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08-07-2003, 02:11 AM
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#1 |
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Front Seat Rider
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 164
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Ghost Town or Tweetsie Railroad
Ghost Town in the Sky or Tweetsie Railroad
Has anybody been to either of these parks in the past 10 years? I would like to visit both, BUT I just have the feeling that they are SO run-down that I wouldn't enjoy myself... I would like to visit Ghost Town just to add the Red Devil to my completed coasters list...anybody have thoughts on that ride? |
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08-07-2003, 06:18 AM
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#2 |
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Airtime Rider
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 2,082
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Hmmm.... haven't been to Ghost Town in the Sky in the past decade. I think the last time I was there was in the late '70s. Had a good time when I was there, but I don't think they even had a coaster then. However, I've heard that it is a good, but small, park. The Red Devil is supposed to be a great ride, with a 1st drop that goes off the side of the mountain!
Squid2
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"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us". -Ralph Waldo Emerson Proud member of the UCES team. |
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08-07-2003, 10:49 AM
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#3 | |
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Let's Ride!
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Southfield, MI
Posts: 3,218
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I visited Ghost Town In The Sky in 2002. Unfortunately, Red Devil was closed for major maintenance -- they were replacing support posts. I didn't know it until after I returned from that vacation, but I visited between 2 separate extended breakdowns of their ski lift ride to the top of the mountain. Since the trolly wasn't working, the ski lift was the only way to get to and from the top.
The park was rather run down, and I found it to be quite disappointing, although the view from the top was very nice. Now, as I understand it, the owner is looking to sell the park, as he wants to retire, but he doesn't think he'll be able to get an adequate price for it. Therefore, it sounds like he's considering simply shutting it down and selling off the rides. Naturally, keeping that in mind, there's probably not a whole lot of incentive for him to do too much maintenance work.
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All sorts of goofy stuff, including Name That Tune, fictional stories, poetry, coaster lists, and lots more available at Harpo's Universe. Go ahead, ask any question. I don't byte. I'm a computer expert. I'll only nybble a bit. (Insert Groan Here)
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08-08-2003, 03:17 PM
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#4 | |
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Mid-West
Posts: 519
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Oh my goodness! I haven't heard these mentioned in over 30 years. I lived in NC and went to both when I was about, well very young. It's good to know they are both still there, they were great.
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My ducks pop, my balloons quack, my peeps go cha-ching and my registers laugh... I Love Avon |
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08-09-2003, 02:11 PM
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#5 |
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 134
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Well tweetsie railroad is still operating but as for ghost town in the sky 2002 was it's last season according to their website
http://www.ghosttowninthesky.com/parkinfo.htm |
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08-09-2003, 07:03 PM
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#6 |
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Airtime Rider
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Atlanta, Ga
Posts: 2,082
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Has it closed permnamently, or just for this season? Does anyone know, and can anyone confirm?
Squid2
__________________
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us". -Ralph Waldo Emerson Proud member of the UCES team. |
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08-11-2003, 12:47 AM
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#7 |
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Front Seat Rider
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 164
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I called 1-800-GHOSTOWN and the recording says "Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ghost town in the Sky will not be open for the 2003 season." And that's it! Maybe I can call during business hours tommorrow...
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09-08-2003, 12:10 AM
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#8 |
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New Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 3
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i visited ghost town back in 2001 and i have to say that while the red devil wasn't the best coaster i've ever ridden, it was really fun because of it being on the side of the mountain. i live in asheville and we drove past the park last weekend, and it appeared that some of the rides had been dismantled.
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09-08-2003, 01:47 PM
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#9 |
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bob, bob. bobbin' along
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: (Just south of the real Cold Mountain, NC) in "Upstate" South Carolina, USA
Posts: 579
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I've not been to Tweetsie, but a friend took his kids up that way to see a full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine. I believe he said the train was at Tweetsie. They seem to think it was a great day.
[EDIT] Sorry! I just spoke with him, and I was wrong!  It was another N.C. mountain town.
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Cuckoo for coaster stuff! Last edited by redroban; 09-08-2003 at 05:10 PM. |
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09-08-2003, 03:14 PM
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#10 |
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Front Seat Rider
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 164
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I've always wanted to visit Ghost Town...It just can't close!
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09-08-2003, 10:16 PM
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#11 | |
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Let's Ride!
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Southfield, MI
Posts: 3,218
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Redroban, it's not unusual for large portions of the rides to be dismantled for winter storage in seasonal parks. Many parks also perform rehab work on the rides while the park is down for the winter. If Ghost Town couldn't open for 2003, it would make sense that the parts would remain in storage.
I recall reading an article earlier this year indicating that the owner was looking for a buyer, but he wasn't confident that he could get an appropriate price. They've also had issues with breakdowns on the sky ride up to the park, and, as I understand it, the trolley to the top hasn't been approved for use for a few years. The owner had indicated that they'd been working on it, and hoped it could be relicensed. Although I certainly can't be sure, I'd say it's possible that neither the sky ride nor the trolley passed inspections for 2003, hence preventing access to the park. (I went up there in 2002 -- the sky ride seemed quite rickety, and I wasn't entirely sure it was going to make it to the top! Unfortunately, when I visited, Red Devil was down for major maintenance -- welders were out replacing major support posts.)
__________________
All sorts of goofy stuff, including Name That Tune, fictional stories, poetry, coaster lists, and lots more available at Harpo's Universe. Go ahead, ask any question. I don't byte. I'm a computer expert. I'll only nybble a bit. (Insert Groan Here)
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