Hello again; I hope you and your family are all well. I also hope that you got to enjoy some valuable quality time with your families during the holiday season. And now its time for us all to get back to work me included.
Today, I’m writing to share my latest video in my podcast series titled Calliope Corner. This time I have a completely restored 1960’s Malcom Cummings park train for $175,000 or best reasonable offer. And I have some awesome videos of it to show you.
Naturally, I hope you will watch the entire show. But if you would like to skip ahead to the video of the train in operation or to the owner’s walk around of the ride; then just scan down through the headings until you see the one you want. With all three videos there are two links. The first one is an embedded file that plays directly on this page. The second is a direct link to the video on youtube. Please let me know if you have any trouble with either of them.
A Little background
This beautiful train belongs to a gentleman from Prince Edward Island Canada who restores classic automobiles for a living. He bought this train from someone who bought it after the amusement park called Fairy Land went out of business. It was a family style amusement park in the same city where the train is located now.
He told me that when he first purchased it his plan was to refurbish it and then set it up for family and neighborhood events. He had no plans to operate it for profit. However, it turned out that the city has rules against him operating this train there. So, after he restored it; he decided he would have to put it up for sale.
Train details
This train is one of the first seven designed and built by Malcolm Cummings in the 1960’s. After researching the many other park trains in operation at that time he came up with this model.
I’m told it looks a lot like the Super Chief of the Atcheson Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad which ran between Los Angeles and Chicago and was famous for being the favorite of the stars.
As a long time fan of old time radio I have enjoyed many episodes of the Jack Benny show which centered on the Super Chief or the Los Angeles station readying to board the train.
Train details
This train comes with an engine, two regular cars, and a caboose. The locomotive runs on a deisel engine. And the train comes with 1800 feet of track. It needs absolutely nothing to be ready to put into operation.
The owner says he can assist with loading it for transport, and he has a friend who can probably help with transporting it to your location or to a port or train terminal. Of course, ultimately these arrangements are the buyer’s responsibility and you would be responsible for all costs including taxes and fees involved in relocating the unit.
Train in operation
It sounds like they are having fun playing with their train. 🙂 I don’t know if they set it up just to show people the ride in operation or if they did it to help with the refurbishing process. They may have wanted a way to test their work.
I don’t know if this was all the room they had or if they did this to avoid running a fowl of the city’s rules concerning operating a train. Never-the-less, you can see and hear this gorgeous train running. And I hope the video does it justice.
Walk around
This video was taken specifically because I asked them to. I was hoping that they would give you a look at the engine and other working parts. The tour inside the cab is at least educational.
Additional photos
If you want to see more photos of the train, you can see them on the equipment listings page
This post may not be as full of facts and historical details as I prefer, but one thing I can tell you is the love and pride in their work that these gentlemen have. I can feel it every time I talk to them about the train and the work they put into it.
I do know that they are looking forward to selling it for two reasons. One they want this train to have a good new home to be enjoyed and loved by a new generation of families.
They also want to purchase their next project. I don’t know what kind of classic car it will be, but I’m sure it will be something just as exciting as this train has been.
Where I see this train
Like I said in the video this train is in pristine condition. It would be right at home in just about any setting. In addition to the obvious like amusement parks, theme parks, and city parks; I could also see it at a shopping mall, pumpkin patch, or manufacturing facility. And it would be a centerpiece in any train park.
If you have any questions or want to visit the ride to inspect it towards making a purchase; then please call or text me at 979-215-1770. You can also email me at maxwell@midwaymarketplace.com
You can use the same contact information if you would like to be featured in one of my videos. The same applies should you have equipment you want to list with me. I do work on commission, but there is no fee unless I make the sale. I’m all about doing whatever I can to show your equipment to its best advantage.
As for these videos I do have plans to start doing them in person on location with my clients and their equipment. But I am a totally blind person, so until I solve the logistical issues; these will have to do.
I think I can continue to do good work as long as people continue to submit their videos. Which reminds me in the coming weeks I will be sharing some other great rides. I have a round-up, loop-o-plane, and rock-o-plane from california along with an amazing four abreast carousel in Houston Texas.
Sharing is caring
I put a lot of myself into recording these videos. I know they could be better, but I’m still proud of the work. So, I would really appreciate it if you would share this post with your friends, family, and coworkers. Please post it to your social media networks. If you are watching the videos, I’m sure you can find youtube’s sharing buttons. I’ll be happy to help you with your posts too.
Comments help us both
Most of you already know this, but to google and other search engines comments are like votes. They tell them what sites are important to you. In addition I have comment luv on my site. That means you get a link to your website, podcast, or blog along with a link to your latest post displayed right next to your comment. A.
Well, that’s it for now. I do love to hear from my readers, so feel free to use the contact form and drop me a line. You don’t have to have a specific reason to email.
If you have a question about me, a piece of equipment, the amusement industry, blogging, podcasting, social media, or what its like to be blind; I will be happy to answer to the best of my ability. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks and take care out there, Max
Hi Max,
Wishing you a very Happy New Year, as this is my first visit to this blog in this year 🙂
Many congratulations for the Malcom Cummings park train – it looks wonderful indeed. More than anything else and the details, it reminds me of my childhood days and the ride we had in such toy trains, though they were different – but the memories remain.
I loved the videos, and the bright red color of the train too. Not to mention, even the video where you were singing!! That was a lovely surprise for sure.
Thanks for sharing all of this with us, and wishing you every success in this year. Have a nice and relaxing weekend 🙂
Harleena Singh recently posted…GEMS Of The ABC January 2015 And A Giveaway
Hi Harleena; thanks so much for your continued support of me and my blogging efforts. This is the first post for this blog in the new year. actually its the first since june of last year according to the program i use to write these. adrienne warned me about two blogs. between getting the new blog started and having the problems with my cpap machine this is the first time i’ve felt up to it. i figure i used a malfunctioning breathing machine for about four months. I’m glad you and others of my friends enjoy my singing. and i’m even happier that the photos and videos brought back good childhood memories. that’s one thing i have noticed. when i post about a fun ride like a train carousel or round about people tell me about their memories of better times. and when i post scary rides like a kamikaze himalaya drop tower etc people tell me how they didn’t want to watch for fear of being scared or made sick. glad you got to revisit some fond memories today. thanks again and take care my friend. xoxo max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
Max, Judy Garland sang “The Atcheson Topeka and Santa Fe” in the movie “Meet Me in St. Louis” which I’ve seen more than once on TV. Trains are such an integral part of our nation’s history, linking the east and west. As for uses, I could also see it being used in a trade school that teaches people how to become train mechanics.
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hi jeannette; I’ve seen that movie lots of times. that song has a lot of energy but now that i am reminded that judy garlin sang it i think i made the right choice. yes it could be used to teach mechanics. and i just remembered that the houston astros have a train that runs in their ballpark. the trick will be finding someone with the cash or credit to match their imagination. but you are right about how trains are a captivating subject. I’m hopeful that this ride and others will bring people into the site who will help draw the attention of a paying customer. thanks so much for your comment. its been six months since i wrote a post or recorded a video for the midway. need to do more for it. hoping my health is all straightened out where i can keep up the regular posts. take care my friend, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
wow awesome train that looks great, and I’d love to see it in a zoo or something!
ben recently posted…Hello world!
hi ben; glad you liked the train. would love for it to go to australia, but i know the costs of shipping there make selling price a problem with all new or like new rides. be sure to let me know if i can help you with anything. i help people buy and sell rides games inflatables concessions items worldwide. hope to see you here often. thanks, max
Hi Max
Don’t know much about amusement park equipment but This train is so beautiful. and I believe children are going to love it too. Also this is my first time seeing you on video and what a nice voice you have.
Thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful week.
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Hi Ikechi; so glad you enjoyed the post the video, and my singing. the brain is amazing. the price will bother some people but it is half the cost or less of a new one. and i am hopeful that the train will generate traffic that leads to other sales. i’m the barker whose job it is to get them on the midway. 🙂 appreciate the book review and the review of my other video. take care, max
maxwell ivey recently posted…Why I sing and how I can help you free the song in your own heart
Hi Maxwell bro,
This is my very first visit to this blog.
I have read a lot about you from Harleena Mam’s blog.
Recently I read about your book on Ikechie bro’s blog. So please let me know how can I get one hard-copy.
I read this blog from mobile. So couldn’t see video. But it looks superb according to images.
To be frank, I travelled in train only once in my entire life.
Thank you so much bro.
Loiking for more.
Regards,
Rahul
hi rahul; thanks for the comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and I emailed you so we can sort out getting you a print copy of the book. so glad to meet you. any friend of harleena’s and ikechi’s is a friend of mine. 🙂 take care, max
Interesting post Max. How much does a train like that sell for? Good luck finding a new home for it.
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hi ken; this one is listed for 175,000 a new one from m cummings in canada with similar features and amount of track would cost $350,000 or more. and that is actually cheap compared to the 24 gage c p huntington trains made by chance rides. thanks for your encouragement, max
You are a truly talented man Max. Loved your singing video. My husband and I just saw the Barrett Jackson car auctions last night. Like your train being unique, one of the auctions was for a General Mills bus which was driven to showplace new items.
Some car hobbyists would likely find it of interest. Let us know what it finally goes for?
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Hi Pat; so glad to hear that you liked my singing and got some enjoyment out of looking at the train. a general mills bus. bet the kids loved seeing it roll into town. wonder if it would have been accompanied by some of the saturday morning stars? wish i could remember what car my client said he plans on buying if i sell it for him. but true to his passion he does have the next one picked out. thanks again, you’re a good friend, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
That’s a pretty big beast of a train; no wonder the huge price tag. Good luck with deal.
Tim recently posted…No Butcher or Candlestick Maker
hi tim; yes its a big one all right. i believe its actually a 36 inch gage train but i can’t verify that. not a lot of available information on the original seven trains built by the original malcolm cummings. love your stories. take care out there, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
Max, I was transported back to my childhood watching the video.
Hi; I’mm glad I could do that for you. One thing I have realized is that people love the videos of carousels trains bumper cars or kiddie rides. but they don’t care for the ones of scary rides. I can only go with what videos my clients send to me for now, but I try to give the readers what they like. 🙂 thanks for stopping by, max
Simply beautiful! Trains play such an important part of our history! Hope it finds a lovely home…it’s so beautifully restored!
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Hi Jaqueline; thanks for your comment. yes it is amazing what they have done with this one. and i do hope we can find it a new home soon. take care, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
I hope this gets shared with other train afficionados!
Alice recently posted…Frozen Beauty
hi alice; thanks for your kind words. would love it if more people saw it. thanks, max
It is nice that they have came up with a nice look. I hope that it will find new home soon and many will enjoy its ride. It really took ma back to my childhood.
andleeb recently posted…Easy Potato Cutlet: #Recipe
hi andleeb; thanks for stopping by. so many have said the same thing about it and i’m happy to be bringing back so many good memories. will keep this in mind when choosing future items to spotlight. thanks and take care, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
What an amazing project! I have always loved trains. When I worked in sales and traveled around the U.S. on business I took a train every chance I got. This looks like a real beauty and reminds me of a much larger version of a vintage train we have where I live in Maui. I have no doubt someone will find the perfect home for this beauty!
hi marquita; thanks for checking out the train. it is probably one of the nicest pieces i’ve ever had for sale that wasn’t brand new. and i too hope we find it a good home soon. by the way its no secret that i want to travel more. do you have any suggestions on how a blind guy with no wife girlfriend or budget for staff could manage it. thanks again, max
Love that train. I want to win the lottery so I can have a house with a driveway a half mile long and a train like that, just for going to get the mail 🙂
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hi steve; thanks for your comment. got a smile out of the idea of riding the train to check the mail. i found out i mistakenly said its a diesel when it runs on gas. but when i heard it run i thought gomes adams and the old tv show. be sure and let us know if you win. 🙂 take care, max
What a cool train, Max. I can’t imagine the amount of time and energy that went into lovingly restoring it. They did a really great job. Hope it goes somewhere where it will be enjoyed for many years to come.
Hi Susan; i have a hard time imagining it too. i have another train on my site that is much older and needs a lot of work. I’ve been told that to restore it to this level of beauty would require at least 50,000 dollars worth of work. of course that would be restoring to museum quality not the same thing as getting one running again like this one. i do think it would be even better if i had the time to go there and get the owner to talk about all the steps they went through and describe the train in detail. that’s what i’d love to be able to do for this awesome ride and for so many others. thanks for coming by i know you are really busy. xoxo max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
Those train pictures are awesome. Brings me back to my childhood.
Jason B recently posted…3 Simple Ways to Get Shipping Boxes
hi jason; glad you liked them. this is also a valuable lesson to me. if i want people other than those in the amusement industry to be interested in my posts then i need to go with rides like trains carousels kiddie rides cotton candy stands funnel cake trailers etc. so hope you come back when i post my next item. take care, max
Mr.Midway recently posted…Calliope Corner episode 4 a malcolm cummings park train
Max, thank you for introducing me to a whole new world of park trains. It’s fascinating to consider how trains capture the imagination of people from probably just about everywhere. Both little kids and big love trains. When I was a kid I used to go with my dad and siblings to the Fraser River outside of Vancouver, where he liked to bar fish. It was always a very big deal when a train conductor waved and blew the whistle for us! Thanks for bringing back that happy memory for me. 🙂
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hi ramona; yes trains do have almost universal appeal. one of my mom’s memories was of a train engineer who not only waved but blew the horn and then threw them a huge piece of chalk that they used for drawing hop scotch paths for long after that day. and i like how you put it little kids and big ones. my dad used to say that a grown up was just a kid over 48 inches tall. that was the minimum height for riding the adult rides. glad i could remind you of happy days, max
I am unsure if this is shared with other areas of the world, but to those of us in North America, there is something primal about a train.
Maybe it is the fact that trains help conquers the west, allowing us to move across the country like a migrating bird. Maybe it is the fact that it is a massive engine, with power. Whatever it is, I know this vision of trains was instilled into me as a child. At carnivals, others would want to go onto Ferris wheels, I wanted to go ride the train. Thanks for sharing this.
hi william; love hearing your take on it as an author and a fan. you write so eloquently. kids will always love trains. whether its the speed and the feeling of moving or the lights and horns kids love trains. glad i could bring back memories for you and so many others. and thanks for reading, max
What a beautiful train! I hope it gets a great home where many people will have an opportunity to enjoy it.
Beth Niebuhr recently posted…Don’t Let Anyone Hold Your Brush!
hi beth; i too hope it goes back into service soon. rides like this are meant to be enjoyed by kids big and little ones alike. would hope it goes somewhere i can go ride it myself. that would make a great story the end to this post as its beginning. thanks for taking the time to read or watch this. take care, max
Hi Max,
Its pretty interesting reading this article. This is my first time! The videos are interesting, and its great to see that the amusement industry still got something to offer when it comes to podcast.
The Malcolm Cumming Park Train is so vintage and its exciting to learn of how and why it was refurbished. Thanks for sharing this and I already hooked to The Midway Marketplace 😉
I left this comment in kingged.com where I stumbled upon this article.
Hello; so glad that you not only found me on kingged but that you took the time to visit the site and leave a comment. I’m glad you enjoyed watching the videos and learning about the malcolm cummings train. wish i could have had more actual factual information for you, but luckily the train is such a beauty that it speaks for itself. and i am hopeful of doing more shows in the future preferably on location. thanks again and take care, max