Cyclone (Palisades Amusement Park)
Cyclone was the name of two wooden roller coasters which operated at Palisades Amusement Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. The first operated from 1927 through 1934, and the second between 1945 and 1971.[1]
| Cyclone | |
|---|---|
| Palisades Amusement Park | |
| Location | Palisades Amusement Park |
| Coordinates | 40.8281°N 73.9778°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | September 10, 1927 |
| Closing date | 1934 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Traver Engineering |
| Designer | Harry G. Traver |
| Model | Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster |
| Trains | Single train with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train. |
| Cyclone at RCDB Pictures of Cyclone at RCDB | |
1927 Coaster
The first coaster was steel-framed wooden roller coaster which was designed and built by Harry Traver of the Traver Engineering Company and a member of the notorious Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster "Terrible Triplets".[2][3]
History and design
After hearing reports of the success of the Cyclone at Crystal Beach Park and the Lightning in Revere, Massachusetts, Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, the owners of Palisades Park, decided to buy their own Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster in 1927. Construction of the Cyclone ran into difficulty when dealing with the uneven, rocky terrain and limited space.[4] Indeed, the coaster sat quite near the cliffside of the Palisades.[5] The coaster opened mid-season on September 10, 1927.[6]
As with other members of the "Terrible Triplets", the coaster dealt with many maintenance issues during its existence and spent considerable periods of time standing but not operating.[5][2] A modern roller coaster designer commented that this may have been partly a function of the additional wear and tear caused by the construction adjustments necessary for the Palisades terrain.[2]
Although the first Palisades Cyclone was built on a steel frame, fire played at least some role in its destruction. A major fire at the amusement park in 1934 destroyed some of the coaster's wooden track.[2] This, combined with a reputation in the community for danger and decreased ridership (the coaster had been up for sale in 1933[6]), led to its ultimate demolition.[5]
Ride experience
As with the other Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters, the first Cyclone at Palisades was notorious for a rough ride. Although no fatal incidents were reported, park operators reported occasional broken ribs and collarbones.[6] It is thought that this coaster may have been the roughest of the "Terrifying Triplets".[2] The steel structure of the coaster on the unforgiving Palisades terrain, combined with design adjustments needed to accommodate the terrain, are thought to be partially responsible.[5][4] The spiral element common to Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters was the tightest on this coaster,[2] as were the turns.[5] The ride incorporated the rapidly undulating "Jazz Track" which was common throughout steel-framed Traver coasters.[2]
A lack of repeat ridership was a particular problem for the income the coaster created. Only about 10% of riders were re-rides (compared to about 40% for other coasters of the era).[6] "Cyclone watching" (to see the reactions of pained riders) became a popular pastime and the park's ownership considered giving a prize to anyone who rode the coaster three times in succession.[6]
1945 Coaster
The second coaster was a traditional wooden coaster built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters.[7] The coaster was built partially from the remains of a previous coaster known as the Skyrocket.[4] The Skyrocket had operated between 1926 and 1944 when it was destroyed by fire.[8] This second Cyclone operated on the Palisades until the park's ultimate closure in 1971.[7]
References
- Marden, Duane. "List of Coasters at Palisades Amusement Park". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- Munch, Richard (1982). Harry G. Traver: Legends of Terror. Mentor, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. ISBN 0935408029.
- Marden, Duane. "Cyclone (1927) (Palisades Amusement Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- Samuelson, Dale; Yegoiantis, Wendy (2001). The American Amusement Park. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760309817.
- Gargiulo, Vince (2006). Palisades Amusement Park: A century of fond memories. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0813522242.
- Heflin, Joe (Fall 1983). "Traver Cyclones: Re-examination". Coaster World. Vol. 4 no. 3. pp. 8–13.
- Marden, Duane. "Cyclone (1945) (Palisades Amusement Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- Marden, Duane. "Skyrocket (Palisades Amusement Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 10, 2017.