WHo would ride the Crystal Beach Cyclone

[65skylark]

^ I agree with you for the most part. I don't believe Traver was this evil person trying to torture people. Some things, however, are fact. The Lightning and Cyclone both had deaths from people riding them. Now of course it is very likely the deaths were from riders being careless and not the ride itself. But, the way things were in the Roaring Twenties, I can absolutely believe people would go out of there way to ride a coaster that had a reputaion for being dangerous. In addition, we know both coasters were maintanence nightmares, which was caused from the stress the coster went through each time it cycled. These were no doubt insane rides compared with any of todays coasters but I totally agree that they it is sometimes hard to seperate fact from fiction. I do believe there is eough documentation out there to assume that injuries were common on these (and many other coasters of that erea) for a number of reasons.

 

Justin "roller coaster history has always facinated me" Saxe.

[Gutterflower]

Hey all

 

Does anyone know what the fundermental difference was between the 2 rides (lightning and the Cyclone?) i always hear they were "near" clones but i've never seen a good enough overview to see the differences.

 

Cheers

Dave

[ginzo]

^ The Lightning and Cyclone both had deaths from people riding them. Now of course it is very likely the deaths were from riders being careless and not the ride itself.

 

I'm pretty sure that one of the deaths on the Traver coasters was due to a rider standing up.

 

I do believe there is eough documentation out there to assume that injuries were common on these (and many other coasters of that erea) for a number of reasons.

 

I believe that injuries were common, but I haven't seen much record to support this. Roller coasters have been largely ignored by mainstream historians. Munch's book appears to be the best resource available on Traver, and apparently even it has problems that the publisher never corrected with a reprinting. Munch did some decent research though. He even interviewed Traver's wife.

[Millenium Man]

I would definately take it for a ride.

[GMAN962]

Depends. Do I get 3 layers of bubble wrap, a thick jacket, and a helmet?

 

~Mike

[Waterpark101]

I was looking at it and it looked pretty wild. I wonder if its wildness is attributed to todays standards or if the only thing they have on it is ratings from the past because some said a nurse was on site. No other rollercoaster was this wild in history. Would you have ridden it?

there she is.

[knowit]

Undubitably

[Vekoma Fan Boy]

I think everyone here would have done it at least once, I know I would have.

[Johnny Upsidedown]

Yeap, without a doubt. I have a freind that rode it and said it was pretty wild.

Here is a great video of lots of photos and video of the Cyclone.

 

And a no limits of the Cyclone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gifPv-2K5os&feature=related

[Yeti762]

Oh hell yeah....

[Scaparri]

Not to play moderator or anything, but I just knew one of these existed already.

 

MOD EDIT by larrygator: Thanks for finding the old thread. Threads are merged.

[DBru]

I would definitely have ridden it... once. lol

 

I'm sure that would have been enough for me

[bspellx5]

I would at least try it. But one thing you gotta wonder is, how intense do you think it would be as opposed to some of the coasters being built nowadays? I mean, that was in the 20's and I'm sure their version of intense was alot different, seeing as how we are having 400 ft high roller coasters being built during our time. Idk, just a thought.

[Philrad71]

A couple of weeks ago, our Buffalo PBS station had a great documentary on Crystal Beach and they talked extensively of the Cyclone and Comet and showed some very good clips of them in action. In looking at the video, you have to admit, Cyclone did not look like it had much in the way of trims!

 

Unfortunately, I never visited CB even though I lived only a couple of hours away. It sure was sad to hear of it's ultimate demise, but still glad that the Comet was rescued. Not nearly as fast and dangerous as Cyclone, I rode it last year at SFGE and thought it was a nice coaster. It would have been way cool to ride it on the shores of Lake Erie though!

 

Wonder if there will ever be a documentary on Geauga Lake?

[Kennyweird]

I would ride it, but only after I concluded it was safe. Keep in mind that this was built in the 20's; people in the 20's were crazy and would ride insano-@$$ roller coasters and not give a second thought about it.

[Carnage]

I would at least try it. But one thing you gotta wonder is, how intense do you think it would be as opposed to some of the coasters being built nowadays? I mean, that was in the 20's and I'm sure their version of intense was alot different, seeing as how we are having 400 ft high roller coasters being built during our time. Idk, just a thought.

 

Roller coasters today are built using much more advanced methods. The physics knowledge, and design tools used today are much more advanced then what would have existed in the 20s.

 

How to properly bank turns, and the affect of Gforces on the body wouldn't have been known at the time. So although we have 400 footers now, the coasters of the 20s would probably give you an ass kicking that hardly exists today.

[kamikazewatermelon]

As I already got a major headache from riding Iron Wolf in the back row, I wouldn't be very keen on riding this death trap

[rgb60]

Every time I see pictures of the CBC, I wonder how the hell did someone walk that track every day for maintenance? It always reminds me of those movies where the old railroad bridge gets washed out. The cross ties look a bit widely spaced.

 

I wonder how different it would be if it were to be re-created today, using computer design and modern engineering analysis and methodology.

 

If I had the chance to ride a re-creation of it, sure I'd give it a try. As long as they didn't recreate the vomit smell to go with it. That would get me before I ever got near the loading platform.

[ebl]

I rode Psyclone at SFMM. I'd at least try the Crystal Beach Cyclone.

 

Eric

[Goliath513]

I have survived Mean Streak in the back wheel seat, Hurler, Grizzly, and SFA's Roar. It can't be THAT bad.

 

 

Imagine a GCI remake of CBC with Millennium Flyers!

[RIP Psyclone]

If you haven't already seen the POV recreation, you simply must. It's amazing.

[Kennyweird]

^You mean the pumpy NL recreation, right?

[VegasCoaster]

I would without a doubt travel and ride the ride, even if whoever built it followed the Traver design to the t. I've been on Psyclone, SOB and Manhattan Express, so I can handle the pain. It has to be one of the most infamous rides ever built, and I'm sure any enthusiast would be glad to ride.

[steven6995]

Harry Traver's infamous Crystal Beach Cyclone "Giant Safety Coaster" is known as being one of the most terrifying roller coasters ever built. A nurse was even stationed, well... at the station for insurance reasons. It operated from 1927-1946, and some of its structure was used on the Comet roller coaster, now at Great Escape. So my question is, if this ride was rebuilt somewhere, who do you think should build it (Gravity Group, S&S, GCI, ect.), and what changes do you think would or should be made to it?

 

Here is some information on this legendary beast.

Detailed Description of the Ride Features

 

* curve out of the station onto the lift

* the chain lift

* a spiraling first drop about 90 feet tall

* a second hill which ended about 82 feet above the ground

* an abrupt left turn down the second drop at 52 degrees

* a spiral drop

* the emergency brakes

* a steep drop into the high speed figure eight

* another drop and "hops" under the lift hill

* a 210 degree high speed turn under the coaster's superstructure

* a "zigzag" or "jazz twister" track (now called trick track)

* a series of track which rose and fell like small, one foot bunny hops, leading back to the station

[Columbia]

Answer to the thread: Sure I'd ride it.

 

Interesting Points Brought Up:

1.) What is the definition of "intense in the 1920's-1945?

2.) Really looking at the pictures, it was probably a combination of rough track and poor transitions that people could interpret under "intensity"

3.) If you don't think GCI would jump at the chance to build this - you're nuts.

 

Just take a look at the drops on Roar (West) and Lightning Racer. We've actually come fairly close to getting the Cyclone's first drop - now it's up to a park willing to plunk down the change to finish the rest of the layout. (And it would have to be metal structure)

 

I'm not sure why people are looking down at the possibility of Intamin doing this - It's the layout of the CBC - c'mon!

 

Did you consider the triple turn on El Toro? Looks awfully similar to the turns after the block section on CBC...maybe even faster. (Are you still hating on Intamin prefab track?!?)

 

Even if ANY manufacturer did built it - it simply couldn't be an *exact* replica. With modern technology, we can (and should) smooth out transitions and even out the G-loads.

 

So in reality - the Cyclone lives on (though not in it's entirety) but through individual elements. But damn, even a modern "interpretation" of either Lighting or Cyclone would have the industry abuzz for some time.