Lincoln Park (Comet) Discussion Thread

[QueerRudie]

I had the good fortune to ride the Comet in it's last seasons- and with the recent loss of some very good woodies, this makes it just that much worse for me remembering what riding it was like-

 

I keep hoping that people will start to treat each older ride like it's historical, instead of letting them decay into ruin- If you can't keep up your ride, please let somebody else who wants it and can give it the love and attention it needs to survive. How much history do we need to lose before all is gone?

[verticalzero]

http://www.lpcomet.com/archives/70.html

 

Well its August and There is still little in the way of updates to the demise or schedule.

 

We’ve heard that there have been truckloads of debris being moved into the back of the parking lot from somewhere in the front of the property. We assume this is just the effect of preparing the site for construction (first phase), removing old pavement and digging foundations, and the like.

 

Hopefully hte developers have had the foresight to consider preserving some of the older original growth that still exists (between the old kiddie land and the comet). There are several really large pines and maples back there, and are in excess of 200+ feet high and in very good health. Some of the older pictures show some of them and can be seen in the older Giant Coaster films (looks like that was pretty high for an old side friction coaster, it was below the treeline, but barely).

 

The word from the field is that the Comet is still standing and not too much has changed in the core of the park. We are still trying to get updated from the developers and our emails have been largely ignored. Supposedly l’m on their ‘mailing list’ and will get updates, alas silence and no new news.

 

We have also been trying to get a hold of the parks historian in the hope that we could get a hold of some historic pictures and film footage showing the park and its history. Some of the footage that is in the “Lincoln Park Remembered” video give us teases of what is suspected to be a much more detailed look at both the Giant Coaster and the Comet in action. We will keep trying it’s just to tempting to pass on these jewels from the past.

 

We have also been trying to get word back from Little-A-Merrik-A on the fate of the Comets infamous NAD cars, their state and what plans they have for them. Understandably word back has been slow coming as they are in full swing for their season, and are very busy. I missed the initial window to converse with them (initially just before they were opening for the season) so I’ll keep trying.

 

In the mean time we’ve been offered a couple of photo collections from a couple contributors (Thanks Ray and Mike ) that we’ll be weaving into the galleries and stories. A couple have already worked their way into our ‘anatomy’ section ….

 

Well thats about all we know now, and hope to keep pressing on in our quest for details, history artifacts, film and pictures …..

Comet1.bmp

Lincoln Park Overview1.bmp

Lincoln Park Pavilion1.bmp

Lincoln Park midway1.bmp

Lincoln Park Funhouse1.bmp

[Guest]

I talked to one of the maintenance guys at Little Amerricka last year during the Midwest trip and brought up the Lincoln Park Comet cars of course. He said that he had just pulled them out a week prior (they had just finished up Meteor) to see what kind of condition they are in. From what he said they are still very interested in going through with this project, and Meteor was used as a learning experience as none of them had ever dealt with wood coasters before. He said they'd like to keep the project completely in-house if possible.

 

He also said that Hilcrest park really didn't take care of Little Dipper when they had it, and PTC didn't make parts for the style of train that came with it, so a lot of parts had to be machined in-house to rebuild the train. The restored train came out awesome and rides very well though, so I can't wait to see what will go into the NAD trains (the attention to detail on the Meteor train was great, so I wouldn't be surprised if the headlight unit was put back on the Comet train).

 

Little Amerricka was actually a pretty cool place for what it was and they definetely had some unique stuff. I will definetely consider returning if this project happens.

 

Edit: Check out

. At 2:17 it shows the Comet cars in their original form with the single centered headlight. Would love to see that style come back but I definetely would not complain at the Century Flyer style that it had in later years (what the photos on RCDB show), which I think is one of the best looking coaster train styles ever.

[andy_e219]

I agree, the ones at Kennywood on the Thunderbolt have all of the lights removed. I believe the Big Dipper at Camden Park and the Blue Streak at Conneaut Lake Park all still have NAD trains with the lights still intact.

[Guest]

Did Conneaut still use the NADs? I've read some things that made it seem like they alternated between sets, and others that made it seem like they only used the other ones.

[andy_e219]

Conneaut Lake Park still has the 2 NAD trains with working headlights for the Blue Streak. One is still on the transfer track and the other is in storage at the park. They ran the NAD trains until 2002 when they pulled the original train out of storage. The NAD trains were too heavy on the track, and they were causing it to become a matainence nightmare. They may have pulled the one still in the station out a few times in 2003, but I believe in 2004 they stuck with just the one original train, keeping the one NAD train on the transfer track.

[generaleclectic]

I'm just seeing this thread for the first time. I seriously closed my office door and wept a little. To see this happen to an old favorite is truly devastating.

 

Is there such a thing as a theme park preservation society?

 

Something else that occurs to me... I know they have their hands full with Flying Turns at the moment, but does anyone else think there is a place where Knoebels would be in a position to try to obtain at least ONE of the trains and the plans so that a clone could be built at some point? I know we're about 20 years too late for deconstruction and relocation.

 

The only reason why I pose this question is that it appears that Knoebels is really good at what they do in the way of engineering and historic preservation. With GCI right around the corner, there's a place where cloning this old favorite could be an interesting project for them as well.

 

I guess my geek flag is flying high because I weep for a coaster that I never had the opportunity to ride.

[Guest]

Little Amerricka already has both of the trains and is looking to restore them and build a replica of the ride (see my post on the second page). I don't see why Knoebels would want them right now, nor why it would make any "difference" as Little Amerricka is wanting/doing the same thing that you're wanting Knoebels to do.

[generaleclectic]

I must have missed your post.

 

If Little Amerricka is committed to making this work, then I applaud them and wish them the best. The only reason why I thought of Knoebels first was because I don't know a lot about Little Amerricka and what they hope to accomplish as a park. I, from having visited the Knoebels with the EC trip, believe that they are steadfastly committed not only to providing a fun place to go for families and kids, but also to the historic value of amusement rides. Nothing screams this idea more than their enthusiasm and dedication in their reproduction of the Flying Turns ride.

[verticalzero]

I agree the NAD trains are the best looking coaster train styles ever. i wish PTC could make a copy of them and say use them on "Prowler" at WOF

[GoodOleComet]

Anymore news on when the rest of the park will be demolished? I drive by Lincoln Park everyday on my way to work and I cannot imagine not seeing the Comet standing there anymore.

 

I went Monday and took lots of pictures because I was afraid I was never going to see it again when I heard September as the month for demolition.

 

I'm going back again on Wednesday to take more photos. I wish there was some way to save that coaster. Yes, the lift hill is gone and the platform collapsed. Yes most of the paint is gone, but I couldn't believe how solid alot of the coaster was. Alot of that timber can be reused...I'd prefer to see it go to a coaster instead of a bon fire or something.

 

I brought home some chips of paint, a small splinter of wood from the track and a big washer i found in the grass beneath the Comet.

[pjf02536]

Looks like there will be a stay of execution on the coaster, at least for the moment. Construction has all but stopped (likeley the economic situation has had a big part in the delays). So for now things still sit there.

 

I've added/collected links to as many videos as I could on the http://www.lpcomet.com website. Some really good old footage...enjoy

 

-Pete LPComet.com

[astroworldfan1]

^ I don't think the coaster is being rebuilt.....

 

-Tatum

[pjf02536]

Well it's not currently being rebuilt. I have been in contact with littleamerricka, there are no current plans to rebuild her, due to their current financials. They do have extensive site surveys and plans in-hand, and "always try to think positive and hope to have it in the plans for the future"

So there is hope for the future, not immediate, but still hope.

 

Their Meteor coaster was done all in house to learn how to build a coaster, and the long range plan was to use this as a foundation to build their skills and look forward to resurrecting the Comet one day...

 

-Pete lpcomet.com

[astroworldfan1]

It also seems like the coaster has fallen into great disrepear, far beyond the ablity to be rebuilt. The coaster's lifthill has already fallen down. It would be really nice to see it rebuilt, but I wouldn't count on it being rebuit.

 

-Tatum

[Airtime&Gravity]

^The new Comet would be built from scratch, one reason why only the trains were bought I believe, so it will be similar to Twister at Knoebels in that it will be a replica of the original built in-house.

[Moose]

Parts of the Coaster are still standing. I drove by it Christmas day and was surprised to see it still up after hearing of its impending demise. But, like Astro said, despite parts of it still being vertical, it is extremely bad shape.

[expeditioneverestfan]

I did a search and found nothing, anyway I've heard a little that my favorite home park, Little Amerricka, will be rebuilding Lincoln Park's Comet. Their website says nothing about it so I was wondering if it was true. I read they were rebuilding it and I heard the one from Lincoln Park was being moved their. Is any of this true? Does anyone know whats going on with this?

[Astat]

"Little Amerricka in Marshall, WI purchased the Comet's trains and intends to one day build a copy of the Comet using the original trains after refurbishing them. The Comet's structure itself is too far deteriorated to be salvaged. This will be a very large project for Little Amerricka and there is no timetable for this project at this time."

 

http://www.rcdb.com/id451.htm

 

I haven't heard anything about this project in quite a while, so it's possible that Little Amerricka abandoned the idea.

[downunder]

Who knows, it seems like a bit too big a coaster for Little Amerricka, that place is like like an amusement park for masochistic lilliputians, it is so small.

 

I have to admit they did an excellent job on Meteor, that was as smooth as glass though I was one of the first people to ride it I think.

[larrygator]

I hope it is finished by the time I get there on Saturday.

 

Seriously, this should be considered a very long term project if not just "pie in the sky."

 

I'd love to see another wood coaster but how long did it take them to put up Meteor with a structure already on site?

[robbalvey]

^ Well, in all fairness that structure was still sitting in the field when we rode it! (Check to see if it's still there when you visit this weekend)

 

They mostly built it from the ground up and much of the delay was due to the "learning experience" of re-build a very old woodie.

 

I too think the end result was FANTASTIC!

 

--Robb

[kidcoaster 2]

I really like it when parks do these kind of project. Glad some parks are still preserving the past instead of building new rides. Kudos to Little Amerricka.

[megamatt]

Yay for awesome NAD trains!

 

Im happy to see that another crazy NAD coaster with the original awesome trains!

[Erik Johnson]

Very cool. I too thought that they did a really good job with the Meteor.