Think Summer -- The Cedar Point & Lake Erie

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

We've been on the road for the past week or so and haven't had a chance to get through all of the new photos. We've been experiencing a winter that just won't go away this year, so to take off some of the chill while we get a bunch of new photos ready, let's think summer for a minute and explore the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad, a three-foot narow gauge railroad located in the famed Cedar Point theme park near Sandusky, Ohio. Last year was the railroad's 50th anniversary, and it is unusual in that it still uses coal-fired steam locomotives -- most theme park locomotives have been converted to natural gas. The railroad rosters five locomotives, all with interesting histories. We'll run down the roster and then look at some of the better photo angles in the park.

We'll start with CP&LE 2-4-0 No. 22 (above). Named Myron H. (in honor of Mike Hetrick, a former superintendent of the railroad) it was built in 1922 as an 0-4-0T by Vulcan Iron Works for Wayne Coal Company of Clay Bank, Ohio. Subsequent owners took the locomotive to Alabama and Georgia, and in 1963 it was sold to Cedar Point. It is one of two primary locomotives in service at the park.

Up next is the park's other primary engine, No. 44. Now named Judy K. (in honor of Judy Kinzel, wife of Cedar Fair Entertainment Company CEO Richard Kinzel), No. 44 came from Vulcan in 1923, also as an 0-4-0T, and worked for John Marsh, Inc., of Lansing, Mich. It moved on to new owners in Illinois and Wisconsin and came to Cedar Point in 1968.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; August 18, 2013

In the shop we find No. 1, G.A. Boeckling (named for a former Cedar point owner), built for N&S Coal Company in Pittsburg, Kan., by Davenport Locomotive Works in 1927. Like most Cedar Point locomotives, it was built as an 0-4-0T. In 1977 the locomotive was converted to a 2-4-4RT and started a career on a variety of park railroads, beginning with Six Flags in Gurnee, Ill. In 1996 it was traded to Disneyland in California and named Ward Kimball in honor of the famous Disney animator. It headed across the country one year later, testing at Disney World in Florida before being put on display at Epcot. In 1999 it was traded to Cedar Point, but then went back to California in 2007 to work for Knott's Berry Farm. Finally, it landed back at Cedar Point in 2010 and was converted to its current 2-4-0 configuration.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 5, 2013

 Also in the shop is the railroad's heaviest locomotive, No. 4. Named George R. in honor of George Roose, former president of Cedar Point and builder of the railroad, this former 0-4-0T was built by H.K. Porter Company in 1942 for Carbon Limestone Company in Pennsylvania. It went into theme park service in 1963, working at Cherokee Wonderland in Cherokee, N.C., before coming to Cedar Point in 1968 and being rebuilt as a 2-4-0. Due to its weight, it is the least used of the four in service locomotives at the park.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 5, 2013

The last locomotive at the park is out of service but on display. No. 3 is named Albert and last operated in 1991. It's a 2-6-0 and was built in 1910 by Davenport for J.B. Levert for sugar cane service in Louisiana. It was sold to a scrap dealer in Louisiana in 1959, but moved on to Cherokee Wonderland in 1960. In 1963 it came to Cedar Point.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

Now that we have all the players identified, let's take a tour of the railroad. Operations are based out of the engine house adjacent to the Main Street Station and almost under the Millennium Force roller coaster (Cedar Point is the roller coaster capital of the world).

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; August 18, 2013

Out of the station and running clockwise on an oval, the train rolls along with Sandusky Bay on one side and the Millennium Force and Maverick coaster on the other.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

At Frontiertown a stop is made to load and discharge passengers. The crew also takes the time to service the locomotives at this point.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; August 18, 2013

Up next is the longest bridge on the line. Photographers can find a nice spot to shoot from behind the Camp Woodstock photo center.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

A shorter trestle can be found near the entrance of Shoot the Rapids. The view is from the walkway to the ride.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

In the same area is the viewing platform for Shoot the Rapids, which also makes for a nice view of the railroad. As an added bonus, there are water cannons where you can shoot people on the water ride for 25 cents -- a nice way to kill time between trains.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; August 18, 2013

Finally we're approaching the Main Street Station again. The train passes through a colorful corridor of kiosks and coasters as it finishes off its loop.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013

In all we spent three days at Cedar Point last summer. For photos from each of those three days you can follow the links to July 5, July 8, and August 18.

Cedar Point & Lake Erie; July 8, 2013