The Coasters Of Coney Island: Page 2

        The Giant Racer changed the skyline of Coney Island permanently.  Sure, there were some large objects on the island like the Iron Tower, the towers in Luna & Dreamland and even the Drop the Dips roller coaster...but the Giant Racer was really a watershed in the look of the place.  First off, the scale of the coaster was just massive.  Remember, a roller coaster is not only built up, the supports go out horizontally, too.  Add on a large cupola flying the stars and stripes, a lath and plaster Romanesque loading station, the neat little Coca-Cola stand offering drinks for 5 cents and one has a nostalgic picture.  Take a minute and just insert yourself in this postcard.  This is the perfect summer day: a clear sky, dusk is barely on the horizon and the warmth of the island wraps you like a soft blanket.  The Giant Racer was erected in 1911 and moved closer to Surf Avenue in 1916 in order to raise profits.  The coaster was demolished in 1927 to make room for arguably the most famous coaster in history, the Cyclone.

          The Thunderbolt was one of Coney's icons- one that was not happy to look at in its later years.  The coaster was designed by John Miller and built in 1925, the first of Coney's three landmark coasters.  Although it was often one-upped by the Cyclone down the street, the Thunderbolt held its own when it came to thrills.  The ride closed in 1983 and was destroyed by the city of New York in 2000.  Click here to visit my page dedicated to the Thunderbolt.

          This was the second of Coney Island's three signature roller coasters, the Bobs (later the Tornado).  It was designed by Frederick Church and built by The Thompson Company and its man-in-charge, Frank Darling (the one who would shortly be responsible for the first planned amusement park, Rye Playland).  The Tornado's layout was amazingly complex and used the Prior and Church cars which could best negotiate the twisted layout.  One interesting note is that the coaster's structure (not including the track) was a 50/50 wood-steel mixture, quite an unusual construction method.  I think part of this could be because of the ride's unique location- built above and around many different buildings and because Brooklyn did not allow any structure above three stories to be wood.  The ride sadly burned in 1977 and the ruins were removed taken down the following year.

         The Cyclone opened in 1927 to rave reviews and is still thrilling riders to this day.  It is now owned by the City of New York and leased by Astroland Park.  This coaster is one of the last real rock'em sock'em rides to still operate in the United States.  With well-maintained track, trains beyond comfortable and the always friendly (in a New York way) operators, what's not to love?  There is a lot more to be said about the Cyclone, which is why I gave it its own page.

          The Flying Turns rides have always intrigued me as they were one coaster I never got to see, all that is left are the many photographs and some rides (although not as intense) by Mack and Intamin, A.G.  Historian Jeffery Stanton said that there were actually two Flying Turns style rides built at Coney Island.  The first was called The Flying Turns, which was renovated in 1934 from The Limit roller coaster that had operated since 1925 by adding the wooden trough, but keeping the lift hill and first drop superstructure.  This renovation was done by Norman Bartlett, the man who built most of the Flying Turns.  He collaborated with Miller on two, then went his own way after the Euclid Beach version was finished.  The Flying Turns at Coney burned in 1939 and two years later the Bobsled (a Bartlett Flying Turns ride) from the '39 World's Fair was moved to Coney and operated until 1974 (I believe the last of the Flying Turns to operate in the country).  The Turns was a very fun (and unique) ride as there was no real track.  Instead, riders careened down a large half-barrel in cars that were modeled after airplanes.  Riders sat 2 per-car, with one resting upon the other's lap.  Yet another ride at Coney that helped stir up sexuality.

        Anton Schwarzkopf is one of my favorite steel coaster designers as his rides are almost always quite intense.  Looking at the Jumbo Jet for the first time some may have scoffed or wondered if it was any good.  Then they took a ride.  The first thing they noticed was the spiral lift hill.  Instead of using a traditional chain lift, Anton took riders up using motors within the Jumbo Jet's cars.  After that the two-car train plunged into a series of hills and tight spirals that took your breath away.  The ride was added in 1972 and the only permanent Jumbo Jet coaster in the United States.  One of Anton's earlier coasters, this ride paved the way for his larger Speedracer coasters, like the Big Bend at Six Flags over Texas and the last operating speedracer in the United States, the Whizzer at Six Flags Great America.  The Jumbo Jet was a fun ride and not to be missed while walking down Coney Island's famous Bowery.  Sadly the ride was sold by the Kaufman family after the 2002 season and now a Huss Top Spin2 spins in its place.

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