Universal’s Most Dangerous Tram Scene and Why It Disappeared (Ep. 85)

The Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Jim Hill Media Podcast Network

Tv & Film, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

4.7 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 January 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Jim and Eric kick off this week’s show with listener-driven updates and fresh speculation from the Universal parks beat, before pivoting into a deep historical dive on one of the strangest and most memorable effects ever staged on the Universal Studios Hollywood tram tour. Along the way, there is discussion of low-crowd horror experiences, a surprising Spielberg-themed survey, and a heartfelt remembrance of a YouTube pioneer who helped shape modern theme park fandom. NEWS • Fresh rumors swirl around a possible IT / Pennywise presence at Halloween Horror Nights, and why Warner Bros and Six Flags complicate the IP landscape • Listener reports reveal low crowds but high-quality scares at Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas • Early construction walls appear in Celestial Park at Epic Universe, hinting at future capacity expansion • A leaked survey teases a potential Steven Spielberg and Amblin-themed tram-style attraction concept • Reflections on the legacy of Adam the Woo and his impact on theme park history storytelling FEATURE • The forgotten history of Six Points, Texas on the Universal backlot and why it became underused • How Jay Stein pushed Universal to add bold show scenes to the tram tour in the early 1970s • The engineering and storytelling behind the Runaway Train effect and why it took five years to build • Mr. T, The A-Team, and the brief but unforgettable era when a TV star nearly “crashed” the tram HOSTS • Jim Hill - IG: @JimHillMedia | X: @JimHillMedia | Website: JimHillMedia.com • Eric Hersey - IG: @erichersey | X: @erichersey | Website: strongmindedagency.com FOLLOW • Facebook: JimHillMediaNews • Instagram: JimHillMedia • TikTok: JimHillMedia SUPPORT Support the show and access bonus episodes and additional content at Patreon.com/JimHillMedia. PRODUCTION CREDITS Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey - Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by Unlocked Magic. Save on Disney and Universal tickets, including park hoppers and Lightning Lane options, by booking through UnlockedMagic.com. If you would like to sponsor a show on the Jim Hill Media Podcast Network, reach out today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the Epic Universal podcast. I'm entertainment writer Jim Hill, and this is the podcast where we cover the latest universal news, rumors, and history. And as always, I'm joined by Eric Hersey, who has some exciting news for the coming months in regard to this podcast.
0:19.5	Right, Jim. We have done it. I will get to see Universal Studios
0:23.9	Hollywood with my own eyes. My feet will touch the upper and the lower lot along with my family.
0:29.1	We've finally pulled the trigger and made it happen. We are heading out west in the early March.
0:36.0	So we'll get to and we're going to stay, I believe we're going to book the Lowe's Hotel,
0:41.3	which is like, I guess, great location.
0:43.4	But I was on their website and we did all the planning.
0:46.9	So when you talk about things, which you'll be talking about Hollywood today in the feature,
0:52.4	I believe.
0:53.0	I will.
0:53.9	I'll know what the heck you're talking about.
0:55.6	I'll be able to visualize.
0:57.5	And life is so much easier that way.
1:00.3	Yeah.
1:00.9	Now, by the way, folks, we are trying to finagle for me to be out there at this same time.
1:07.6	So we can maybe record some shows on site and maybe do some interesting side trips,
1:13.1	but we'll talk further about that as we get closer to the actual, you know,
1:17.5	heading out to California.
1:19.9	But toward that end, a lot of show today.
1:23.4	In fact, thanks to a number of listeners who have shared info or, you know, their experiences,
1:30.7	which Eric and I will be talking about later in today's show.
1:33.3	And we'll be continuing our series of looking back the early, early days of the tram tour
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