Trabant and Schwabinchen

Back in the day when CP had both Trabant and Schwabinchen, I could never figure out why they would have two very similar rides located very closely (main midway by Matterhorn/Scrambler, and Oceana across from Wicked Twister's current location...but you know that). I might not have payed much attention to Trabant as I visited the park maybe 3 times while it was still there, but can someone tell me if Trabant was a little 'different' because it would go forward and backward like the one at MA? Also, was Trabant moved to MA? Hmmm...

trabant didnt go backward, the only real difference between the two was schwabinchen had the tilted table so it seemed to go higher on the one side.

That and it didn't have big boobs of course (Trabant).

heh heh heh.

Ya, back in the day I also vaguely remember as a kid they had the Tiki Twirls where the Matterhorn currently is, which I believe is the same as the Calypso. They seemed to have more invested in flat rides back then. Whatever happened to the backdrop and center piece of the Calypso? Then again the BIG coasters back then were the Gemini and Corkscrew, so more had to be invested in the flat rides. Does anyone know if there is a website with old photos of the park from the 70's & 80's?

Yes, Schwabinchen and Trabant were back when Cedar Point gave a damn about families,... now they are throwing the family rides to the graveyard and putting in mega rollercoasters. (still upset about the removal of White Water Landing, one of the only rides in the park the WHOLE family could ride together.) ........................................dot dot dot

Odd that they would have a Trabant at the same time as Schwabinchin....I think they are just about the same ride, except for the table.

As for the scenery on Calypso....over the years they lose scenery piece by piece, probably because it saves money on maintenence and electricity to cut back on lights and the upkeep of all that scenery....although nice lighting really helps the stuff look more appealing.

I think the same can be said for the Hymilaya as well as Dorney Park's Musik Express....these rides had insane quantities of lights when they were new.

Super Himalaya doesn't even have it's name on it anymore.

I would love to see it like this again, as well as Calypso.

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=1619

http://www.pointbuzz.com/Gallery.aspx?i=1889

Thanks for the links to the photos. I would love to see those flat rides look like they did back then. I thought that the Super Himalaya was formally the Musik Express, but I see that it was not. Does anyone know what company designed those flat rides back then? They all seemed to have such detail in their themes.

I think they were both Mack rides, I know the Hymilaya was at least. The Calypso may be Schwarzkopf, but I'm pretty sure it's Mack....both companies actually made Calypsos.

Most European rides back then (and still today) had elaborate lighting packages.

JetstarIII said:
Also, was Trabant moved to MA? Hmmm...

The trabant at MA is not the one from CP. MA got theirs roughly fifteen years ago. Long before Cedar Fair ever owned it, and while the CP trabant was still in operation.

Back in the "good old days" CP had multiples of several rides. In the 1970's there were four antique carousels (not counting Cedar Downs) two sky rides, three car rides (Cadillac Cars, Antique Cars and the Turnpike), two flume rides , plus the already mentioned rides.

I agree Dutchman, there is so much that has been removed since I was a kid at CP. I miss the Frontier Lift, Bayren Kurve, Frontier Carousel, and the other family friendly rides that the park had "back in the day".

What was the reason for getting rid of the Frontier Carousel? Was it just so it could be made into the haunted house/storage or did it have problems?

It was moved to Dorney Park in 1994, so I doubt it was due to any maint problems. I recall reading somewhere that it was removed due to low popularity and lack of seating for the eateries in Frontier Town. Dont quote me on that however.

Dorney really needed a "real" if you will, Carrousel....they had a wonderful PTC Carrousel that was lost to fire in 1983, it was replaced with a crappy Chance model in 1985.....which is also still at the park, although I think it should have been gone in 95' when they got CP's Denzel.

The Frontier Carousel was my personal favorite of the four machnes at the Point when I worked there. Wm.H. Dentzel Jester Sheild machines are at the top of my "best" list. That and it had what was the strongest sounding Wurlitzer 153 band organ I had heard at the time. Spent a fair amount of my off time down there watching and listening.

I will agree, I think Dorney got the gem of the CP's Carrousel roster. I think it's much nicer than the Main Midway machine and the Kiddieland machine......where was the fourth Carrousel that someone mentioned?

There were two machines in what is now Kiddie Kingdom. The second one was a Herschell kiddie machine that dated from the early 1930's (I believe). I think they sent it to Valleyfair.

I really miss Schwabinchen. It was my first ride outside of Kiddie Kingdom. I always rode it alot everytime I visited Cedar Point. I wish Cedar Point would bring it back or get something identical to it.