New Life Ranch Frontier Cove (formerly Dry Gulch, U.S.A.) is a Western-themed Christian children's summer camp located on the western edge of Lake Hudson near Adair, Oklahoma.
| Location | Adair, Oklahoma, United States |
|---|---|
| Opened | 1986 |
| Operated by | New Life Ranch |
Overview
editThe New Life Ranch Frontier Cove facility, originally named Dry Gulch, U.S.A., was founded by Church on the Move senior pastor Willie George in 1986. At this time, he was producing The Gospel Bill Show, a Christian values-based television show that used the Western-themed town on the property as a set. Apart from religious services, camp activities include traditional ones such as basketball, obstacle courses, swimming, canoeing, and inner tube riding; and non-traditional ones such as carousel rides, bumper cars, and go-karts.[1]
The Christmas Train
editThe Christmas Train (Dry Gulch, U.S.A.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The New Life Ranch Frontier Cove property, when it was owned by Church on the Move, had The Christmas Train (a.k.a.: the Dry Gulch & Silver City Railroad), a 3 ft (914 mm) narrow gauge heritage railroad opened in 1996, which utilized genuine steam locomotives and ran during the weeks leading up to Christmas.[2] Each year, The Christmas Train entertained over 50,000 visitors.[2][3] It was discontinued after the 2016 season.[4]
Steam locomotives
editThe Christmas Train had three propane-fired steam locomotives, two of which are historic. Their details are listed in the table below.[5][6][7]
| Number | Wheel arrangement | Year built | Builder | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 0-4-0 | 1942 | H.K. Porter, Inc. | |
| 43 | 0-4-0 | 1928 | H.K. Porter, Inc. | |
| 552 | 4-4-0 | 1974 | Crown Metal Products | Originally built for the Old Dominion Line, the now-defunct railroad in the Kings Dominion amusement park in Doswell, Virginia. Since sold to Worlds of Fun.[8] |
For sale
editIn February 2016, Church on the Move, the owner of Dry Gulch, U.S.A. and The Christmas Train, announced that the property was put up for sale with the hope of selling it to a similar organization.[3] In August 2018, the camp was purchased by New Life Ranch and renamed "New Life Ranch Frontier Cove".[9] That same month, Church on the Move was in the process of selling the Christmas Train to a group outside of Oklahoma.[9]
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ "Dry Gulch, U.S.A. – Summer Camp 2016 Frequently Asked Questions". Church on the Move. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ a b "The Christmas Train – Volunteer Central". Church on the Move. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ a b "Church on the Move to sell Dry Gulch property that's home to Christmas Train". Tulsa World. 9 February 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ "The Christmas Train – official website". Church on the Move. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- ^ "Locomotive No. 7". Steamlocomotive.info. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ "Locomotive No. 43". Steamlocomotive.info. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ "Locomotive No. 552". Steamlocomotive.info. Retrieved August 17, 2016.
- ^ "Worlds of Fun Railroad Update".
- ^ a b "Torch of Ministry Passes from Church on the Move to New Life Ranch with the Sale of Dry Gulch, U.S.A." Church on the Move. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
External links
edit36°23′05″N 95°08′25″W / 36.384810°N 95.140366°W
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