Steam & Excursion > Cedar Point & Lake Erie RR query-

Alright, mainline steam it may not be, but that said...

I visited Cedar Point yesterday for the first time and, naturally, took the train ride. Unless my eyesight is beginning to fail me, I did not notice any air brake line running through the train (I did note the link & pin couplers). Obviously the train stopped fine when it came into the stations, but at 6 cars long, even if they are only amusement passenger cars, is there any risk to having the engine alone brake the train if there were an emergency situation? I would have asked the crew but where the engine stopped was inaccessible to the public.

Just curious....

The steam trains at Disneyworld work the same way, engine brakes only. I took a behind-the-scenes tour of the railroad last winter. The cast member serving as the tour guide explained that airbrakes would be too maintenance intensive and the trains are so light that engine brakes are sufficient.