Cyclone (Revere Beach)

Cyclone
Cyclone sign, August 1961
Revere Beach
LocationRevere Beach
Coordinates42°25′12″N 70°59′10″W / 42.420°N 70.986°W / 42.420; -70.986
StatusRemoved
Opening date1925 (1925)
Closing date1969 (1969)
Cost$125,000
General statistics
TypeWood
ManufacturerTraver Engineering
DesignerFrederick Church
Height100 ft (30 m)
Length3,600 ft (1,100 m)
Speed45 mph (72 km/h)
Inversions0
Capacity1400 riders per hour
Cyclone at RCDB

The Cyclone was a wooden roller coaster that operated at Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts, from 1925 until 1969.[1] When Cyclone was constructed, it was the tallest roller coaster ever built,[2] as well as being the first roller coaster in the world to reach 100 feet (30 m) in height.[3] In addition to being the tallest roller coaster of its day, some also claim that it was the largest and fastest roller coaster in the world,[2][4] with a length of 3,600 feet (1,100 m) and top speeds between 45 and 50 mph[4] (some dispute the speed record claim and instead award that honor to the Giant Dipper[5]). Cyclone held the title of world's tallest roller coaster until 1964 when it was surpassed by Montaña Rusa at La Feria Chapultepec Mágico in Mexico City, Mexico.[6]

Given its location near the Atlantic Ocean, Cyclone would take much damage throughout the years from ocean storms, flooding, and blizzards.[7] Despite the abuse the coaster took from the ocean, however, it was a fire that eventually destroyed the Cyclone.[8] When first fire occurred in 1969, it was an event that signaled the demise of the Revere Beach amusement industry.[7] The coaster's charred ruins were finally torn down in 1974, after a second, more intense, damaging blaze.[1]

As with Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, Revere Beach's attractions were owned by a variety of amusement operators, with the Cyclone being owned by the Shayeb family.[2] In its heyday, Cyclone was a popular ride, regularly transporting as many as 1,400 riders per hour—a rate which was quickly able to recoup the 125,000 dollar cost of the coaster.[9]

Design and construction

People riding the coaster in August 1964

Cyclone was constructed by the notable roller coaster builder and pioneer Harry Traver of Traver Engineering and designed by Frederick Church.[1] It was similar in design to another Traver-built coaster at Savin Rock, the Thunderbolt.[10]

Cyclone was one of two roller coasters that Traver built at Revere Beach, the other one being the Lightning. Lightning was part of a model line known as "Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters". These coasters were steel-framed coasters, which, ironically enough, had a particularly poor safety record.[11] Because Cyclone predated Lightning at Revere Beach, Lightning was the only Cyclone Safety Coaster to not share the Cyclone name of its sister coasters.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "Cyclone". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  2. ^ a b c Craig, William J.; Revere Society for Cultural and Historic Preservation (2004). Revere. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-3671-7.
  3. ^ "RCDB list of roller coasters by height". Archived from the original on 2012-09-14. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  4. ^ a b Revere Beach historical site Archived August 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Marden, Duane. "Giant Dipper". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  6. ^ Marden, Duane. "Montaña Rusa". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  7. ^ a b Schmidt, Leah A. (2002). Revere Beach. Arcadia Publishing. p. 128. ISBN 0-7385-1030-0.
  8. ^ Robertson, Kitty Crockett (2008). Measuring Time - By an Hourglass. Dog Ear Publishing. ISBN 978-1-59858-682-4.
  9. ^ Francis, David W.; Francis, Diane DeMali (2003). The Golden Age of Roller Coasters. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0-7385-2338-0.
  10. ^ Munch, Richard (1982). Harry G. Traver: Legends of Terror. Mentor, OH: Amusement Park Books, Inc. ISBN 0935408029.
  11. ^ Rutherford, Scott (2004). The American Roller Coaster. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7603-1929-4.
Preceded by World's Tallest Roller Coaster
1925 - 1964 		Succeeded by
Preceded by World's Tallest Complete Circuit Roller Coaster
1925 - 1964 		Succeeded by