Everyone who knows me knows I’ve always loved amusement and theme park train rides. My very first was the Coney Island & Lake Como Railroad in Cincinnati — a beautifully built narrow-gauge passenger railroad that captured the imagination of guests young and old. The ride opened in 1964 and operated until Coney Island closed its gates for good on September 6, 1971.

Built by Chance Manufacturing, the attraction featured 4,678 feet of 24-gauge track, held in place by 11,763 spikes and 2,871 wooden ties. Two locomotives, #34 Mad Anthony Wayne and #35 George Rogers Clark, each pulled five coaches that could carry up to 70 passengers at a time. Powered by 58-horsepower diesel engines and weighing 5,445 pounds apiece, the trains offered a surprisingly authentic rail experience for a park setting.

The route took riders across a 462-foot trestle spanning Lake Como, providing scenic views and a gentle breeze off the water. The station, designed by architect Darrel Daniels, added to the railroad’s charm, while themed scenes along the route — including a frontier fort and animated “Indians” — were brought to life by Winfield Hubbard, who had served as MGM’s chief special designer for three decades.

During its debut season, nearly 500,000 passengers climbed aboard — a testament to how popular the attraction quickly became. The trains were part of a larger family of Chance locomotives; each numbered in sequence as they were built. Some of their “siblings” are still in operation today, including #90 at Stricker’s Grove and #240 at the Cincinnati Zoo, keeping the spirit of that classic era alive in Greater Cincinnati, 

For me, the Coney Island & Lake Como Railroad was pure magic. It was one of the first rides I ever experienced as a child, and fittingly, it became my second-to-last ride on Coney Island’s final day of operation in 1971. Even decades later, the memories of those diesel engines chugging around Lake Como remain a treasured part of my love for amusement park trains.

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