Either the cowboys and cowgirls were not getting the job done and needed some help, or some children just felt better about dressing as witches, Harry Potter or Indiana Jones.
Each year, the Taieri Gorge train is chocka-block with children dressed as gun-slingers, all intent on catching "the bad guys" and finding the Cadbury treasure on the Cadbury Crunchie Gold Rush train.
But this year, there seemed to be a few more "helpers" from different genres.
Cadbury event co-ordinator Lee-anne Anderson said children were invited to come dressed up as anything, and while the majority chose to be cowboys or cowgirls, an increasing number were dressing as Batman, Spider-Man or other superheroes to help apprehend the train robbers during the train trip to Hindon and back.
She said the train was held up at Wingatui by bandits on horseback. The superheroes had then teamed up with the cowboys and cowgirls to get the treasure back.
It was just as well, because the treasure was needed for the next Cadbury Crunchie Gold Rush train trip on Thursday, she said.
The event was part of the Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival, which began on Saturday.
Other carnival events held yesterday included children transforming themselves into pond creatures at Orokonui Ecosanctuary and participating in a pond parade; a Blue Light Cadbury Disco at the Dunedin Police Station; painting using chocolate at the Dunedin Public Library, and the Cadbury Recyclia Trash to Art Exhibition.
The events continue this week and will culminate in the Cadbury Jaffa Race at the World's Steepest Street Party on Baldwin St on Friday.
