Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad
1963
60th Anniversary Edition
|
|
|
|
|
Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad is a great family ride! The Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad is a relaxing train ride that takes passengers on a scenic trip around the back half of the park.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The early 1950s were a difficult time for Cedar Point. During this period, the park was beginning to decay and was still trying to recover from the effects of the Great Depression. In 1956, Cedar Point was purchased by George Roose and Emile Legros, who initially planned to turn the property into a housing development. However, due to public outcry, the new owners decided instead to transform Cedar Point into the “Disneyland of the Midwest.”
As a result, the park began adding bigger and better attractions. Cadillac Cars were introduced in 1958 and proved so successful that Turnpike Cars were added in 1959. In 1961, the Western Cruise used the old lagoon to take guests on a scenic trip through the past. The following year, in 1962, Cedar Point added the Sky Ride to the Main Midway.
With these improvements and new attractions, Cedar Point was finally on the path to a bright future.
As a result, the park began adding bigger and better attractions. Cadillac Cars were introduced in 1958 and proved so successful that Turnpike Cars were added in 1959. In 1961, the Western Cruise used the old lagoon to take guests on a scenic trip through the past. The following year, in 1962, Cedar Point added the Sky Ride to the Main Midway.
With these improvements and new attractions, Cedar Point was finally on the path to a bright future.
|
George Roose had always been a fan of trains and wanted to bring one to Cedar Point. In 1960, he began searching around the country for a suitable locomotive. In 1961, the first engine, named Maud L., arrived at Cedar Point.
After proposing the idea of a train ride to Cedar Point’s board of directors, the board rejected it because they believed it would not be successful enough for the growing park. Unhappy with their decision, George Roose decided to move forward and build the ride using his own money. |
|
|
|
|
In late 1962, construction began on Cedar Point’s new ride. Crews laid track through the wooded areas of the park for what would become the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad. In total, about two miles of track were installed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad opened on Saturday, May 25, 1963 at Cedar Point. When the ride first opened, it featured two train engines: Maud L. and Albert.
Over the years, additional locomotives were added to the railroad, including Jack Foster (Judy K.), Myron H., George R., and G.A. Boeckling. The locomotive Albert was retired in 1991 and is now on display along the Frontier Trail.
Over the years, additional locomotives were added to the railroad, including Jack Foster (Judy K.), Myron H., George R., and G.A. Boeckling. The locomotive Albert was retired in 1991 and is now on display along the Frontier Trail.
|
|
|
|
|
When the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad first opened, the train completed a full loop around the park. Frontier Town had not yet been built, so there was no stop in that area. The ride originally lasted about 15 minutes.
At the time, there were no rides located in the back of the park. Instead, the train traveled through wooded areas and featured animated scenes along the route to help keep guests entertained. |
|
|
|
|
|
In 1967, Cedar Point opened Frontier Town. As a result, a stop was added to the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad in that area. The original Frontier Town station was built in the same style as the main station.
In 1977, a tornado moved through the back section of the park and destroyed the train station. A new station was constructed and opened in 1978, which is the station still seen today. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
In 1970, the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad’s Main Midway station was moved to its present-day location to make room for the Million Dollar Midway expansion. As a result, the length of the railroad’s track was shortened slightly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Since 1970, the layout of the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad at Cedar Point has remained basically the same. Over the years, the track has received only minor adjustments. In some areas, the rails were moved slightly to the left or right to make room for new attractions, but no major changes were made to the overall route.
At one point, the train station along Frontier Trail was relocated, and the extra tracks there were removed because they were no longer needed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad is a great, relaxing ride for the whole family. Today, the train takes riders on a scenic trip around Frontier Town and past many of the park’s biggest and most thrilling rides.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad Ride Facts:
Opened: May 25, 1963 Type: Train ride Location: Back of the park Trains: 5 locomotives The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad features authentic coal-powered steam trains that take guests on a scenic ride through the park. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Over the years, many rides have been built around and even over the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad tracks including: Town, Shoot-the-Rapids, Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Frontier Trail, Giant Wheel, White Water Landing, Thunder Canyon, Snake River Expedition, Snake River Falls, Mantis, Millennium Force, Maverick, Shoot the Rapids, Rougarou, Professor Delbert's Frontier Fling Siren's Curse, and Steel Vengeance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cedar Point and Lake Erie Railroad: The Ride Today
|
|
|
|
|
|
After 60 years of operation, the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad has become one of the most successful and beloved attractions at Cedar Point.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is often a favorite for families visiting Cedar Point. It has also become one of the most frequently ridden attractions in the park.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is a great ride that the entire family can enjoy together
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ride Experience
|
|
|
|
Riders sit on simple bench seats aboard the train. The ride moves at a slow, relaxing pace, giving guests the opportunity to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery and entertainment along the route
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad offers three different ride experiences. Guests can ride:
- from the Main Station to Frontier Town - from Frontier Town back to the Main Station -or remain on the train to complete a full lap around the route. Each segment of the ride lasts about five minutes, with station stops taking around five minutes as well. A full round trip takes approximately 15 minutes. Most of the time, the ride operates with one train, but during busy periods, it may run with two trains. |
|
|
|
|
Main Station to Frontier Town
|
|
|
|
|
The Main Station for the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad at Cedar Point is located near Rougarou and Millennium Force. Riders enter the attraction by walking through the train station before boarding the train.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ride to Frontier Town on the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad at Cedar Point is very relaxing. Along the way, the train passes by several major attractions, including Millennium Force, Thunder Canyon, and Maverick.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The adventure ends as the train arrives in Frontier Town at Cedar Point.
|
|
Frontier Town to Main Station
|
|
|
|
|
The trip from Frontier Town to the Main Midway begins with riders entering the train from the boarding area at the Frontier Town station.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The ride to the Main Station is an exciting part of the journey on the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad.
Along the way, the train passes several rides and themed animated scenes featuring skeletons that help entertain guests during the trip. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad at Cedar Point takes riders through Boneville, the park’s western-style skeleton town. In Boneville, animated figures make noise and play music to help entertain passengers as the train travels by.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad crosses over the midway at several points. The ride includes train crossings with warning signals and gates that lower to alert guests when the train is approaching. In total, there are four train crossings along the route.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The train passes several animated skeleton scenes, including skeletons making moonshine and one chasing his daughter’s boyfriend off a ladder. These playful scenes help entertain riders along the route.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The last scene before returning to the Main Station features several skeletons trying to put out a fire at McCoy Dry Goods. It’s a really cool effect because the fire looks very realistic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After about a five-minute journey, the train finally returns to the Main Station.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Very Unique Ride
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is a very unique attraction. Not many amusement parks feature an authentic steam train ride like this one.
The railroad takes passengers on a relaxing journey through the park’s “land of thrills,” traveling past several of the park’s record-breaking roller coasters and attractions. Along the way, riders can enjoy great views of the park while experiencing a different perspective of the rides and scenery. |
|
|
|
|
|
Withstanding the Test of Time
|
|
|
|
Over the last 63 years, many rides have come and gone at Cedar Point. Through it all, the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad has remained a family favorite, continuing to entertain guests year after year.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is a great ride for the entire family to enjoy together at Cedar Point. There are not many attractions quite like the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad, making it a unique and memorable experience for guests.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
After adding the Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad in 1963, Cedar Point would go on to introduce many more attractions, including:
Blue Streak (1964), Calypso (1964-1969), Broadway Trip (1964-1964), Western Cruise (1964-1986), Space Spiral (1965-2012), Earthquake (1965-1984), Pirate Ride (1966-1996), Trabant (1966-1990), Fun House (1966-1981), Frontier Town (1967), Shoot-the-rapids (1967-1981), Sealand (1967-1998), Rotor (1967-1984), Cedar Downs Racing Derby (1967), Frontier Lift (1968-1985), Sky Slide (1968-1991), Antique Cars (1969-2021), Cedar Creek Mine Ride (1969), Cedar Point’s 100th Anniversary Celebration (1970), Frontier Trail (1971), Jumbo Jet (1972-1978), Matterhorn (1972), Giant Wheel (1972), Cedar Point Cinema (1975-2001), Corkscrew (1976), Troika (1976), Witches’ Wheel (1977-2018), Gemini (1978), Gemini Chilrden’s Area (1979-2013), Wave Swinger (1979), WildCat (1979-2011), Oceana (1980), Ocean Motion (1981), Kid Arthur’s Court (1982-2005), White Water Landing (1982-2005), Demon Drop (1983-2009), Avalanche Run (1985-1989), Berenstain Bear Country (1985-1998), Thunder Canyon (1986), Iron Dragon (1987), Soak City Water Park (1988-2016), Magnum XL-200 (1989), Disaster Transport (1990-2012), Mean Streak (1991-2016), Challenge Park (1992-2016), Snake River Falls (1993-2024), Kiddy Kingdom (1993), Raptor (1994), Cedar Point’s 125th Anniversary Celebration (1995), RipCord (1996-2016), Mantis (1996-2014), Chaos (1997-2011), Swan Boats (1997-2003), Power Tower (1998), Camp Snoopy (1999), Millennium Force (2000), Lighthouse Point (2001), Wicked Twister (2002-2021), Good Time Theatre (2002-2014), Top Thrill Dragster (2003-2021), Castaway Bay Resort (2004), maXair (2005), Skyhawk (2006), Maverick (2007), Planet Snoopy (2008), Shoot the Rapids (2010-2015), WindSeeker (2011), Dinosaurs Alive! On Adventure Island (2012-2018), GateKeeper (2013), New Gemini Midway (2014), Rougarou (2015), Valravn (2016), Cedar Point Shores Waterpark (2017), Steel Vengeance (2018), Forbidden Frontier on Adventure Island (2019-2022), Cedar Point’s 150th Anniversary Celebration (2021), Snake River Expedition (2021-2023), The Boardwalk (2023), Top Thrill 2 (2024), and Siren’s Curse (2025). Since 1963, Cedar Point has changed tremendously. Today, it remains an exciting and fun place for guests to visit and enjoy. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad gave Cedar Point a unique and memorable attraction, while also providing guests with a convenient way to reach the back of the park without walking. The ride quickly became very popular with visitors and helped pave the way for what Cedar Point would grow to become in the future.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Cedar Point & Lake Erie Railroad is a classic family ride that everyone can enjoy together at Cedar Point. Riders must be at least 46 inches tall to ride alone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Photos by: Cedar Point, Russ Hauden, Jake Hamons, and Dale Eber
Last Updated: 5/01/2026