End of the line for Kennywood Park's Turnpike

If you grew up in Pittsburgh, like I did, every spring it was time for the school picnic at Kennywood Park. And as you wind down the hill from the ticket gate, through the tunnel underneath Route 837, and formally entered the park. The first thing you always notice was the big 'Gulf' Oil Gasoline sign, the replica Gulf station, and the sounds of motorized cars meandering through a patch of shade trees.

Depending on the when you visited,those little cars that took forever to climb up the hills on the concrete roadway were either vintage cars of the 60s or open air roadsters from the 1920s.

It was the 'Turnpike'.

It was the ride as a child you couldn't wait to actually be allowed to 'drive'. You were beyond the cars in Kiddie Land. You were bored of the 'Auto Race'. The 'Turnpike' was real cars...real driving. On a 'real' road. Or at least it sure seemed like that to a seven year old.

It's the ride, where you were the driver, not Mom or Dad. You were taking them for a 'Sunday Drive'. And you could turn the wheel, and thankfully that center rail kept you from driving off the road.

And just before you went into the candy store right before you left for home. It was the last ride of the day after a long and exhausting but tons of fun day.

That was the Turnpike for me, and yesterday was its last ride. The ride, first installed in 1966, is being removed for a new coaster.

But it won't be the last ride. After the 2010 season, though it is not sure when, the Turnpike will be back...just in a new part of the park.

Comments

Richard said…

Allentown, PA's Dorney Park still has its version of Turnpike...it's called "Road Rally".

11:25 PM

Dan Omlor said…

For good photos of the Turnpike see OutpostUSA.org/Amusement Parks/Kennywood/Rides.

6:07 PM

Anonymous said…

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

9:21 AM

The 1915-era Teilman Bridge (the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge in California)

The Teilman Bridge is a semi-abandoned structure over Fresno Slough west of Burrell siding near the intersection of Elkhorn Avenue and Elkhorn Grade. This structure is the only known Concrete Pony Truss Bridge constructed in California and was designed by Ingvart Teilman. Teilman's Bridge would open in late 1915 when the Elkhorn Grade was the primary road between Fresno and Coalinga. The structure would be replaced in 1991 but was left standing as it carries pipelines over Fresno Slough. Part 1; the history of the Teilman Bridge In the early Twentieth Century the most direct highway between Fresno and Coalinga followed the Elkhorn Grade. The Elkhorn Grade began at Fresno Slough a short distance west of Burrell siding. From Fresno Slough the Elkhorn Grade followed a generally southwestern course through San Joaquin Valley into the Kettleman Hills towards Coalinga. The Elkhorn Grade can be seen on the 1914 C.F. Weber map of Fresno Coun...

The Dummy Lights of New York

A relic of the early days of motoring, dummy lights were traffic lights that were placed in the middle of a street intersection. In those early days, traffic shuffled through busy intersections with the help of a police officer who stood on top of a pedestal. As technology improved and electric traffic signals became commonplace, they were also originally positioned on a platform at the center of the intersection. Those traffic signals became known as " dummy lights " and were common until traffic lights were moved onto wires and poles that crossed above the intersection. In New York State, only a handful of these dummy lights exist. The dummy lights are found in the Hudson Valley towns of Beacon and Croton-on-Hudson, plus there is an ongoing tug of war in Canajoharie in the Mohawk Valley, where their dummy light has been knocked down and replaced a few times. The dummy light in Canajoharie is currently...

The William Flinn (not Flynn) Highway - Pittsburgh's Misspelled Street

For decades if you traveled along PA Route 8 in Pittsburgh's North Hills suburbs, you would have noticed signs that read "William Flynn Highway" at every intersection. Even today, many businesses and residences have their addresses listed as XXXX William Flynn Highway. However, it's not William Flynn Highway, it is William FLINN Highway - and the gentleman who it is named for has a long and storied past in Pittsburgh's infrastructure history. William Flinn was born in England in 1851; however later that year, his family emigrated to the United States and would settle in Pittsburgh. A 10-year-old school dropout, Flinn grew interested in politics and would join the Allegheny County Republican Party in 1877 as a ward commissioner and a seat on the Board of Fire Commissioners. Flinn would serve in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives and Senate from 1877 to 1902. (1) Flinn along with James J. Booth would found the Booth and Flinn construction firm ...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog