</span>

Trailblazer is a family roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is located in the Pioneer Frontier section of Hersheypark, just below Storm Runner. The ride is notable for being the second-oldest operating coaster in the park, after the Comet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal theme park</span> Combination of a theme park and a zoo

An animal theme park, also known as a zoological theme park, is a combination of an amusement park and a zoo, mainly for entertainment, amusement, and commercial purposes. Many animal theme parks combine classic theme park elements, such as themed entertainment and amusement rides, with classic zoo elements such as live animals confined within enclosures for display. Many times, live animals are utilized and featured as part of amusement rides and attractions found at animal theme parks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skyrush</span> Roller coaster at Hersheypark

Skyrush is an Intamin prototype Wing Coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. It opened to the general public on May 26, 2012, as Hersheypark's 12th roller coaster and the park's third coaster made by Intamin. Skyrush features a 200 ft (61 m) cable lift that raises the train at 26 ft/s (480 m/min). The roller coaster is located in the Hollow section of Hersheypark, next to the Comet wooden coaster; Skyrush itself is mainly set above Spring Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mini-Comet</span>

Mini-Comet was a kiddie roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was situated near Comet in The Hollow section of Hersheypark from 1974 through 1975. It was relocated to Kissing Tower Hill in 1976, where it remained in operation until its removal at the end of the 1978 season. The ride was purchased used at a public sale; it was constructed by B.A. Schiff & Associates, some time before 1974. The coaster featured an oval track with a series of small hills. It completed the circuit five times before the ride cycle ended.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Hersheypark</span>

The history of Hersheypark begins with the founding of the town of Hershey in 1903. Milton Hershey, The owner of the Hershey Chocolate Company surveyed a nearby area of land, which was to become a leisure park for the employees of his chocolate company. People began visiting the grounds of the future park in 1904 and 1905, while the park's first pavilion was built in the fall of 1905. The park was formally opened on May 30, 1906, when it opened as Hershey Park. The park slowly added rides until 1923, when the first roller coaster, the Wild Cat, was built. From then on, rides were regularly added, except during World War II. The park was redeveloped into Hersheypark in 1970, through a multi-phase project. Since then, it has added ten roller coasters, expanded to over 110 acres, and features many other attractions including shows with sea lions, well-known acts including Weird Al Yankovic and Duff Goldman from Charm City Cakes in the Hersheypark Amphitheater, and a short-lived laser light show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toboggan (roller coaster)</span> Roller coaster model

Toboggan is a portable roller coaster that was built by Chance Industries from 1969 to the mid-1970s. The coaster features a small vehicle, holding two people, that climbs vertically inside a hollow steel tower then spirals back down around the same tower. There is a small section of track at the base of the tower with a few small dips and two turns to bring the ride vehicle back to the station. Each vehicle has a single rubber tire with a hydraulic clutch braking system that governs the speed of the vehicle as it descends the tower. The rubber tire engages a center rail that begins halfway through the first spiral. The ride stands 45 feet tall with a track length of 450 feet. A typical ride lasts approximately 70 seconds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mill Chute (Hersheypark)</span>

The Mill Chute was a ride at Hersheypark from 1929 until 1972. Milton S. Hershey purchased the ride from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company when the decision was made to build a new pool and drain the existing pool and neighboring lake in Comet Hollow. In 1963, the ride was renovated and rethemed. It was renamed Lost River and maintained that theme until 1972. During the 1972 season Hurricane Agnes struck Hershey, and the resulting flood of the park caused irreparable damage to the ride. As a result, the ride was closed for the remainder of the 1972 season and was torn down in the off season.

References

  1. ↑ Hershey Press. 1 July 1910.{{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  2. 1 2 Hershey Community Archives Archived 2014-05-14 at the Wayback Machine Chronology Database
  3. ↑ "Rocky Springs Park History" . Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rhoads, Jr., Don (2011). "Hershey Park's Miniature Railway" (PDF). Railway Museum Quarterly/Trainline (6). Tourist Railway Association and the Association of Railway Museums: 16–17. Retrieved 16 March 2013.
  5. 1 2 Jacques, Jr., Charles J. (1997). Hersheypark: The Sweetness of Success. Amusement Park Journal. ISBN   096143922X.
  6. ↑ "Minny Railroad Station, Wheel New at Hershey". Billboard . 1 April 1950.
  7. ↑ Tim Aurentz (12 March 1973). "Hersheypark - New Face, Same Fun". Lebanon Daily News.
  8. ↑ Hershey Derry Township Historical Society (30 May 2011). "Hershey Miniature Railway". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.

See also

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.