I think I beg to differ here. Prior and church we’re building swooping curving diving coasters very successfully all throughout the 1920s. We did not see that again in wooden coasters until the 90s when great coasters came along and revived the beauty of the lost wooden twisters
@@anthonymcdonnell5384 funny you mention the Pleasure Beach- the last coaster Harry Travers was involved with the design of was the Grand National with Fred Church.
The virtual ride at the end.......ROCKED and this is the only way we will get to even get CLOSE to saying we rode something that wild! Great video! Stay SCARED!! Richard
Personally I think this coaster was just simply way ahead of its time design wise. I think with today’s technology this coaster could easily be rebuilt and maintained properly for many to enjoy. Side note the coaster still thrills in spirit as a lot of the steel structure for the ride was reused to buildThe Comet which operates to this day.
I did tried to remake the whole thing into RMC in NL2 And im just say, the layout is just so wrong, in a bad way. Even by any modern coaster standard due to insanely high G-force (easily 6G) and snap is, combine of how well wooden coaster maintaining its energy. The only thing closer to this is I-305, and I'm not exaggerating.
There is a book called Harry G Traver : Legends of Terror by Richard Munch. It has photos of all 3 coasters and stories about them , plus the life of Harry Traver and all the other rides he designed. It's a fascinating book and is kind of hard to find as there are so few for sale. They are expensive to buy , mine is used ,but in great condition and cost me $80 and that was one of the least expensive ones !!!
Son of Beast was a most insane experience. This was one bad ass coaster. I got to ride it only once in 2008 the last year in operation with the loop removed. I've never been scared of a coaster like this one. After the ride I think I had a pulled back muscle & looking at my girlfriend with her disheveled hair & in shock & pain (next to literal shock almost needing medical attention). It was an unforgettable experience. I wish they would have fixed this ride & it still existed today.👍
Agree with you that Son of Beast was a really rough coaster. I'm a back seater on coasters but because of the wait we rode it in the middle of the train and I thought it was really rough. I did ride it with the loop. I remember toward the end when the coaster went into the break run and it suddenly came to a stop I actually saw green dots in my eyes.
I rode Son Of Beast multiple times when it had the loop and while it was rough I don’t think it was as bad as people made it to be. I understand why it was destroyed and thankfully was replaced with an awesome ride Banshee.
In all fairness RCCA, the company that was responsible for SOB, were absolute grifters who left a string of poorly designed coasters behind them. This is not unlike Harry Travers- the designer of the crystal beach cyclone- who was considered to be a conman by many.
I've been fascinated by the coaster for decades. I have a copy of the original blueprint for the layout, and from that I came to the conclusion that Traver was a terrible engineer. The blueprint is very "pretty"; the ride is surprisingly symmetrical from above, with perfect circles at each end. But just like with a circular loop, that wasn't the best design choice. Traver needed to "stretch" the bottom of the hills to absorb the force of the drop (especially considering he used a steel structure, which didn't sway like wood does). The forces had to get distributed somewhere, so bolts would regularly sheer off the structure and passengers were tossed around like rag dolls. Traver's patented "trick-track" simply added insult to injury. So while I'm fascinated by the ride's history, I doubt I ever would ride it. Well, actually, I HAVE ridden it. And you can too. In 1946, Herb Schmeck was asked to completely re-engineer the ride using the same materials. So like an erector set, he rearranged all the steel into the profile of the Crystal Beach Comet, which now lives on at New York's Great Escape. It's awesome to see that ride structure with the Cylone's original bolt holes still in it. Even the station is how it was at Crystal Beach. And Schmeck made a ride that's just a thrilling, but not as punishing.
Yep. The Palisades Cyclone (not the famous one that enthusiasts reminisce about today) was the worst of the triplets. It had to fit within a narrower plot of land resulting in even tighter turns. Palisades Park and Revere Beach got rid of their Traver coasters pretty quickly. Crystal Beach kept theirs longer only because they were a smaller park and couldn't afford to replace it so soon.
I remember as a child my mother standing with me as all my aunts and cousins had to walk and climb down the coaster because it was stuck for over 3 hours. I never rode a roller coaster again.. I was 7 then. 70 now!
I was at Crystal Beach in 1974 as an 8 year old. I was too short to ride the big wooden coaster but rode the other wood one. My glasses came off but thankfully they landed on the floor of the car.
No, it needs to be built by GCI or someone who can recreate the original design as accurately as possible for its historical value. They would probably just need to reinforce key structural areas and refine some of the transitions.
Also the "Jazz Track" on Cyclone was the inspiration for the since-removed trick-track on Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure and the now-defunct Villain at Geauga Lake.
Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall. The roller coaster that actually killed 3 riders back in 1986 thanks to design and installation errors... The worst I got was neck bruising from being battered side to side by the head restraints... It's still a love/hate relationship with the ride to this day... And also kinda scary because of its operational history to boot! Plus you can stand in the middle of the loops on a walkway with the cars roaring all around you. That alone is kinda terrifying and scary to think about.... especially if someone had really bad intentions...
It was so terrifying people stopped riding it & watched, which was part of the reason it was replaced by The Comet... a real beauty & to this day is still the all time favorite coaster of many ;o)
The most terrifying roller coaster I have ever ridden is Superman Ultimate Flight (flying coaster) at SFOG. Not because of the ride itself, but because I first rode it when I was only 51 inches (54 inches required) and snuck on (they were not checking heights). I remember the tips of my toes barely making it into the ankle holder restraint and I had to force them to stay so that they would not dangle. I remember thinking that I was going to fall out and die. I also rode Goliath (hyper coaster), Georgia Scorcher (stand-up coaster), and Batman (inverted coaster) (all require 54 inches) that day, but none felt as dangerous as Superman. The only other one that was horrible to ride because I was too short was Georgia Scorcher because my legs did not touch the ground and it was painful. This all happened 10 years ago so I might be fudging and have misremembered the details.
Scariest coaster experience was probably when I rode Great LEGO Race when I was very young. That made me afraid of coasters for a while... Scariest coaster would be Fury (for the height and speed), Lightning Rod (for the insane airtime), or SheiKra (for the daunting drop) but I wasn't scared riding these and really enjoyed them I would ride this coaster, but I'd probably give the defunct credit to Volcano, it just looks more enjoyable overall. Or maybe Eagle Fortress, that one looks wild
It is worth mentioning that the structure for the cyclone was repurposed to build the comet Which is still in operation at the great Escape in New York
I've recreated this monster across all RCT platforms🥰; and I love that the original No Limits had it as a track in its program.🤓 Nice to be reminded of this terror classic! Thanks. 👊🏾
I rode an exact replica when I was a kid in the sixtys. I was too young remember where it was I just know I rode it one night with my cousin whom we were visiting in New York and we crossed a large body of water to get there by ferry. Sure does sound like Crystal Beach but the coaster was long gone by then! I also remember them saying we had to go ride it because they where going to tear it down. But I remember the coaster so vividly, every bump, every turn, getting crushed in the circle at the bottom by some fat boy. The nurse, the whole thing.
I remember a quote from (not sure if it was Stengel or Schwarzkopf) in a german documentary (~20 years ago) about rollercoaster engineering: "I would never ride this coaster. Im genuine scared" But this coaster started this man's interest for rollercoaster design.
You do an awesome job presenting these videos which are extremely interesting and very well documented. I really do enjoy your site more than any other. Keep up the good work my man!
I’m grateful to see Traver being discussed here- he was profoundly ahead of his time, and I frankly consider him the patron saint of extreme coasters. Thanks for this piece!
Reading about these Harry Traver designed & built "TerrifyingTriplets" is fascinating. Being from the Boston Massachusetts area, I was amazed to learn that The Lightning, one of Harry Traver's Terrifying Triplets, had once been one the daring, high octane rides at Boston's now defunct Revere Beach amusement strip. Though the layout of all three of these Terrify Triplets followed the same basic configuration, I understand that the respective ride experiences varied because a ride's footprint may have needed to be adjusted for the available layout space of that given location. The Revere Beach Lightning had a sinister reputation too. A girl was killed on the ride, shortly after it had opened.
If you've been on a Schwarzkopf Looping Star, Drier Looping or Galaxy Mindbender? Then you've in essence been on a Traver drop! That's right. Her Schwarzkopf & Werner "pinched" that infamous 1st drop + exceeded those G-forces. Truth be know (maybe Mr. Travers were slightly higher) Also funnt they were the RMC's If you will of the time only in reverse. Structure was steel & track was wood laminate. The nurse was there to satisfy insurance company. If you can lay your hands on a copy of Harry G. Travers Legends of Terror. It makes 4 great reading. I as a lad saw the traveling pix of this guy @ my local mall in Houston, TX., in the 1980's. It's Y I'm a proud ACE Member to this day!!!
I thought every coaster fan knew about this coaster there was an actual medic station at the off ramp due to consistent neck and back injuries. This was long before the fine tuning equipment for measuring as we do today
I was waiting for you to cover this coaster and yes you did miss what I think is one of the best elements of this story: Crystal Beach dismantled Cyclone, but then reused some of its wood and steel to make a new wooden coaster called Comet, which would later be relocated to Six Flags Great Escape, where it still operates to this day
While twisters are more fun to look at, I've found out 'n' backs more fun to ride. This would make the Comet a great improvement over the Cyclone, in my opinion.
Lightning Rod at Dollywood is a similar coaster. Same thrills for a wooden coaster. Many can't stand it. It's 1 of my favorite coasters. Faster than any RMC wooden coaster out there today.
Son of Beast was pretty rough. I quit riding it long before it closed for good. The first time i rode it my elbows and knees were bruised as heck from the restraints and another rider had their skin rubbed away from their crotch to their knees from having their legs rubbed together violently.
You have to admit though. This was one bad ass coaster. I got to ride it only once in 2008 the last year in operation with the loop removed. I've never been scared of a coaster like this one. After the ride I think I had a pulled back muscle & looking at my girlfriend with her disheveled hair & in shock & pain (next to literal shock almost needing medical attention). It was an unforgettable experience. I wish they would have fixed this ride & it still existed today.👍
My first ride on Voyage at Holiday World was a night ride at their Holiwood Nights event. I have never been so terrified riding a roller coaster! That Spaghetti Bowl which is traversed at break neck speed in the pitch black woods had me totally silent and holding on for dear life. I’m never silent on coasters; I’m either laughing or screaming. I was mentally trying to keep the train from flying off the tracks. When it was all over I of course jumped right back in line for another ride.
Harry G Traver: Legends of Terror by Richard Munch is a great book but a little hard to find nowadays. You forgot to mention that a lot of steel supports from the Cyclone were used in the construction of the Crystal Beach Comet, now the Comet at Six Flags Great Escape in upstate NY .
I have that book and it is fantastic. It includes track plans for: Riverview Bobs; Airplane; Cyclone Racer; and Crystal Beach Cyclone as well as tons of photos. It was later discovered that Traver really had nothing to do with the Airplane. But, thankfully, at the time the book was written, it was thought Traver was the builder, therefore the book covers the Airplane. And the coverage is the best I've seen.
I knew I remembered my dad telling me about this a long time ago. But over time, I naturally remembered it as Coney Island Cyclone. And since Coney Island Cyclone is a safe ride (and my dad isn’t stupid), I convinced myself that I was just remembering something that never happened. I guess I never though to look into it.
Nice story bro, but don't thing you need to cut a story short. If there is more interesting things to learn, take the time to cover it. Keep up the good work!
on monday september 14th, the st cassian chamber choir, would board the cyclone roller coaster at 6:17 pm. at 6:19 pm, the front axel of the cart, would come off, in the top of the loop. the car derailed, and sent all 6 teenagers to their deaths.
I live in South Eastern Ontario and have heard about this legendary scream machine.. please research and post one about the ol CNE Flyer in Toronto eh. Lol. I remember a final brake run failure that messed up a few folks .. rode it that summer . Thanks for lookin at the great white north. Have ridden every at Wonderland up til 10 years ago.. time to go again. Top Gun was the hot shoe last time I was there.. alots happened since
Would love to see The Gravity Group rebuild Crystal Beach Cyclone. The fact that a coaster that went defunct in the 1940s is still legondary today justifies doing so. It would be a great fit for Marineland or Canada's Wonderland, both parks could benefit strongly from reviving such a famous Canadian coaster. As for comparisons to a modern ride I'd say the tightness and high intensity of a woodie like Mine Blower is probably the best approximation. The problem with Crystal Beach Cyclone would have been largely the trains rather than the layout design from what you described, with Timberliners much of it (NOT all, some would need to be redesigned if they rebuilt it today in the era of computer aided design) could probably work being that well, you can't end up in someone's lap I'll put it that way. With that thought in mind, Mine Blower basically being the modern version probably has some truth to it.
Disagree. The layout design was exactly the problem with the Cyclone. Traver normally built coasters for Fred Church, a gifted coaster designer. Fred Church had some legal problems for a few years that prevented him from designing any rides. Traver tried to compensate by doing some design himself. While Traver was brilliant at coming up with ideas, he was not always good at execution. The Traver Cyclone triplets had a bad design in that while the train would barely crest each hill, they would also travel though the low sections too quickly. These lower sections included the trick track and the figure eight whose transitions were much too fast. If Gravity Group or any other mfg (GCI?) were to try to rebuild the Cyclone, they would have to modify the layout significantly to make it work. If that's the case, they should probably just build something original.
@@gregorymoore2877 Full disclosure, I'm not an engineer. But I do have a good understanding on how much the trains effect forces. Simple fact is older coaster trains are heavier, especially those that weren't built by PTC (to be clear PTCs are pretty heavy compared to modern coaster trains but trains like those found on the Coney Island Cyclone, for example, are even heavier than PTCs). Modern trains like Timberliners are lighter and also more flexible in terms of turns, which would allow more of a layout like the Crystal Beach Cyclone to work with Timberliners. Of course it wouldn't be able to be a complete replica, but it would be able to be closer than most think possible to the original.
I've never ridden a "terrifying" coaster in my life. Thrilling, absolutely. I have always loved roller coasters since the first time I went on one and I have ridden hundreds all over the world, but never been afraid of one - just excited. Unfortunately I'm not quite old enough to have gone on the Cyclone. Gone on other coasters which no longer exist, though.
video idea: Hybrid roller coaster in WESTERN NY?! - I was looking at coaster thrills yt channel and his newest pov is of a roller coaster called the bobsleds and it looks like an arrow hybrid mine train but its NOT!!!
Wow, I rode that coaster years ago when I was a teenager. We were on vacation from North Carolina, and we passed Crystal Beach on the way to somewhere else. I loved amusement parks and had no fear of roller coasters at the time. I was unaware of its reputation, so I rode it. It was memorable, I know that much. Thanks for the memory. 🎢
People pass out at 4 g's of pressure You could go blind you could get whiplash you could actually break your neck you could put significant damage to your internal organs your blood pressure can get completely screwed up at the very least you're gonna have Vertigo when you get off the thing it's gonna affect your equilibrium probably creating instant nausea this is dangerous people have died Because of the era the lack of planning and the lack of regulation roller coasters were built by people who did not really know how to engineer them properly so things like this actually happened more than was reported
I9 don't know of many wooden roller coasters now,most are made of steel. There IS one in Hershey,PA, but the park itself was "closed for maintence', so I couldn't go in.
My scariest coaster experience was Joker at Six Flags Great Adventure. The unpredictable flipping is what made that ride a one-and-done for me. I personally don't enjoy feeling terrified on a ride.
they took part of the roller coaster down to make it safer my wife and I rode it in the 70'S had the front seat last ride at night the locking bar did not lock my wife grabbed me and I put my hands under the seat to hold on BEST RIDE EVER
Hey I was wondering if you have any info on an old amusement park on Burlington Island in New Jersey, All I know is there used to be an amusement park on the island and people from Philly would get there by ferry. I’m pretty sure there was a coaster there at the time…..Thanx I really enjoy your channel
Hey Art! Absolutely! The park was known as Island Beach Park and opened in the early 1900s. By 1928 (I think that was the year), it burned down and was rebuilt, and could only be reached by ferry thereafter as you mentioned. The coaster you’re referring to is Greyhound, which was an extremely intense wooden coaster for its time designed by John A. Miller. It closed after it burned down with the park. This could make an interesting video!
I just rode the cyclone coaster at Coney Island, It is similar to this coaster in so far as it is as well a Vicious ride. If you are 69 yrs like me don't ride this one. I was wondering if you had ridden this coaster .and if not why not.......thank you for your research you do that makes your videos so interesting .
Ya so I've been waiting on this episode. Nice. I think the jazz twister was used as inspiration for the similar element on Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
Magic Mountain put a similar element into its redo of Colossus, now Twisted Colossus. It's slow, so it doesn't crack your ribs like it did on this Cyclone.
As someone who grew up and lives nearby (I just came back from a drive and was in crystal beach), and who lived in crystal beach as a baby, it’s hard to believe this wonder was here. My mom has memories of the park and this coaster, but now nothing remains from the park besides the suckers, waffle crisps, and the loganberry juice - found all over town.
I still go up to Crystal Beach in the summer it is named after the beautiful sandy beach. Gated community condos now sit where the amusement park once did
Modern coaster enthusiast: "Son Of Beast/Manhattan Express (or whatever else ) is too rough." Also modern coaster enthusiast: "I wish I could ride the Crystal Beach Cyclone!"
Wait wait wait.....you had MORE and "you didn't have the time to share it"!?!🤷♂️😡😁 Ride looks like the RMC of its time....way ahead of where it probably should've been. Truly incredible. Thanks for sharing guys! 👍
The shaping of this ride was very ahead of its time, but very very painful for its time
The vision was there, but the stuff to make it safe wasn't!
I think I beg to differ here. Prior and church we’re building swooping curving diving coasters very successfully all throughout the 1920s. We did not see that again in wooden coasters until the 90s when great coasters came along and revived the beauty of the lost wooden twisters
well i guess you never went on Wild Mouse at Blackpool uk
@@anthonymcdonnell5384 funny you mention the Pleasure Beach- the last coaster Harry Travers was involved with the design of was the Grand National with Fred Church.
@@stephenfrings3057 yes i have been on it many time with my late mum and dad
Maybe it was too much for people back in those days but today it would be one of the best wooden coasters ever.
The virtual ride at the end.......ROCKED and this is the only way we will get to even get CLOSE to saying we rode something that wild! Great video! Stay SCARED!!
Richard
Personally I think this coaster was just simply way ahead of its time design wise. I think with today’s technology this coaster could easily be rebuilt and maintained properly for many to enjoy. Side note the coaster still thrills in spirit as a lot of the steel structure for the ride was reused to buildThe Comet which operates to this day.
I did tried to remake the whole thing into RMC in NL2
And im just say, the layout is just so wrong, in a bad way. Even by any modern coaster standard due to insanely high G-force (easily 6G) and snap is, combine of how well wooden coaster maintaining its energy. The only thing closer to this is I-305, and I'm not exaggerating.
@@bocahdongo7769 Yeah you've never ridden Steel Vengeance (Mean Streak) before. Literally a headache on wood.
@@tipsysmichigander6483 I do wish I can go into CP tho
@@tipsysmichigander6483 Are you saying they’re the same ride? Steel Vengeance is a completely different experience from Mean Streak.
@@bocahdongo7769 This is why we don't abbreviate Cedar Point.
I can never get enough information on the Traver's Terrible Triplets. I'm so excited for this video.
Hahaha you added terrible into traver trio
@@Coasters_cut You're right. I meant terrifying. Freudian slip. I'd still want to ride it. But I'd bring my own neck brace.
There is a book called Harry G Traver : Legends of Terror by Richard Munch. It has photos of all 3 coasters and stories about them , plus the life of Harry Traver and all the other rides he designed. It's a fascinating book and is kind of hard to find as there are so few for sale. They are expensive to buy , mine is used ,but in great condition and cost me $80 and that was one of the least expensive ones !!!
Son of Beast was a most insane experience. This was one bad ass coaster. I got to ride it only once in 2008 the last year in operation with the loop removed. I've never been scared of a coaster like this one. After the ride I think I had a pulled back muscle & looking at my girlfriend with her disheveled hair & in shock & pain (next to literal shock almost needing medical attention). It was an unforgettable experience. I wish they would have fixed this ride & it still existed today.👍
Agree with you that Son of Beast was a really rough coaster. I'm a back seater on coasters but because of the wait we rode it in the middle of the train and I thought it was really rough. I did ride it with the loop. I remember toward the end when the coaster went into the break run and it suddenly came to a stop I actually saw green dots in my eyes.
I rode Son Of Beast multiple times when it had the loop and while it was rough I don’t think it was as bad as people made it to be. I understand why it was destroyed and thankfully was replaced with an awesome ride Banshee.
In all fairness RCCA, the company that was responsible for SOB, were absolute grifters who left a string of poorly designed coasters behind them. This is not unlike Harry Travers- the designer of the crystal beach cyclone- who was considered to be a conman by many.
The Cyclone lives on today as its structure was used to build the Comet that still runs at the Great Escape in New York.
I’m speechless about this ride, and the other coasters built by Traver. There is no other way to describe them other than “ridiculous”
I liked the format of this video. much better with quotes from people who rode it. Must’ve been quite the experience!
I've been fascinated by the coaster for decades. I have a copy of the original blueprint for the layout, and from that I came to the conclusion that Traver was a terrible engineer. The blueprint is very "pretty"; the ride is surprisingly symmetrical from above, with perfect circles at each end. But just like with a circular loop, that wasn't the best design choice. Traver needed to "stretch" the bottom of the hills to absorb the force of the drop (especially considering he used a steel structure, which didn't sway like wood does). The forces had to get distributed somewhere, so bolts would regularly sheer off the structure and passengers were tossed around like rag dolls. Traver's patented "trick-track" simply added insult to injury. So while I'm fascinated by the ride's history, I doubt I ever would ride it. Well, actually, I HAVE ridden it. And you can too. In 1946, Herb Schmeck was asked to completely re-engineer the ride using the same materials. So like an erector set, he rearranged all the steel into the profile of the Crystal Beach Comet, which now lives on at New York's Great Escape. It's awesome to see that ride structure with the Cylone's original bolt holes still in it. Even the station is how it was at Crystal Beach. And Schmeck made a ride that's just a thrilling, but not as punishing.
Yep. The Palisades Cyclone (not the famous one that enthusiasts reminisce about today) was the worst of the triplets. It had to fit within a narrower plot of land resulting in even tighter turns. Palisades Park and Revere Beach got rid of their Traver coasters pretty quickly. Crystal Beach kept theirs longer only because they were a smaller park and couldn't afford to replace it so soon.
Where can you find this blueprint?
@@george5924 I purchased it decades ago from a roller coaster enthusiast who I think has since passed away.
They moved the strepsils logo as blue to cover the pharma grade rat poison 😂
Last car on any wooden coaster is awesome!!
I remember as a child my mother standing with me as all my aunts and cousins had to walk and climb down the coaster because it was stuck for over 3 hours. I never rode a roller coaster again.. I was 7 then. 70 now!
I was at Crystal Beach in 1974 as an 8 year old. I was too short to ride the big wooden coaster but rode the other wood one. My glasses came off but thankfully they landed on the floor of the car.
RMC should remake this coaster layout with modern safety in mind.
No, it needs to be built by GCI or someone who can recreate the original design as accurately as possible for its historical value. They would probably just need to reinforce key structural areas and refine some of the transitions.
It's been rebuilt and is currently operating in lake George ny
You missed how the rides structure was used to build the Comet which now operates at Great Escape
and Silver Comet at Martin's Fantasy Island
Yeah! Pretty neat!!
Ridden the comet at lake George countless times since 94 .
Also the "Jazz Track" on Cyclone was the inspiration for the since-removed trick-track on Shivering Timbers at Michigan's Adventure and the now-defunct Villain at Geauga Lake.
CCI's Boulder Dash also used to have a section of trick track. It was later renovated by GCI and the trick track was removed.
Mindbender at West Edmonton Mall. The roller coaster that actually killed 3 riders back in 1986 thanks to design and installation errors... The worst I got was neck bruising from being battered side to side by the head restraints... It's still a love/hate relationship with the ride to this day... And also kinda scary because of its operational history to boot! Plus you can stand in the middle of the loops on a walkway with the cars roaring all around you. That alone is kinda terrifying and scary to think about.... especially if someone had really bad intentions...
This ride is actually pretty awesome. This needs to be recreated somewhere.
My personal most scary is Iron Gwazi. I love it. I'd love to ride this thing too
It was so terrifying people stopped riding it & watched, which was part of the reason it was replaced by The Comet... a real beauty & to this day is still the all time favorite coaster of many ;o)
Great video! Really neat coaster!
The most terrifying roller coaster I have ever ridden is Superman Ultimate Flight (flying coaster) at SFOG. Not because of the ride itself, but because I first rode it when I was only 51 inches (54 inches required) and snuck on (they were not checking heights). I remember the tips of my toes barely making it into the ankle holder restraint and I had to force them to stay so that they would not dangle. I remember thinking that I was going to fall out and die. I also rode Goliath (hyper coaster), Georgia Scorcher (stand-up coaster), and Batman (inverted coaster) (all require 54 inches) that day, but none felt as dangerous as Superman. The only other one that was horrible to ride because I was too short was Georgia Scorcher because my legs did not touch the ground and it was painful.
This all happened 10 years ago so I might be fudging and have misremembered the details.
More like the Crystal Meth Cyclone. Because who ever designed it was totally on it.
Harry Travers, who designed some of the most notorious wooden roller coasters. Meth Amphetamine wasn't widely available until the 1940s mind!
LOL
BA BOOM!
They had RMC dream with 1926 technology and construction
Zing
Scariest coaster experience was probably when I rode Great LEGO Race when I was very young. That made me afraid of coasters for a while...
Scariest coaster would be Fury (for the height and speed), Lightning Rod (for the insane airtime), or SheiKra (for the daunting drop) but I wasn't scared riding these and really enjoyed them
I would ride this coaster, but I'd probably give the defunct credit to Volcano, it just looks more enjoyable overall. Or maybe Eagle Fortress, that one looks wild
It is worth mentioning that the structure for the cyclone was repurposed to build the comet Which is still in operation at the great Escape in New York
I've recreated this monster across all RCT platforms🥰; and I love that the original No Limits had it as a track in its program.🤓 Nice to be reminded of this terror classic! Thanks. 👊🏾
Thanks friend! 🤘
I rode an exact replica when I was a kid in the sixtys. I was too young remember where it was I just know I rode it one night with my cousin whom we were visiting in New York and we crossed a large body of water to get there by ferry. Sure does sound like Crystal Beach but the coaster was long gone by then! I also remember them saying we had to go ride it because they where going to tear it down. But I remember the coaster so vividly, every bump, every turn, getting crushed in the circle at the bottom by some fat boy. The nurse, the whole thing.
I remember a quote from (not sure if it was Stengel or Schwarzkopf) in a german documentary (~20 years ago) about rollercoaster engineering:
"I would never ride this coaster. Im genuine scared"
But this coaster started this man's interest for rollercoaster design.
Just about every big park had a "Cyclone" at some point in the 20's or 30's, and all of them were insanely rough.
I like how the sign calls it a "safety coaster".
You do an awesome job presenting these videos which are extremely interesting and very well documented. I really do enjoy your site more than any other. Keep up the good work my man!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying! Makes it worth it for me! :)
Really cool ! is it me or the layout looks like something Schwarzkopf would do, but rough and wooden ?
I’m grateful to see Traver being discussed here- he was profoundly ahead of his time, and I frankly consider him the patron saint of extreme coasters. Thanks for this piece!
Reading about these Harry Traver designed & built "TerrifyingTriplets" is fascinating. Being from the Boston Massachusetts area, I was amazed to learn that The Lightning, one of Harry Traver's Terrifying Triplets, had once been one the daring, high octane rides at Boston's now defunct Revere Beach amusement strip. Though the layout of all three of these Terrify Triplets followed the same basic configuration, I understand that the respective ride experiences varied because a ride's footprint may have needed to be adjusted for the available layout space of that given location. The Revere Beach Lightning had a sinister reputation too. A girl was killed on the ride, shortly after it had opened.
It looks like the mine train track from RCT
If you've been on a Schwarzkopf Looping Star, Drier Looping or Galaxy Mindbender? Then you've in essence been on a Traver drop! That's right. Her Schwarzkopf & Werner "pinched" that infamous 1st drop + exceeded those G-forces. Truth be know (maybe Mr. Travers were slightly higher) Also funnt they were the RMC's If you will of the time only in reverse. Structure was steel & track was wood laminate. The nurse was there to satisfy insurance company. If you can lay your hands on a copy of Harry G. Travers Legends of Terror. It makes 4 great reading. I as a lad saw the traveling pix of this guy @ my local mall in Houston, TX., in the 1980's. It's Y I'm a proud ACE Member to this day!!!
Mindbender for sure! Especially since in 1986 they took the name a bit too literally... It's also my home coaster....
I thought every coaster fan knew about this coaster there was an actual medic station at the off ramp due to consistent neck and back injuries. This was long before the fine tuning equipment for measuring as we do today
It's Mean Streak for me. That ride was genuinely frightening for how bad the roughness of the ride was!
I was waiting for you to cover this coaster and yes you did miss what I think is one of the best elements of this story: Crystal Beach dismantled Cyclone, but then reused some of its wood and steel to make a new wooden coaster called Comet, which would later be relocated to Six Flags Great Escape, where it still operates to this day
Awesome!
While twisters are more fun to look at, I've found out 'n' backs more fun to ride. This would make the Comet a great improvement over the Cyclone, in my opinion.
@@gregorymoore2877 well considering it's not giving anyone whiplash is a great improvement already
Wow, I didn’t know that! I grew up in Western NYS and spent many summer days at Crystal Beach. I loved The Comet!
Growing up in Buffalo I rode the Comet hundreds of times
Herbert shmeck overhauled this with ptc turning in into the crystal beach comet now comet at great escape
Lightning Rod at Dollywood is a similar coaster. Same thrills for a wooden coaster. Many can't stand it. It's 1 of my favorite coasters. Faster than any RMC wooden coaster out there today.
That looks like such a fun coaster to ride.
Gci should bring this back
Son of Beast was pretty rough. I quit riding it long before it closed for good. The first time i rode it my elbows and knees were bruised as heck from the restraints and another rider had their skin rubbed away from their crotch to their knees from having their legs rubbed together violently.
You have to admit though. This was one bad ass coaster. I got to ride it only once in 2008 the last year in operation with the loop removed. I've never been scared of a coaster like this one. After the ride I think I had a pulled back muscle & looking at my girlfriend with her disheveled hair & in shock & pain (next to literal shock almost needing medical attention). It was an unforgettable experience. I wish they would have fixed this ride & it still existed today.👍
SoB was a one and done for me. I can't remember if I rode it first or second season but it took me over an hour to recover.
I got to ride Son of Beast several times when it still had the vertical loop, and it was insane lol I would do it again, though.
Looks like something a beginner would build on No Limits 2 and it’s on the game
If I ever come into big money I am rebuilding this coaster except in Coney Island Brooklyn
My first ride on Voyage at Holiday World was a night ride at their Holiwood Nights event. I have never been so terrified riding a roller coaster! That Spaghetti Bowl which is traversed at break neck speed in the pitch black woods had me totally silent and holding on for dear life. I’m never silent on coasters; I’m either laughing or screaming. I was mentally trying to keep the train from flying off the tracks. When it was all over I of course jumped right back in line for another ride.
What you are forgetting is that there was a mere lap bar holding you in. You should look a Chicago's Riverview Park's coaster "The Bobs"
The supports and banked turns look a lot like today's RMC conversions. It was ahead of its time!
Yes of course, the Cyclone. The world’s safest crash test dummy simulation
0:10- probably oblivion, being hung over that drop for a second and looking down into the tunnel, not knowing that it’s 115ft deep
Harry G Traver: Legends of Terror by Richard Munch is a great book but a little hard to find nowadays. You forgot to mention that a lot of steel supports from the Cyclone were used in the construction of the Crystal Beach Comet, now the Comet at Six Flags Great Escape in upstate NY .
It was rmcd 50years early lo
I have that book and it is fantastic. It includes track plans for: Riverview Bobs; Airplane; Cyclone Racer; and Crystal Beach Cyclone as well as tons of photos. It was later discovered that Traver really had nothing to do with the Airplane. But, thankfully, at the time the book was written, it was thought Traver was the builder, therefore the book covers the Airplane. And the coverage is the best I've seen.
harry travers was tryna kill everybody🤣🤣🤣
I knew I remembered my dad telling me about this a long time ago. But over time, I naturally remembered it as Coney Island Cyclone. And since Coney Island Cyclone is a safe ride (and my dad isn’t stupid), I convinced myself that I was just remembering something that never happened. I guess I never though to look into it.
Nice story bro, but don't thing you need to cut a story short. If there is more interesting things to learn, take the time to cover it. Keep up the good work!
I remember watching an interview with Mike Boodley estimating by photos that it has to be pulling at least 6 g’s
on monday september 14th, the st cassian chamber choir, would board the cyclone roller coaster at 6:17 pm. at 6:19 pm, the front axel of the cart, would come off, in the top of the loop. the car derailed, and sent all 6 teenagers to their deaths.
Accidents happen.
This looks so awesome. Someone needs to get RMC to remake it but safer
I live in South Eastern Ontario and have heard about this legendary scream machine.. please research and post one about the ol CNE Flyer in Toronto eh. Lol. I remember a final brake run failure that messed up a few folks .. rode it that summer . Thanks for lookin at the great white north. Have ridden every at Wonderland up til 10 years ago.. time to go again. Top Gun was the hot shoe last time I was there.. alots happened since
Would love to see The Gravity Group rebuild Crystal Beach Cyclone. The fact that a coaster that went defunct in the 1940s is still legondary today justifies doing so. It would be a great fit for Marineland or Canada's Wonderland, both parks could benefit strongly from reviving such a famous Canadian coaster. As for comparisons to a modern ride I'd say the tightness and high intensity of a woodie like Mine Blower is probably the best approximation. The problem with Crystal Beach Cyclone would have been largely the trains rather than the layout design from what you described, with Timberliners much of it (NOT all, some would need to be redesigned if they rebuilt it today in the era of computer aided design) could probably work being that well, you can't end up in someone's lap I'll put it that way. With that thought in mind, Mine Blower basically being the modern version probably has some truth to it.
Disagree. The layout design was exactly the problem with the Cyclone. Traver normally built coasters for Fred Church, a gifted coaster designer. Fred Church had some legal problems for a few years that prevented him from designing any rides. Traver tried to compensate by doing some design himself. While Traver was brilliant at coming up with ideas, he was not always good at execution. The Traver Cyclone triplets had a bad design in that while the train would barely crest each hill, they would also travel though the low sections too quickly. These lower sections included the trick track and the figure eight whose transitions were much too fast. If Gravity Group or any other mfg (GCI?) were to try to rebuild the Cyclone, they would have to modify the layout significantly to make it work. If that's the case, they should probably just build something original.
@@gregorymoore2877 Full disclosure, I'm not an engineer. But I do have a good understanding on how much the trains effect forces. Simple fact is older coaster trains are heavier, especially those that weren't built by PTC (to be clear PTCs are pretty heavy compared to modern coaster trains but trains like those found on the Coney Island Cyclone, for example, are even heavier than PTCs). Modern trains like Timberliners are lighter and also more flexible in terms of turns, which would allow more of a layout like the Crystal Beach Cyclone to work with Timberliners. Of course it wouldn't be able to be a complete replica, but it would be able to be closer than most think possible to the original.
I wish RMC redid this coaster with all the modern safety stuff
They kind of do. It's called Wonder Woman Golden Lasso. Its transitions are much smoother, but it generally still yanks you around the track.
I mean an Ibox with the same layout and smoother transitions
That coaster still lives today has the comet at a six flags park in new york
I've never ridden a "terrifying" coaster in my life. Thrilling, absolutely. I have always loved roller coasters since the first time I went on one and I have ridden hundreds all over the world, but never been afraid of one - just excited. Unfortunately I'm not quite old enough to have gone on the Cyclone. Gone on other coasters which no longer exist, though.
video idea: Hybrid roller coaster in WESTERN NY?!
- I was looking at coaster thrills yt channel and his newest pov is of a roller coaster called the bobsleds and it looks like an arrow hybrid mine train but its NOT!!!
Wow, I rode that coaster years ago when I was a teenager. We were on vacation from North Carolina, and we passed Crystal Beach on the way to somewhere else. I loved amusement parks and had no fear of roller coasters at the time. I was unaware of its reputation, so I rode it. It was memorable, I know that much. Thanks for the memory. 🎢
what about the flip flap railway I rem hearing it broke necks or are those just story?
People pass out at 4 g's of pressure
You could go blind you could get whiplash you could actually break your neck you could put significant damage to your internal organs your blood pressure can get completely screwed up at the very least you're gonna have Vertigo when you get off the thing it's gonna affect your equilibrium probably creating instant nausea this is dangerous people have died
Because of the era the lack of planning and the lack of regulation roller coasters were built by people who did not really know how to engineer them properly so things like this actually happened more than was reported
Top notch again !!!! Greetings and salutations from the yooouuuukkayyyyyy croweman
Thank you!!
The cyclone is legendary around Buffalo
Thanks for the video. I enjoyed it.
I Suggested This Coaster To Be Made A Video About! :D
I9 don't know of many wooden roller coasters now,most are made of steel. There IS one in Hershey,PA, but the park itself was "closed for maintence', so I couldn't go in.
Loved hearing about this!🎢🔆
RMC should take serious consideration into rebuilding this coaster!! I definitely would ride it!!!
100% my scariest cred is the smiler because of 14 inversions and nothing comes close, loved it though should be on everyone’s bucket list
you are definitely getting better with facecam and this video is evidence of that!
The closest modern roller coaster I can think of that is close to that is the original Rattler at Fiesta Texas. The Rattler pre Six Flags ownership
My scariest coaster experience was Joker at Six Flags Great Adventure. The unpredictable flipping is what made that ride a one-and-done for me. I personally don't enjoy feeling terrified on a ride.
they took part of the roller coaster down to make it safer my wife and I rode it in the 70'S had the front seat last ride at night the locking bar did not lock my wife grabbed me and I put my hands under the seat to hold on BEST RIDE EVER
It looks like a wooden version of the Mind Bender in the Canada mall!!
Mind Bender... Where the marketing LITERALLY lives up to its hype... RIP to those 3 poor souls back in 1986, amiright?
Hey I was wondering if you have any info on an old amusement park on Burlington Island in New Jersey, All I know is there used to be an amusement park on the island and people from Philly would get there by ferry. I’m pretty sure there was a coaster there at the time…..Thanx I really enjoy your channel
Hey Art! Absolutely! The park was known as Island Beach Park and opened in the early 1900s. By 1928 (I think that was the year), it burned down and was rebuilt, and could only be reached by ferry thereafter as you mentioned. The coaster you’re referring to is Greyhound, which was an extremely intense wooden coaster for its time designed by John A. Miller. It closed after it burned down with the park. This could make an interesting video!
Crystal Beach Cyclone's discraded wood & steel would be later reused on the Comet (now at Great Escape)
The best coaster is the one that feels like it's about to disintegrate underneath you.. but doesn't.
A much worse ride was the hammer shown briefly in this video, I rode it, it was insane!
I just rode the cyclone coaster at Coney Island, It is similar to this coaster in so far as it is as well a Vicious ride. If you are 69 yrs like me don't ride this one. I was wondering if you had ridden this coaster .and if not why not.......thank you for your research you do that makes your videos so interesting .
Top thrill dragster in 04' and I was thinking what I just went through in 17 seconds
Ya so I've been waiting on this episode. Nice. I think the jazz twister was used as inspiration for the similar element on Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World's Magic Kingdom.
Magic Mountain put a similar element into its redo of Colossus, now Twisted Colossus. It's slow, so it doesn't crack your ribs like it did on this Cyclone.
As someone who grew up and lives nearby (I just came back from a drive and was in crystal beach), and who lived in crystal beach as a baby, it’s hard to believe this wonder was here. My mom has memories of the park and this coaster, but now nothing remains from the park besides the suckers, waffle crisps, and the loganberry juice - found all over town.
Pretty wild,son of beast might b a close second.
Nice Job!
I still go up to Crystal Beach in the summer it is named after the beautiful sandy beach.
Gated community condos now sit where the amusement park once did
oh, to be a coaster enthusiast in the 1920s.
Modern coaster enthusiast: "Son Of Beast/Manhattan Express (or whatever else ) is too rough."
Also modern coaster enthusiast: "I wish I could ride the Crystal Beach Cyclone!"
Imagine randomly RMC cloned this but made it more natural
The rollar coaster is gone now I live near it
This ride has a fascinating history. It’s a miracle that it lasted for 20 years.
Wait wait wait.....you had MORE and "you didn't have the time to share it"!?!🤷♂️😡😁
Ride looks like the RMC of its time....way ahead of where it probably should've been. Truly incredible. Thanks for sharing guys! 👍
Thanks Rob! We appreciate you every time! 😁🤘
Fascinating
To the closing days of the park and till today, everyone still talks about it!
so is there enough information to be able to make a clone with modern techinques?
Great information
Thank you!!!