Current News – 2023
New Train At Columbus ZooAll aboard! A new “train-sformation” has taken place at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, offering guests an opportunity to “choo-choose” a path to sustainability. Click to read more.
New Electric Train Keeps Irvine Park RR Tradition Chugging Along!The one-third scale electric train replaces the propane-powered locomotive that had transported hundreds of thousands of passengers around the three-quarters of a mile loop since the mid-1990s. The new train was purchased from Chance Rides of Wichita, Kansas, the company from which the first Irvine Park train was purchased. Click to read more.
The Carousel at Thanksgiving Point is not just a ride - it’s an adventure!The Carousel was brought to Thanksgiving Point with the help of Utah philanthropist Barbara Barrington Jones who told them this is much like a ride that inspired her in her youth to explore her passions and develop curiosity
New Carousel Debuts at Southwick ZooA new 36-ft. Chance Rides Carousel is now open at Southwick’s Zoo, More than a Zoo. A portion of the proceeds from the carousel benefit local conservation projects.
Chance Rides Plan For The FutureWichita, KS– Chance Rides Manufacturing, Inc., has formed a financial partnership with Missouri-based Permanent Equity, a private equity firm. Chance Rides is known as the largest manufacturer of amusement rides, roller coasters, observation wheels and people movers in the United States, located in Wichita, delivering fun to the world for over 60 years.
Cincinnati Zoo’s New Carousel Now OpenThe new carousel is a vintage-inspired, open-air gazebo with an old-fashioned boardwalk with a view along Swan Lake. The carousel’s 60 animals reflect the beauty and significance of wildlife the zoo works to protect.. Click to read more.
St. Louis Zoo Debuts Electric C.P. Huntington TrainThe railroad at the St. Louis Zoo, a tradition that goes back 60 years, is going green.
A new electric train, named after St. Louis abolitionist Mary Meachum, is the newest addition to the Emerson Zooline Railroad’s fleet of six diesel-powered locomotives, officials announced Tuesday.
It’s also the first zoo locomotive to be named after a woman.
Pacific Park to Retire Original Sea Dragon, Debuts All-New, Improved Sea Dragon Swinging Amusement RideThe Sea Dragon is a classic amusement park attraction that has been a beloved part of the Santa Monica Pier experience for over 26 years. It has been replaced with an updated version of the same ride and sports the familiar bright green, scaly exterior.
New mini train locomotive, passenger cars take to the tracks at Topeka’s Gage ParkThe Gage Park Mini Train has given Colleen Horn many fond memories. It was even part of her daughter’s wedding.
So Horn couldn’t help but stop Monday when, while driving past the park, she noticed that a new mini train was being unloaded.
“I had to see this,” she said. Click to read more.
