Shane's Amusement Attic

BrownStreak · April 8, 2009

Does Riverside...err...Six Flags New England still have that adorable monorail?

CHILLERLC1 · April 8, 2009

I know it doesn't now. I wish I was at the park before they flagged it. I wish I could see photos/aerials of the racetrack.

I found what I was looking for: Thunderbolt is in the back. Now I have an explaination why I have to walk downstairs to DC Adventures in the park.

rollin_n_coastin · April 8, 2009

Shane, that's amazing stuff, thank you!

I really enjoyed the Cyclone at SFNE. It's cool how you can still see the original drop, they just painted it all white to hide it. Thanks to CS for pointing that out when we were there.

It's an intense ride. I can only imagine how crazy it must have been with the original drop.

wardog · April 8, 2009

I had the wonderful opportunity to ride the cyclone before the Modifications to the first drop. Let me tell you it was insane. The back was killer in thoes Morgan Fiberglass trains. once the modified the first drop they had to modify the first hill because if you caught the ride on a windy day with the right cross wind the trains would get stuck and would require a push.

I think the ride started with PTC trains when it first opened but changed over to morgan due to the fact that they were getting ripped up on the original layout.

CHILLERLC1 · April 8, 2009

I can't get over the train not being able to get up the first hill after the first drop with convincing speed to this day. I'm always convinced it's just short of valleying every run.

Mr.Wood · April 8, 2009

As usual Shane I love this stuff. That Scout Master was smocking a pipe....That's so cool.

Evan1127 · April 8, 2009

Thanks for the Riverside info!

An interesting tidbit:

The horse from the original 1909 Ilions carousel that is pictured is "American Beauty" - the lead horse. Rumor is that the workers tasked with carving the horses were under such pressure from their boss to get it done quickly that they took this beautiful horse and carved male genitalia into it. I can't confirm the truth to the story (though it is widely accepted by those at the park), but you can clearly see the area in question in that photo...

Part of the story also included the fact that the original horse is worth millions because of this and was removed by Premier and replaced with an exact replica. Again, I wish I could confirm this, but it's an entertaining story nevertheless.

DaveH80 · April 8, 2009

Wow! Excellent pictures, brought back many childhood memories as I grew up going to Riverside. I miss the Black Widow. I remember waiting hours to ride the Cyclone back in the late 80's. Thanks for sharing

BrownStreak · April 8, 2009

I like how the 2nd Riverside video says they conducted extensive marketing tests to determine that the best thing to add to an amusement park was a really good coaster...duh.

pianojohn · April 8, 2009

I actually rode the Cyclone in its opening season. It was a few weeks after a local IDIOT decided to stand up and was thrown from the coaster.

They modified the trains which then took at least 5 minutes to load and unload. The standard PTC lap bar now had a chain connecting it to the floor of the car. After it was connected, each rider had a harness type seat-belt to wear when then had to be fastened in the front. And they may have also had a regular seatbelt for each seat.

I honestly don't remember the ride that much. I think it was pretty rough, but you really couldn't move with all the restraints in place.

I do remember buying a piece of wood from the coaster with a placque on it. It's somewhere in my Mom's house in Ohio!

sixflagscoasters · April 8, 2009

Thanks for the Riverside info!

An interesting tidbit:

The horse from the original 1909 Ilions carousel that is pictured is "American Beauty" - the lead horse. Rumor is that the workers tasked with carving the horses were under such pressure from their boss to get it done quickly that they took this beautiful horse and carved male genitalia into it. I can't confirm the truth to the story (though it is widely accepted by those at the park), but you can clearly see the area in question in that photo...

Part of the story also included the fact that the original horse is worth millions because of this and was removed by Premier and replaced with an exact replica. Again, I wish I could confirm this, but it's an entertaining story nevertheless.

Is this the same carved horse that is behind Shapiro in this video about the S:ROS transformation to Bizarro?

It looks similar.

Link to the video:

http://www.seetheride.com/

The horse shows up at the beginning, but is also seen in slightly different angles thought the mini film.

sixflagscoasters · April 9, 2009

I know it doesn't now. I wish I was at the park before they flagged it. I wish I could see photos/aerials of the racetrack.

I found what I was looking for: Thunderbolt is in the back. Now I have an explaination why I have to walk downstairs to DC Adventures in the park.

I think you might like this web site:

http://www.historicaerials.com

Its a great aerial web site where you can find a location, and also compare 2 different years to see how things changed. For example: for Riverside/SFNE, you can view it in 2006, 2005, 2001, 1997, and 1971.

I know that some of the aerials are not that good quality, but its better than nothing. I think it is cool to see Riverside back in 1971 to what is looks like today(2006).

Others might also find it interesting to look at their favorite park or other favorite sites, say their home town just to see different parts and what it used to look like.

Let me know what you think of the site. I was drawn to the site by someone on another site I go to which is a railroad fan forum site.

montezooma · April 9, 2009

REAL PEOPLE - The Beast

Here is a look back at a TOP 10 TV show called Real People. It was on Wednesday nights on NBC and followed the adventures of real people and their odd adventures and hobbies.

Byron Allen goes to and ACE event at Kings Island to ride the Beast. You'll see some great old ACE characters: Mike Danshaw, Lucy & Allan and the rest...this clip is classic!

Ride the Beast into the "Twilite ZONE"

[coastertube]http://www.themeparkreview.com/coastertube/play.php?vid=RealPeople_i8qp[/coastertube]

montezooma · April 9, 2009

^ yes that is the original Colossus and Revolution running with 5 (YES 5) trains

gisco · April 9, 2009

What a bunch of nerds.

Do you think people will look back at us in 30 years and say the same thing?

COASTER FREAK 11 · April 9, 2009

^lol, they already say it now.

BeemerBoy · April 9, 2009

No coverage of the buffet?

Somehow I actually vaguely remember watching this segment when it aired! My parents watched Real People all the time. Good stuff, Shane!

montezooma · April 10, 2009

What a bunch of nerds.

Do you think people will look back at us in 30 years and say the same thing?

I don't know... I will have to watch Big Mike on Jay Leno again and get back to you...lol

kumbabgt · April 10, 2009

Wow someone has finally been able to find old footage and photos of Riverside. I remember the first time a went to the park in 1996. It's hard to believe how much the park has changed in such a short amount of time. I used to work at the Riverside Cyclone during the 1999 season and the original layout was awesome, the trains sucked and the bruises hurt but it was still fun. I rode it a few years back in 2007 and it's not as exciting as it used to be.

I was working during the preseason for the 2000 season and saw the first test run with the new PTC trains and watched as it valleyed on the second hill over the lift. It took a dozen mechanics to push it over the hill. I think it was too cold because it had snowed earlier that week.

Someone mentioned the old monorail earlier. Sadly it was removed at the end of the 1996 season to make way for Shipwreck Falls and other new rides. It loaded in front of the Thunderbolt and headed south towards the Log Flume before turning around and headed north back to the station crossing over Main Street and turning over the lagoon which used to be where the old pirate boat ride that Shipwreck Falls replaced.

I think there are only a handful of rides left from the Old Riverside days, Thunderbolt, Cyclone, Mind Scrambler, Sky Ride, Gotham City Crime Wave (Waveswinger), Great Chase (Rolling Thunder), Buzzsaw (Slingshot) and Route 66.

I miss Tri-Star. It's the only one of it's kind I've ever been able to find and it was a very fun ride from Huss. Hopefully I can get back up there in a few years to check out Bizzaro.

Riverside 01.bmp

You can kinda make out the old monorail track in this photo I found at http://www.angelfire.com/nh/scubanrollercoasters/oldriverside.html

Token Yankee Guy · April 12, 2009

I gotta say Shane... Thank you so much for posting those videos of Cyclone! You don't know how hard it is to find any historical photos of Riverside. Watching those videos brings back classic memories of Riverside when I was a kid. Even for living 20 minutes from the park, my family and I would go usually just once a year since my Dad's company had his company picnic there yearly.

I'm glad that the park still is holding onto that Riverside feel in some of the rides and buildings.

Btw, back to the historical photos of riverside.

Agawam Historical Society - Riverside Park

That is so far the largest collection of historic riverside photos that I can find. Most date back to the early 1900's.

This must date back to the early 1900's or something

From: Agawam Historical Society

montezooma · April 14, 2009

^ Glad you enjoyed the post on Riverside. I must admit this is one park that I do not know to much about. I only visited the park once while I was growing up. I later visited several times as an employee of Six Flags when the park was being converted.

I always liked the traditional feel the original park had and I think Six Flags did a pretty decent job converting it from a traditional park into a regional theme park.

I have yet to get out there and ride Superman or Bizzaro, hope to get there soon.

montezooma · April 16, 2009

Six Flags Great Adventure: The Roaring Rapid years

Here is a look back at Six Flags Great Adventure stuff. I have in this update the press kit from the year Roaring Rapids debuted at the park. There is plenty of other good things also like park facts, press photos, brochures, postcards and an early souvenir book. I hope you enjoy this look back at the park when Lightnin' Loops and Rolling Thunder ruled the coaster line up.

-Shane

Lets get things started off with some video footage from those early years (sorry Robb for using youtube, I will try to get it uploaded to coastertube soon)