pagemaster_b Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 A number of years ago, I read about a roller coaster designed to jump a missing section of track. The coaster was built and made successful test runs with sand bags in the cars before some one realized that people weigh differently, and that they would have to calculate the speed of the car to make a successful jump. It was scraped before it opened. I can't recall where this was built or when (I do know it was pre-World War II). Do any of you know more about this coaster? Or is it just a legend some one was repeating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 I could see this done kinda like the jumps on Hot Wheels. If it's true, I doubt it could be done today strictly for liability reasons. Guy "Parks like to have a lot more control over their rides." Koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YoshiFan Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 I think it did exist. I read about it in the book "The Great American Amusement Park" a while ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
socalMAN123 Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 That would be something, I would not ride. If it did exist, you were probably right, before World War II. ---Brent 8) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momo1tx Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Wasn't it called something along the lines of "Cannon Coaster"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luxo Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 We have the "Nautic Jet" so it's a possibility that this concept could return, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Benvenuto Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 I found information on the Gap coaster, AKA the Cannon Coaster. yup, it's a RCDB link: http://www.rcdb.com/id2637.htm There you go all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pagemaster_b Posted December 17, 2005 Author Share Posted December 17, 2005 ^ That doesn't sound like what I read about, though it's been a long time I could have some facts missing. I think it did exist. I read about it in the book "The Great American Amusement Park" a while ago. That book sounds very familliar. I think that's where I read about this coaster. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HCOSurfer90 Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Heres a pic from Google: http://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/coneyisland/articles/images/con-cannon.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AznShortBoi8021 Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 This Cannon Coaster sounds dangerous. Good thing I was a coaster enthusiast a long time ago, before I was born. I can't believe false rumors about deaths on that roller coaster increased it popularity. Crazy people in the 1900's I tell ya'. Next thing you know, they will be calling 800 foot long British oceanliners unsinkable. Actually, I would ride a roller coaster that jumps gaps. It sounds fun. Anyone else wants to commit suicide by riding a roller coaster that jumps gaps? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tngdiablo Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 We have the "Nautic Jet" so it's a possibility that this concept could return, IMO. http://www.themeparkreview.com/europe2005/klotten/klotten8.jpg I had to... =] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterboy76 Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 This Cannon Coaster sounds dangerous. Good thing I was a coaster enthusiast a long time ago, before I was born. I can't believe false rumors about deaths on that roller coaster increased it popularity. Crazy people in the 1900's I tell ya'. Next thing you know, they will be calling 800 foot long British oceanliners unsinkable. Actually, I would ride a roller coaster that jumps gaps. It sounds fun. Anyone else wants to commit suicide by riding a roller coaster that jumps gaps? it does make a coaster more popular.. years ago a stand up coaster here at Six Flags St. Louis called the Rail Blazer, ejected a rider and that rider got killed, for the short time afterwards when the ride re-opened, it was super popular! everyone had to ride the coaster that killed someone.. its scary how people think.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy T. Koepp Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Coasters that Kill! Sounds like a FOX news report tag line. Guy "Killers that Kill!" Koepp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nannerdw Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 We have the "Nautic Jet" so it's a possibility that this concept could return, IMO. On the Nautic Jet, it doesn't matter where in the water it lands. Making a coaster jump a gap would be much different. I could actually see this happening on something like a flying turns, where the car isn't attatched to the track. The landing track would have to be really wide, though, just in case the car flew out of control in the air. But I realize that it would still be extremely dangerous. It most likely won't ever happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BiCoastal Kid Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 The only way this concept could possibly work is on a bobsled type ride, where the landing area could be open enough. The trains would have to large enough, with enough weights at the bottom to prevent any idiots from attempting to sway the train off course, or tilt it over. It would need to run on rubber tires with shocks to reduce the stress of the landing on both the train and riders, as well. If you can do that, this is a very plausible idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougr Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 This Cannon Coaster sounds dangerous. Good thing I was a coaster enthusiast a long time ago, before I was born. I can't believe false rumors about deaths on that roller coaster increased it popularity. Crazy people in the 1900's I tell ya'. Next thing you know, they will be calling 800 foot long British oceanliners unsinkable. Actually, I would ride a roller coaster that jumps gaps. It sounds fun. Anyone else wants to commit suicide by riding a roller coaster that jumps gaps? it does make a coaster more popular.. years ago a stand up coaster here at Six Flags St. Louis called the Rail Blazer, ejected a rider and that rider got killed, for the short time afterwards when the ride re-opened, it was super popular! everyone had to ride the coaster that killed someone.. its scary how people think.. My wife and I rode the Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall after it had killed someone. Here's a closeup of the wheels, check out http://schwarzkopf.coaster.net/ESmindbender-edmontonHF.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfc Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 Heres a pic from Google: http://naid.sppsr.ucla.edu/coneyisland/articles/images/con-cannon.jpg Wow--amazing! Clam chowder was only ten cents, and they had "Italian" spaghetti! :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haux Posted December 17, 2005 Share Posted December 17, 2005 This Cannon Coaster sounds dangerous. Good thing I was a coaster enthusiast a long time ago, before I was born.I've read this a hundred times, and I just don't get it. You were a coaster enthusiast before you were born? But I digress. RCDB says it plain and simple. The coaster had a gap, it didn't work in testing so they fixed it. A gap in a coaster would never work. The nearest we have to them are kamikaze "coasters" in Japan. They drop down a drop and jump off the tracks into water, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgathriller Posted December 18, 2005 Share Posted December 18, 2005 I would ride a coaster like that. It sounds pretty cool. But getting it to pass safety inspections would be hard if a park wanted to open one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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