Airplane Coaster

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Airplane Coaster
Airplane Coaster postcard vertical crop.jpg
The first drop of the Airplane Coaster
Playland
Location Playland
Coordinates 40°57′57″N73°40′26″W / 40.96583°N 73.67389°W / 40.96583; -73.67389 Coordinates: 40°57′57″N73°40′26″W / 40.96583°N 73.67389°W / 40.96583; -73.67389
StatusRemoved
Opening dateMay 26, 1928 (1928-05-26)
Closing dateNovember 1957 (November 1957)
Cost$200,000
General statistics
Type Wood
Manufacturer Frank W. Darling
Designer Frederick Church
Height92 ft (28 m)
Length3,500 ft (1,100 m)
Speed40 mph (64 km/h)
Trains10 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train.
Airplane Coaster at RCDB

Airplane Coaster, known previously as the Aero-Coaster and the Aeroplane Dips, [1] was a wooden roller coaster which operated at Playland Amusement Park in Rye, New York, from 1928 until 1957.

Contents

History and design

The Airplane Coaster was designed by noted roller coaster engineer Frederick Church. [1] For many years it was believed, based on past collaborations and similar design, that Harry Traver of Traver Engineering had built the coaster, [2] but in the 1980s it was determined that Traver was not the builder. [1] [3] A researcher, digging through a Rye, New York attic, [1] discovered plans that listed the actual builder as Frank W. Darling, the owner of LaMarcus Adna Thompson's construction company. [1] [3]

Originally planned to be named "The Bobs" (like many of Church's other coasters), the coaster was first named "Aeroplane Dips" in honor of Charles Lindbergh's noted flight from New York to Paris. [2] Over the next few years, the name was changed to "Aero-Coaster" and finally "Airplane Coaster" (although Aero-Coaster persisted among many as a nickname). [2] The coaster was the largest built at Playland. It had multiple levels with many spirals, as well as steep drops and curves. Most commented on were the bottleneck curves where multiple tracks seemed to converge. [2] It had many similarities in design elements to The Bobs at Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois. [4]

Demolition

Maintenance issues doomed the Airplane Coaster. While it had early operational issues (the coaster took three days to get completely up and running), its late stage lifespan was particularly beset with problems. [2] In 1956, when Playland changed insurance companies, inspectors condemned the coaster, stating it was unsafe. [2] Renovations would have cost $100,000, so it was decided to demolish the coaster for a tenth of the cost instead. [2] The coaster was torn down in November 1957. [5]

Ride experience and reception

The Airplane Coaster was quite popular, with unexpected drops, sharp turns, and sudden speed changes cited as especially thrilling elements. [2] Although some locals at the time expressed wariness with a coaster that seemed too dangerous, many writers have since called it a "masterpiece". [6] A number of other writers called it the greatest roller coaster ever built. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Cartmell, Robert (1987). The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster. Fairview Park, OH and Bowling Green, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. and Bowling Green State University Popular Press. ISBN   0879723416.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Munch, Richard (1982). Harry G. Traver: Legends of Terror. Mentor, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. ISBN   0935408029.
  3. 1 2 Heflin, Joe (Fall 1983). "Traver Cyclones: Re-examination". Coaster World. Vol. 4, no. 3. pp. 8–13.
  4. ↑ Throgmorton, Todd H.; Throgmorton, Samantha K. (2015). Roller Coasters: United States and Canada (4th ed.). Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN   978-0786495979.
  5. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Airplane Coaster  (Playland Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase . Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  6. ↑ Positive reviews of the Airplane Coaster:
    • Munch, Richard (1982). Harry G. Traver: Legends of Terror. Mentor, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. ISBN   0935408029.
    • Throgmorton, Todd H.; Throgmorton, Samantha K. (2015). Roller Coasters: United States and Canada (4th ed.). Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN   978-0786495979.
    • Samuelson, Dale; Yegoiantis, Wendy (2001). The American Amusement Park. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN   0760309817.
  7. ↑ Reviews describing the Airplane Coaster as the greatest roller coaster:
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