CedarPoint Railroad

The engine Myron H. was running both Saturday and Sunday. Wait times were really long even by early-season standards. Are they doing more training (no pun intended) this year or is Myron H just alot slower. While waiting in line, I noticed the track looked in very poor shape. Anybody else?

I noticed on Sunday that it was running really, really slow. I also noticed that the train was almost completely filled to capacity, and I wondered if the slow speed was related to the full load.

I knew it was taking a really long time for the train to come back around after I missed it. It was obvious how slow it was running when the gate came down on the main midway and it took several minutes before the train was even visible, let alone cruising through the crossing.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Track condition may have something to do with the speed(although even in my day it wasn't what you'd call really good). Whether or not the engine crew is "green" or experienced is another. Stopping six cars with four hundred people in them with only brakes on the locomotive takes skill and practice I assume cp&le rr guy is back. He can fill us in on more details.

I really don't know. It might be as Dutchman said, being a plain brand new crew. It takes time to learn to be a railroader, especially with the only brakes being on the engine.

A couple of things that many of you may notice through the early season is the crew with Myron, mainly in the morning runs, will run slower than normal. I have no clue why, but thats the way it usually seems, at least to me.

In the afternoons later in the season when Judy K. is put on, the running speeds pick up a little. Judy K.'s crew will usually run her at a faster speed then anytime during day and faster than Myron ran the whole day in the afternoon closer to closing time. This is the way I see it, but I have no idea about the track this year, since I havn't been there yet.

By the way, if anyone takes some good pics of the railroad this season, please post them, or send them to me through my email. Thank You.

*** Edited 5/20/2004 11:58:01 PM UTC by cp&le rr guy***

They have only been running Myron so far this season? Last year I remember on opening weekend they were using Myron and Judy K. every day in May...thats really surprising they are only using Myron. Im surprised they don't just use Judy K for a day instead then.

I noticed on the spec sheet on the world steam locomotive site that the Boiler Pressure on both Judy and Myron is 135#. When I worked there in the 70's the safeties lifted at 150#. Those 15# can make a difference believe it or not. I find it interesting considering that they were reboilered by Shop Services not that long ago.

I have video from last season of the Judy K. It is a little over 1 meg. Email me at ncstate1@hotmail.com if you want it. Please make sure youre-mail account is big enough to receive that large a file.

I have 2 really nice video clips of Myron from last year. One is a run-by at the Gemini gate. It is 144mb of uncompressed digital video. The other is a very nice clip of the station stop at Frontier Town. The train approaches & stops. It is serviced by the crew, and then departs. It was shot from the Mean Streak side of the tracks. Nice close ups of the locomotive, crew servicing, even the maker's plate. It runs about 795mb in uncompressed digital video. I will be happy to make it available in any video form to anyone who wants it. I can crunch it to MPG or anything else. I am on dial-up, so I would like to avoid a large number of huge uploads. Does anyone have a place I can stash it? Walt/Jeff?

Has Cedar Point ran two trains on the track yet? I havn't seen two yet the two days i was there...correct me if I am wrong. *** Edited 5/24/2004 4:05:02 PM UTC by randinator***

Maybe the other engine is in Maintinance right now. I noticed last year that the track looked messed up especially going along Millennium Force it seems really bumpy. Didn't they re-track it when they were done with Millennium Force?

It may be that they now need a certain number of people through the gates before they call for the second train. This would be called by the operations manager.That's how it ws done when I worked there, although the call was for the THIRD train in those days. This early in the season I'd say they really don't need it yet. This weekend probably will be a different story. *** Edited 5/24/2004 6:34:00 PM UTC by Dutchman***

Is it true that the reilroad is operated much like a real railroad, in that whistle signals are used to signal a train approaching a crossing, etc.?

Yes, it sure is.

Closer to the stations but far enough away to stop is green/red signals(right side of the tracks for those of you who don't know), a warning bell at the other station that the train is leaving the opposite station, and yes, the whistle signals for crossings and backups etc...

CP&LE guy,

I've watched and wondered for years--how does the train decide when to depart the station? (One of them must be first, I guess).

I know sitting at the Main Midway station, you hear the high pitched whistle (twice I think) before the actual train whistle is blown. Is that a signal that the Midway train is departing? (Years ago, before the noise of Mantis & MF, I know for a fact you could hear that whistle back at the Frontier Town station).

I also think I hear the ops from one station telephone the other station when the train leaves.

Is there a set schedule for departure, or loading time?

It used to be that when a train was dispatched out of Frontiertown the platform foreperson would call the Midway station on the dispatch phone. The Midway station foreperson would then check to make sure that the train there was ready to go. Then two short toots on the station whistle, which would be answered by two from the engineer. The train would start, and after the last car had passed the foreperson they'd highball the conductor. The conductor would then cross over the to the right side of the car and highball the engineer who would answer with two shorts. It was pretty much the same routine with three trains, just a little more "urgent" getting the train unloaded, loaded and ready for the call. If it took too long you'd wind up with the third train sitting at the signal at the Frontier Trail crossing.(yes the line is signaled for multiple train operation, at least when I worked there.) Antebellum railroading at it's finest.

Does the park still have the big engine? If I remember right it was the George H.? I used to love the whistle on that engine when I was working Paddlewheel. It always seems like the granddaddy of the engines. Rumor was that they only ran it on big days like July 4th, Memorial Day, and Labor Day for fear that the weight of the engine would damage the bridges. Can anybody confirm or deny that one?

George R is still there. Myron H and Judy K tip the scales at 18 tons, "Big George" weighs in at 25 tons, nearly a third more, and he really tears up the track when he's out if your not careful. I recall that he has a three tone chime whistle like what Albert and Maude L had. Really sweet sounding

They had George running yesterday (Sunday) along with Myron. Today George was sitting on the sidetrack by the engine house not being used. They only had Myron on the track today. *** Edited 6/1/2004 1:08:42 AM UTC by randinator***

Figures. I was at the park all weekend and never saw George. I'm pretty good at being in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Heres another question for all,

Do any of you have/know where I can find pictures of the original construction of the line?

Thanks.