Anyone remember USA Network's Cartoon Express?

[king of comedy]

Never heard of it.

[Videoranger007]

Lasted from 1984-1997. Great alternating block of cartoons and one of the only ways to see classic hanna barbera before cartoon network existed.

[AceWesternson]

USA Cartoon express I was one of it's viewers homies yeah that's right homesters ,

the first time i saw Jem & The Holograms was USA cartoon express then The Real Ghostbusters which back then i didn't know it was in the same contunity with the GB movies I love that cartoon then i saw more of the cartoons that were part of the USA cartoon express

[Elainer]

I did and also USA Action Extreme Team

[Tubehead]

i remember watching conan the barbarian nintendo power ledge of zelda & attack of the killer tomatoes!! i also remember watching muppet babies &the real ghost busters!!

[Videoranger007]

99% of what you listed was never on cartoon express. I think ur mixing up saturday morning broadcasts. Only RGB was on cartoon express around 1992-94.

[Frosty81]

The original 1983-88 intro sequence, I've read, was animated by Hanna-Barbera.

But another question needs to be answered: who did the background music with that crazy rock 'n roll guitar? It certainly seems inspired by Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" which would seem to fit in with the train setting of the intro sequence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqtVJZWtMAM&t=91s

~Ben

[TMC]

🚂 Before Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon ruled kids' TV, there was USA Cartoon Express — the first big cartoon block on cable!

In this video, we’re taking a full ride through the history of USA Cartoon Express: how it started, the behind-the-scenes deals with Hanna-Barbera, the legendary rerun lineup that included Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and even Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, G.I. Joe, and The Adventures of Super Mario Bros. 3.

We'll also cover the original shows created just for USA like Problem Child, Itsy Bitsy Spider, The New Adventures of Speed Racer, Double Dragon, Highlander: The Animated Series, Street Fighter, Savage Dragon, WildC.A.T.s, Ultraforce, Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, and Wing Commander Academy

Find out how secondary run rights brought even more legendary cartoons to the block, why the block came to an end in the mid-90s, and the lasting legacy that USA Cartoon Express left behind.

If you grew up during the 80s and 90s, chances are you took a ride on the Express.

[Frosty81]

I still hold out hope that someone here can upload the original closing credits from The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour that were present on USA Cartoon Express's reruns of Dynomutt.

Thank you,



Ben (Frosty81)

[TMC]

What television shows, moments, and network decisions directly contributed to the ultimate decline of the USA Network's animation programming block, "The USA Cartoon Express" (1982-1996)?

[TMC]

Relive childhood with That Junkman's trip down memory lane! Explore the USA Cartoon Express, a weekday afternoon cartoon block featuring classic Hanna-Barbera and more. From the 80s to the 90s, this nostalgic journey showcases a beloved TV staple.

[Frosty81]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFttN0lLvvo

At the very end in this block of USA Network commercials dated 2/26/83: a promo for the Sunday Cartoon Express!

~Ben

[TMC]

Before Cartoon Network became the home of animation, before Nickelodeon changed kids TV with Rugrats, Doug, and Ren & Stimpy, and before Fox Kids turned weekday afternoons into a battle zone of superheroes, mutants, and toy commercials… there was USA Cartoon Express.

For a generation of kids with cable in the 1980s and early 1990s, USA Cartoon Express was the after-school cartoon destination. With its unforgettable train branding, “All aboard!” energy, and endless rotation of classics like Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Yogi Bear, Jonny Quest, The Smurfs, Thundarr the Barbarian, G.I. Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and more, it helped define what cable television could be for kids.

But then the TV landscape changed. Fox Kids exploded. Nickelodeon launched Nicktoons. Cartoon Network arrived. And when Ted Turner bought Hanna-Barbera, the very library that powered USA Cartoon Express started slipping away.

So, what happened to USA Cartoon Express? Why did one of cable’s first major cartoon blocks disappear so quietly? And how did this forgotten cartoon train help pave the way for the entire future of kids television?

In this video, we’re looking back at the rise, peak, and quiet death of USA Cartoon Express — the cartoon block that came before Cartoon Network and helped build the bridge to modern kids TV.

Did you grow up watching USA Cartoon Express? What show do you remember most from the block — Scooby-Doo, The Flintstones, Thundarr, TMNT, G.I. Joe, Yogi Bear, or something deeper from the vault like Inch High Private Eye? Drop your memories in the comments!

If you enjoy nostalgic deep dives into forgotten TV shows, classic cartoons, 1980s and 1990s kids programming, and the business decisions that shaped television history, make sure to like, subscribe, and join us for more Dial-Up Days.