The removal of PGA's train: WHY?

Does anyone know why Paramount removed their Great America park's train ride?

Also, after they removed the train, they opened up the midway behind Columbia Carousel to go straight through.

The idea behind Marriott's original layout was to keep the rest of the park hidden from the front gate.

Why the changes? I know Paramount owns the park and they can do what they please but why change something that really didn't need changing?

IMHO, That park doesn't give a damn about their history, they are trying to make themself into a "movie park", with the addition of Crocodile Dun Dees Boomerang Bay, etc...

I was surprised when Paramount showed interest in the park. Unlike it's midwest counterpart, Great America(west) had very little room for growth, and Marriott made a crucial mistake in not expanding early. The park is now landlocked smack dab in the middle of hundreds of major companies. For every major new attraction built at that park, something has to be removed. The train was removed the winter before Stealth began construction.

As for SFGA 11's comments above, I entirely agree that Paramount's interest lies solely in their "own" history, not what came before. The list of removed attractions from that park is staggering. But hey, at least they kept the Sky ride! :)

From what I have read at norcalcoasters.com (which has been down for weeks), the train was removed to make room for a LIM-launched coaster that never happened. I believe this coaster went to another park and PGA received Stealth instead.

I think Paramount has been doing a pretty good job of running this park given the limited space and competition from Six Flags. (Did King's Entertainment or Paramount sell all the extra land orginally owned by the park?)

Although a lot has been removed, they have been adding new attractions pretty regularly. It seems better than the lean years after Marriott's sold the park, what did we get then? Grizzly and a lame water ride if I remember correctly.

Actually, the train was there for Stealth, but I believe it was removed for Hypersonic XLC... which ended up being Psycho Mouse. If you look at the supports on Stealth (and Borg) around the pullout of the first drop you will see they actually separate to make room for the train.

I'll post a picture when I find one.

Edit: I'm not on my computer or I'd post a better picture, but I have this one online: Stealth Picture

If you look at one of the supports toward the bottom of the first drop, you'll notice it makes a shape like this /-\ for the train to go under. *** Edited 6/19/2004 5:28:29 PM UTC by GoliathKills***

I thought that was for the flume to go under. Didn't the flume go under the ride at some point?

SFGA 11 said:
IMHO, That park doesn't give a damn about their history, they are trying to make themself into a "movie park", with the addition of Crocodile Dun Dees Boomerang Bay, etc...

Over here on the east coast, the same can be said for Carowinds. Paramount is good at adding roller coasters(the park now has 13), but they really don't give a rat's ass when it comes to the slower, older attractions or the original theme of the park. God forbid anything be themed to North or South Carolina outside of Carolina Boardwalk.

Just last season, one of the oldest & most beloved attractions at the park, the Carolina Sternwheeler Riverboat, was destructively ripped out after a hole was knocked in the side of it. The original plan was to just park it behind the Borg Ass/Stealth, but evidently Paramount couldn't spare any money to fix the boat up for static display.

PKD also lost it's Steam Railroad, the "Old Dominion Line", in 1994 for unknown reasons. The railroad operated part way into the season(Evan after Wayne's World opened), but then in June it was shut down.

Just from looking at the two Great Americas, Six Flags has done a much better job at keeping their park together. Still some pretty good theming in the park that goes with the name. (Southwest Territory, the New Orleans renovations) *** Edited 6/19/2004 7:32:48 PM UTC by Dukeis#1***

Andy, the flume went under the ride, but that is not what that support was for. I don't think any support changes needed to be made for the flume.

Dukes#1, I have to disagree....I've been going to PCar since the 80's and I personally think the park is better than it has ever been. The only coaster it has lost was White Lightening, and it lost the Sternwheeler(which, from my understanding, was severly damaged when the company moving it dropped the boat, so that can't be blamed on them)....besides, I'm sure Borg Ass is very appreciated in its new home...

The old dominion line stood right on the spot now occupied by that giant piece of firewood better known as Hurler & was just one of many classic rides that the park has lost in it's 29 year history,just read the smurf mountain thread for a list of all the rides PKD has lost so far.

At least one,or both of the trains continue to run at BGT where I'm sure they're well taken care of but it still would've been nice if PKD had decided to hold onto it instead of ripping it out for what proved to be a rather mediocre coaster.