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Park Hoppin
Cajun Coasting With Paul Ruben
I
n the past I’ve written about how coasters have adopted an automobile theme to their trains. The Cop Car Chase coaster operated from 1996 to 2006 at Germany’s Movie Park with trains themed as police vehicles. Zampera’s Zig-
Zag Wild Mouse coaster operates with auto-themed vehicles. The Rock ‘n Roller Coaster limousine themed coaster has launched from Disney’s Hollywood Studios since 1999, while the Italian Job coasters, with cars themed as Mini Coopers, operate at three Paramount parks. Carowinds and Kings Dominion boast versions of mega NASCAR-themed coaster Intimidator, and the racecar-themed Formula Rossa roars at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi. These all make sense. Coasters go fast, just as the automobiles they are themed for go fast. But I did a double-take when I saw the theming recently on E&F Miler family coaster Loco Loco at Dixie Landin’ in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was themed as a farm tractor. Farm tractors don’t go fast. Farm tractors crawl. I can walk faster than farm tractors go. I rode it, of course, and it may be the world’s fastest tractor. But I was puzzled by the theming. Liz Haynes Harrison, daughter of owner Sam Haynes, Jr., explained that Dixie Landin’ is actually Loco Loco’s second home. It first appeared as the Harvest Express Coaster in 2006 at Nut Tree Park, located in Vacaville farming country northeast of San Francisco, celebrating agriculture. The ride was moved to Dixie Landin’ in 2010, where it has thrilled local residents who don’t grow nut trees, but cotton, corn, and sugar cane.
Dixie Landin’ was built
in 1999 alongside Blue Bayou, its sister waterpark. It currently has 29 attractions, including an S&S combo drop tower, a log flume, and four roller coasters. But what fascinated me was its collection of classic rides, similar to that of Whalom Park in Lunenberg, Massachusetts, before it turned out the lights in 2000. Dixie Landin’ still operates a Chance Rides’ Old 99 train ride. I know of no others in service. It has a fleet of 1985 Lusse bumper cars. Only four other parks still feature the durable Lusse cars (Knoebels, Dutch Wonderland, Oaks Park, and Nova Scotia’s Atlantic Playland). There’s a Theel Merry-Go- Round; Hrubetz Paratrooper; Herschell Red Baron; Eyerly Spider; S.A. Roller Works Zoom and three Hampton kiddie rides. Most of these are over 50 years old, and they purr like new. These are the rides I grew up with, and seeing them again brought a smile to my face.
4
February 2018
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