NJ's Best Amusement Park Trains

I learned recently that the effort to restore the narrow gauge railroad at Horseshoe Lake in Roxbury Township has come to a grinding halt due to the cost of insurance. The project's orginator, N J Transit Conductor Scott Keinzlen, told me that the group could not afford the laibility insurance and the township would not allocate the money to buy the insurance thus bringing an end to the work, unfortunately.

Came across a photo of the Point Pleasant train while looking at maps today at a local Walgreens! Almost bought the map just for the photo...
Hagstrom's Ocean County map has a really nice picture of the train, on the Boardwalk on a bright sunny day, right on the cover. What a surprise! Is this ride still there or is it gone? The caption for the picture read something along the lines of 'Amusement ride at Point Pleasant'...

BigDell
http://www.hagstrommap.com/product.asp? ... %2D759%2D0

That is the train that is on the ride pier at Point Pleasant. AFAIK, it is still there.

That's Jenkinson's South Amusements' train, formerly, Holiday Amusements' Train.

I will have to go next summer... Very cool!

Something to look forward to.
BigDell

transit383 wrote:That is the train that is on the ride pier at Point Pleasant. AFAIK, it is still there.

'tis, at least it was there last summer. Dunno if there are pictures of the beach train out there (yellow thing, I believe E or F units).

My daughter (6 years old) absolutely loves the park trains at Bowcraft and Jenkinson's. I have not yet taken her to Turtle Back Zoo, but now have an extra reason to try.

When I was a kid, my dad used to take my brother and I to Becker's Farm. Damn, I miss those trains. I've gotta use the "daughter excuse" to head up to P-Burg.

One "park train" I haven't seen mentioned here is at Northlandz in Flemington http://www.northlandz.com. Their Web site says: "The Raritan River Railway: This 2/3 scale steam replica travels through tunnels and over bridges to give you a relaxing ride through our nature rich woodlands. (completion fall 1998)." I have seen this train from Rt. 22 while passing by, but I have not yet been in the area when I had time to stop. The Web site also mentions a 1-mile model train layout.

More on park trains:
http://www.trainweb.org/parktrains/index.html
http://www.nnerailsystems.com/parktrain ... ast_1.html

One "park train" I haven't seen mentioned here is at Northlandz in Flemington http://www.northlandz.com. Their Web site says: "The Raritan River Railway: This 2/3 scale steam replica travels through tunnels and over bridges to give you a relaxing ride through our nature rich woodlands. (completion fall 1998)." I have seen this train from Rt. 22 while passing by, but I have not yet been in the area when I had time to stop. The Web site also mentions a 1-mile model train layout.

IMHO, you shouldn't waste your money on this run. The boardwalk trains are more fun.

I remember the trains at Jenks and the park & zoo in Paramus. Also have hazy recollection of the train at the zoo in West Orange (Turtle Back Zoo).

There are reminants of track, bridge, and loco house at the county park in North Arlington along the Passaic River.

Hello all. I don't know very much about amusement park trains, but I just wanted to mention there is an operating train in Historic Smithville Village, Galloway Township. I don't have any details on it, but I live nearby and see it running quite a bit.

JLo wrote:

One "park train" I haven't seen mentioned here is at Northlandz in Flemington http://www.northlandz.com. Their Web site says: "The Raritan River Railway: This 2/3 scale steam replica travels through tunnels and over bridges to give you a relaxing ride through our nature rich woodlands. (completion fall 1998)." I have seen this train from Rt. 22 while passing by, but I have not yet been in the area when I had time to stop. The Web site also mentions a 1-mile model train layout.

IMHO, you shouldn't waste your money on this run. The boardwalk trains are more fun.

The attraction for me is that I could take my daughter for three attractions: train ride, model trains, and doll museum. Even if the train ride sucks, the model train layout is supposed to be pretty impressive.

You pay for the layout and the ride separately. And it isn't cheap. The layout is worth it for the kids.

I'll take that under advisement, JLo. Thanks.

I remember my grandfather taking me to a zoo/amusment park in Bergen County. This would have been in the 1960's. The town may have been Saddle River, or a nearby town. I believe the park was called "Deeches Farm", not necessarily with that spelling. There was a train ride that went around the park, perhaps narrow gauge, and I seem to recall my grandfather telling me the train was a real train that once operated at another location. Anyone know anything about this park/train?

steemtrayn wrote:Is there still a train ride at Allaire airport in Wall Township? Does anyone remember it?

Yes, I do remember that ride, it was quite a nice one that went through the woods and such from what I can remember because I was very little at the time. It was one of my favorite places to go (since I had lived around there). I believe it closed down after the owner had somekind of falling out with the township. The last time I checked, at least some of the tracks are still there.