Thomas Town at Kennywood to open in late July

Thomas Town at Kennywood Park will open July 27, according to a Facebook post published by the West Mifflin amusement park.

The park announced the $8.5 million addition earlier this year. It will include four new rides and is centered around the park's historic train, nestled between Raging Rapids and Auto Race.

In a hard hat tour to media on June 19, park officials called Thomas Town "one of the largest capital improvements in recent years" to Kennywood. The park added swinging ride Black Widow in 2012 and the Sky Rocket roller coaster in 2010.

The park has yet to officially announce what will replace Log Jammer, which closed at the end of the 2017 season.

Inside Thomas Town, guests can ride Cranky's Drop Tower, Harold's Helicopter Tour, Flynn's Fire Training and Diesel Drivers.

The park's two 1939 Gimbels Flyer engines will remain and be outfitted with character designs. Train cars will be painted to match.

A live-action show titled "Steel City Adventures" will feature Tidmouth Sheds and four of Thomas' friends: Percy, James, Gordon and Emily, along with Sir Topham Hatt, who serves as the controller of the railway in the show.

Park spokesman Nick Paradise has said that the themed area is one of two located in the United States. The other is at Edaville Family Amusement Park outside of Boston.

Bobby Cherry is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rcherry@tribweb.com and on Twitter at @bc_trib.