Thomas Town Attraction Steams Into Kennywood
Starting in 2018, visitors to Kennywood in Pittsburgh, PA, will encounter Thomas Town! In the largest single year addition in the park’s history, the area surrounding the Olde Kennywood Railroad will be converted into Thomas Town — North America’s second largest Thomas the Tank Engine attraction.
“We’re so excited to welcome Thomas & Friends to Kennywood,” says Kennywood General Manager Jerome Gibas. “Thomas Town presents a huge addition that expands our family offerings while introducing the park to Thomas & Friends fans from around the globe. We couldn’t ask for a better gift for Kennywood and our guests to help celebrate our 120th anniversary season in 2018.”
- Journey with Thomas: Climb aboard for an unforgettable journey with the Number 1 Blue Engine! Guests of all ages can hop aboard a Thomas-themed train ride that takes you along the back side of Kennywood, with wondrous views of the Monongahela River and the Edgar Thomson Works, the oldest steel mill in the Steel City. It’s a beautiful setting that looks like what you might see on the island of Sodor!
- Cranky’s Drop Tower: Strap in tight for a truly Cranky experience! Sodor’s strongest crane will lift you high above Thomas Town, and then drop you down!
- Harold’s Helicopter Tour: All set and ready for action! Kids can take control of their own Harold Helicopter and pilot him up and down as they spin round and round.
- Firefighting Flynn: Junior firefighters shoot water to extinguish flames on this unique, interactive ride.
- The Convoy: Don’t forget the Diesels! Climb aboard Diesel, Iron Bert and other Diesel engines for a fun ride.
Kennywood will also be adding several other additions to the area that include:
- A new live stage show featuring featuring Thomas’ friends Percy, James, Emily and Gordon
- Thomas & Friends Big Adventure Soft Play Zone
- Gift Shop
- Birthday and Special Events Pavilion
The new area will feature beloved characters such as Thomas, Diesel, Salty, Iron Bert, Rusty, Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter, and more. Guests will be able to visit familiar destinations around the Island of Sodor like Tidmouth Sheds and Knapford Station. Sir Topham Hatt, Controller of the Railway on the Island of Sodor, will be on site to greet kids and take photos!
All the attractions will be placed in and around the park’s current train ride, which has operated at Kennywood with various themes since 1945. To accommodate the new area, some changes will be implemented with surrounding rides and landmarks. The traditional train theme will be removed and replaced with Thomas and friends. The entrance to the Raging Rapids will now be closer to Ghostwood Estate, where the ride had previously been visible but not directly accessible. The fountain will be removed and put into storage. The Around the World basketball game, the floral clock, and even the classic Laffin’ Sal, each will find new homes elsewhere in the park to make room for Thomas Town. Construction is already in progress.
Straight ahead in the photo below is where we expect the new entrance to be placed for Raging Rapids.
This news comes just a few months after Kennywood announcing they would be closing the Log Jammer. Removal has already started. You can watch a video of Log Jammer being demolished and see what’s replacing it by clicking here.
Thomas Town will open Summer of 2018. More details about the new attractions will be revealed in the coming months leading up to the area’s grand opening. We want to hear your thoughts on the new expansion! Comment on our socials now!
For tickets and more information, visit the official Kennywood website by clicking here.
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