For the past six months, EnterTRAINment Junction owner Don Oeters has been scouring the Internet searching the longest replica roller coaster in the world.
So far, he hasn’t found one longer than his 40-foot functioning roller coaster that sits atop the second-level overlook of his 25,000-square-foot model train display in West Chester.
The roller coaster, which is a replica of Coney Island’s Shooting Star, is one of the more impressive features of EnterTRAINment’s 1965 replica of the Cincinnati amusement park that is expected to be completed this Friday.
“It was a roller coaster that myself and my cousin rode 22 times in a day, so it brings back a lot of memories for me,” Oeters said. “It also brings back a lot of memories for anyone in Cincinnati who has been to the park and knows what the park was before Kings Island opened.”
After putting in the Shooting Star, EnterTRAINment Junction employees and volunteers have been working for the past six months on finishing the entire amusement park. Overall, the project cost more than $150,000 to build.
“There are quite a few people behind the scenes doing the electronics and all the special controls of the rides. Also, obviously, a lot of skill and craftsmanship has gone into building the rides and all the buildings,” Oeters said.
The replica, which covers about 1,000 square feet, also features working rides like the Lost River, a 4-foot tall Ferris wheel, Flying Rockets, the Tumblebug and a carousel. It also features the Wild Mouse family coaster, a train ride, a haunted house, the Skyride, the Whip and Cuddle Up.
In addition to the rides, familiar features include Coney Island’s front gate entrance way, Moonlite Gardens, the tree-lined Coney mall, picnic areas, Skeeball Arcade and basketball games.
One of the few historically inaccurate features of the replica is the trolley line that runs along Kellogg Avenue and stops at Coney’s front gate. The trolley’s did run to Coney Island, but it stopped in 1925.
EnterTRAINment Junction has had roughly between $11 and $12 million poured into it over the course of the five years it has been open. It drew more than 125,000 visitors in 2012, which was a record for the venue.
Coney Island circa 1965, one of the more visually impressive replicas at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction, is scheduled to open June 21, 2013. Overall the project, which takes only up 1,000 square feet, took almost a year to complete and cost more than $150,000. Photo by Adam Kiefaber.
A 1,000-square-foot replica of Coney Island Amusement Park circa 1965 is set to open June 21. The Buzz will have more photos and video of the new exhibit soon. Photo by Adam Kiefaber.
A 1,000-square-foot replica of Coney Island Amusement Park circa 1965 will officially open to the public at 10 a.m. Friday, June 21 at EnterTRAINment Junction in West Chester.
The exhibit, which was all built by hand from scratch, features Coney Island working replica rides from the park’s past, such as the Shooting Star roller roaster, the Lost River, the Ferris Wheel, Flying Rockets, Tumblebug, Wild Mouse, Sky Ride and the Lake Como train ride.
Coney Island, the way it was in 1965, is being built at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction. The replica is set to officially open June 21. Currently, the exhibit already features the Shooting Star roller coaster, which is almost 40 feet long. Photo by Adam Kiefaber.
The Coney Island replica is located on the second-level overlook of EnterTRAINment Junction’s 25,000-foot model train display. It was the last section of unused space in the venue’s main train display.
When determining what to put in the space, EnterTRAINment Junction owner Don Oeters had to decide between a zoo, a circus or an amusement park. Despite it being the most expensive of the three, Oeters went with the amusement park.
“I remember going there in the late ’50s all the way up until it closed (in 1971),” Oeters said. “As a kid you didn’t realize how good of a park it was, but there were only three other parks in the ’60s that were in a suburban area of a big city that had larger attendance than Coney Island.”
The new Coney Island exhibit cost nearly $150,000 to build. In comparison, Oeters estimated that the zoo or the circus would have cost around $5,000.
Stay connected: WestChesterBuzz.com will soon post photos and video of the new exhibit
To let West Chester and Liberty Township residents catch up with the news that they need to know, WestChesterBuzz.com will list and link to all of last week’s top local stories every Monday.
However, due to a busy holiday season, the Buzz decided to recap some of the bigger stories in the month of December as many of us prepare for 2013.
MetroParks announces new motor vehicle permit plan – MetroParks motor vehicle permit hang tags will again be available free to all Butler County residents. According to a release from the park system, MetroParks of Butler County will be issuing hang tags that are valid for two years versus the current one-year tag due to suggestions from park customers for increased convenience.
Voice of America Museum Board gets key go ahead – The “last piece” to make West Chester Township’s Voice of America Bethany Relay Station a museum may finally be in place. During its Dec. 4 meeting, township trustees unanimously agreed to enter a five-year lease with the Board of the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting, which will put the museum’s board in charge of maintaining the landmark and will allow them to raise funds as a non-profit corporation.
Township approves ‘No Parking Zones’ near local schools – The West Chester Board of Trustees approved last week the establishment of “No Parking Zones” near several of the community’s schools on Dec. 4. The schools affected by the new “No Parking Zones” are Hopewell Junior and Hopewell Elementary, as well as Endeavor Elementary and Adena Elementary.
John Boehner of West Chester became the 61st Speaker of the House Jan. 5, 2011. In December of 2012, Boehner found himself on the hot seat. Photo taken by Michael E. Keating.
Wish List: West Chester mom wants to hear books- Dorothy Jones of West Chester is a mother of three who lost her vision in 2001 following an operation to reduce pressure on her brain. This was life-altering for Dorothy, her husband and children, who were infants and toddlers at the time, Leigh Taylor reported last month.
Enquirer poll: Should John Boehner keep his job?- House Speaker John Boehner of West Chester was on the hot seat in December from those worried that he will give in to President Barack Obama’s demands for higher tax rates in their negotiations to reduce the deficit.
On this birthday, a special number is the one-two know – John Johnston shared the story of Jack Greenlee of West Chester Township, who turned 12 on 12/12/12. Twelve-year-old birthday boys and girls everywhere have extra reason to whoop it up last week. After all, the calendar won’t show this kind of confluence of numbers again until Jan. 1, 2101, or 01/01/01.
West Chester parks to accept trees for recycling in Jan. – There will be two areas in West Chester where the community can recycle their Christmas trees this January, the Township announced in December. Those recycling areas will be located at Keehner Park and Beckett Park. Christmas trees will be accepted at both locations through the end of January.
Lakota West grad John Conner signed by Cincinnati Bengals – When Chris Pressley suffered a season-ending knee injury on Thursday night, the Bengals did not have to look far to find someone to come in. The team signed West Chester native and former Jet John Conner to a two-year deal after a morning workout on Dec. 15 involving three players. Conner moves into Pressley’s roster spot after the Bengals placed him on injured reserve. Pressley suffered the injury during the first quarter of the 34-13 win over the Eagles.
Lakota community dealing with questions after elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn. – Many schools across the nation opened their doors on Dec. 17 after a weekend where parents, students, teachers and other school staff questioned what could be done to prevent a school shooting like the one that took the lives of 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Conn., on Friday, Dec. 14.
Coney Island, the way it was in 1965, is being built at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction. The replica is expected to be finished in the spring of 2013 and could cost more than $100,000 to finish. Currently, the exhibit already features the Shooting Star roller coaster, which is almost 40 feet long. Photo by Adam Kiefaber Dec. 18, 2012.
Coney Island being built in West Chester- Replica of the Cincinnati amusement park in 1965 to be completed in spring of 2013 at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction. The new Coney Island exhibit, which is expected to open this spring, is expected to cost more than $100,000 to build.
Two families who refuse to let tragedy divide them – In March, Lakota West student Zeke Stepaniak was killed in an automobile accident when he turned in front of James Moore, who was heading home from work. Within a few days of the accident, James had reached out to Zeke’s parents and Zeke’s grandmother had reached out to James. Story written by The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Krista Ramsey.
Butler County deputy delivers baby on Christmas Eve – Sheila McLaughlin reported Dave Runnells’ full-time job is as a Butler County sheriff’s deputy running the graveyard shift. His part-time job is deputy chief of the Madison Township Fire Department, where he’s also an EMT. That’s why Runnells didn’t hesitate to deliver a baby in the back seat of a couple’s car in Trenton early on Christmas Eve.
Lady Liberty battle continues – Kyle Garth isn’t giving up his fight to put a costumed Lady Liberty on Tylersville Road to wave customers into his Liberty Tax Service, Sheila McLaughlin reports. After losing a decision in Ohio’s 12th District Court of Appeals, Garth is taking the case to the state’s highest court in a legal battle that’s already cost township taxpayers $60,000 in legal fees, according to records obtained by The Enquirer.
Pipe bomb explosion still rings in West Chester - Five years ago, Robby Moser couldn’t sound taps on his trumpet at his best friend’s funeral. On Jan. 2, Moser will have a chance to perform in memory of his best friend when the now-Yale graduate student leads a concert at Center Pointe Christian Church in Liberty Township to benefit the Daniel Ferraro Memorial Fund.
Replica of the Cincinnati amusement park in 1965 to be completed in spring of 2013
Owner Don Oeters has one last section of unused space in his 25,000-square-foot model train display at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction.
To fill the space, he had to decide between building a zoo, a circus or an amusement park.
Despite it being the most expensive of the three, Oeters went with the amusement park. The design is Cincinnati’s Coney Island circa 1965.
“I remember going there in the late ’50s all the way up until it closed (in 1971),” Oeters said. “As a kid you didn’t realize how good of a park it was, but there were only three other parks in the ’60s that were in a suburban area of a big city that had larger attendance than Coney Island.”
Coney Island, the way it was in 1965, is being built at West Chester’s EnterTRAINment Junction. The replica is expected to be finished in the spring of 2013 and could cost more than $100,000 to finish. Currently, the exhibit already features the Shooting Star roller coaster, which is almost 40 feet long. Photo by Adam Kiefaber Dec. 18, 2012.
The new Coney Island exhibit, which is expected to open this spring, is expected to cost more than $100,000 to build. In comparison, Oeters estimated that the zoo or the circus would have cost around $5,000.
One of the bigger features in the Coney Island exhibit, the Shooting Star roller coaster, is already in place and functioning. The roller coaster is almost 40 feet long.
“We are still in the early stages of doing the park. We have lots of rides ahead of us, but having the roller coaster already and seeing kids’ expressions and the enjoyment people are getting out of it – it has been worth it,” said Oeters, who says he rode the Shooting Star 22 times in one day.
The replica, which will cover more than a thousand square feet, also features working rides like the Lost River, a 4-foot tall Ferris wheel, Flying Rockets, Tumblebug and a carousel.
There will also be memorable features from Coney Island such as the front gate entrance way, Lake Como, Moonlite Gardens, the tree-lined Coney mall, picnic areas, Skeeball Arcade, basketball games and the Ohio River Gate with its steamboat landing.
Additional features include the Wild Mouse family coaster, a train ride, a haunted house, the Skyride, the Whip and Cuddle Up.
There will also be a working trolley line with running trolleys bustling along Kellogg Avenue and stopping at Coney’s front gate. The trolleys ran to Coney until 1925, making it one of the few historically inaccurate features of the exhibit.
“This project is truly amazing in both its scope and attention to detail. Seeing the park’s iconic rides actually operating in miniature is just wonderful,” said Vic Nolting, president of Coney Island.
EnterTRAINment Junction has had roughly $11 million poured into it over the course of the 4 1/2 years it has been open. It is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors this year, which would be a record for the venue.
