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Scott's Coaster Closet


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The Coney Island Thunderbolt, the Cyclone's older, meaner cousin, was a real challenge to ride during the last years of its long life. I was fortunate to snag a few turbulent circuits during its final season in 1982. Sorry for the quality of the earlier pics, but I was shooting with my Kodak 110 Instamatic

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Goodbye T'bolt. R.I.P

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The last time I saw T'bolt was during a cold New York winter in 2000. :(

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No rides today. T'bolt's run to the lift is submerged. :(

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Steel-tracked Wild Mouse (left) shared T'bolt's lot in the final years.

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Grrrrrrrrrrrr...

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Like every plunge on T'bolt, this steep power dive (the second drop) was vicious. With a very thin lap bar that could wiggle loose at any moment, this was one ride where holding on tightly was a very good idea. My skinny butt was nearly wrenched out of the train when we were yanked over the crest.

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Onboard shot from the back seat. The Parachute tower is dead ahead.

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Looking up the brake run. That hill on the left is the upside of the double dip. If you look closely, there was a secondary chain lift to assist trains up and over.

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Train on the uncovered loading platform. This rolling stock was in tragic shape at the end. There were springs and straw leaking from the upholstery and you could see daylight through the floorboards!

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Train climbing the T'Bolt's lift.

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I don't get any actual rides until next weekend when when we check out Carowinds' 'new' Cobra and Spring Fling at SFOG. So, 'til then, here are a few more tasty morsels of wooden coaster goodness ...

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Hitting the brakes. Those Church skids are massive compared to Miller/PTCs.

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That's what we're missing.

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Pretty.

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... it ran with its original Fred Church rolling stock. The Dragon died the day those Morgans showed up. :(

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Rye Playland's Dragon coaster in 1981 when ...

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Sexy curves Part 3 -- This is the finale on West View's incomparable Racing Whippet. At this point, the racing trains are completing an S-turn and swooping up out of the ravine and into the brakes.

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Sexy curves Part 2

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Sexy curves part 1

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Back turn

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Dips' first drop. Just think --- these trains had fixed lap bars. Hang on .......!!!!

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I found a few new (old) shots of the magnificent Dips at West View Park.

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A train filled with excited riders will never plow down Coaster's brake run. I find these leaf-strewn shots rather sad ... :(

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These big 4-bench trains were roomy, airtime machines.

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Back turn

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Lost in the forest ...

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Chippewa Lake's 'Coaster' had been silenced long before I wandered around it with my trusty 110 Instamatic. Top shot is the first drop and long approach tunnel, while below is the quiet station.

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Amazing shot of the chippewa coaster, I would have loved to have seen the back when there was some more things intact, When I got there the train was in sections. One in the station one flipped over off the tracks just outside the station the others in the tunnel. They eventually dissapeared in the following years and more things fell apart.

 

I'll hafta scan in the pictures but back in the day me and my buddies got one of the swingin gym cages to make a full revolution during one of our chippewa excursions. If there had still been a floor in the cage we might have ridden it !

 

On similar note do you have any shots of the BLUE idora wildcat train? The lead car is sitting in my garage awaiting some TLC.

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i just have to say it: this is probably my favorite topic of all time, on any forum! i love all of those great old wooden coasters (my coaster obsession actually began with them), and all of these incredible photos just bring tears to my eyes (yes, i'm one of those guys who takes coasters way too seriously!) thank you so much for sharing them!

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I love this thread! The T-Bolt pictures are my favorite.

 

On similar note do you have any shots of the BLUE idora wildcat train? The lead car is sitting in my garage awaiting some TLC.
How did you manage to get your hands on one of those?
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Yeah, guys, I totally agree. Looking through The Closet always is a bit saddening when you consider just how much has been lost to history. I'm just doing my part to keep some of it alive ...

Keep it alive....please. I love this thread. I have always thought if someone could afford to build a park where some of these old coasters could go to live on. It just is so sad to see these machines that came from someone's imagination to paper to model to fully built ride. Then because of whatever reason...........there gone. Just sitting there hoping against all hope to have someone ride the rails one more time. Great stuff.

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On similar note do you have any shots of the BLUE idora wildcat train? The lead car is sitting in my garage awaiting some TLC.

 

The last time I rode the Wildcat was in the blue train. This is the only shot I can find of it at the moment (in my collection). Somewhere I have a postcard showing the blue train on white structure. I'll have to dig that one out.

 

Post a pic of your car when you can. Would love to see it. What happened to the other cars in that train as well as the yellow train?

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I came across the trains over on Idorapark.org a couple years ago. The trains were discovered sitting under a covered porch in the outskirts of youngstown at the home of the guy who bought them at the auction back in 84.

 

The cars sold individually to different people for $500 each. The yellow train appeared to be in great shape and looked as if you could hop in and ride. My particular car was the last one available at I snagged it for $350 because it was in the worst shape of them all. I'll have to fabricate a new front lap bar and seat. I managed to find a replacement set of decals through a buddy that has been in the hobby longer than I've been alive.

 

Its in ok shape for being exposed to the elements for 20 years, In MUCH better shape than the existing jackrabbit cars.

 

A old work friend bought the raging wolf bobs from apex machinery awhile after the GL auction and I've worked out a deal to get myself a section of wolf bobs track to put the coaster car on.

 

Thanks again for all the excellent vintage pics !!!!!

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front shot, they went cheap on the repaint towards the end

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Excuse the 7th layer of hell that is my garage, I'm remodeling......

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Glad to see the lead car is at least under shelter now. Are the wheels still intact? Though it will take some work to restored it, I'd be interested to see once this happens. Also, the next time I speak with Tom Rebbie at PTC, I'll ask if he might have an old lap laying around the shop. Good luck!

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Amazing shot of the chippewa coaster, I would have loved to have seen the back when there was some more things intact, When I got there the train was in sections. One in the station one flipped over off the tracks just outside the station the others in the tunnel. They eventually dissapeared in the following years and more things fell apart.

 

Though I was able to walk much of the Chippewa Big Dipper's course when I shot those pics in 1982, the track and uprights were in pretty good shape after all those years of neglect following the park's closure. That white train on the covered transfer was even better preserved. Too bad nobody every snagged those cars for preservation before the vandals had their way with then.

 

Has anyone seen video of that ride in operation? I'd love to check that out.

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Big Dipper in operation.

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The wheels and braking system is pretty much intact albeit in need of some de-rusting. They all still turn though I am missing one upstop wheel, when I get off work I'll post a pic of the underneath and try to find pics of the other cars.

 

If you could get me a replacement lapbar I would probably touch myself in an impure manner.

 

If I remember correctly there was an amusement park display at the cuyahoga county fair a couple years ago. I was unable to make it there but I remember seeing pics of one of the chippewa cars on display. I'm REALLY curious as to how the trains were removed as they were rusted to the tracks last I saw them not to mention they were falling apart from exposure. I'd also like to know who cut the brake levers off about the same time the cars dissapeared. The brakes still worked as of 2000 or so.

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The wheels and braking system is pretty much intact albeit in need of some de-rusting. They all still turn though I am missing one upstop wheel, when I get off work I'll post a pic of the underneath and try to find pics of the other cars.

 

If you could get me a replacement lapbar I would probably touch myself in an impure manner.

 

If I remember correctly there was an amusement park display at the cuyahoga county fair a couple years ago. I was unable to make it there but I remember seeing pics of one of the chippewa cars on display. I'm REALLY curious as to how the trains were removed as they were rusted to the tracks last I saw them not to mention they were falling apart from exposure. I'd also like to know who cut the brake levers off about the same time the cars dissapeared. The brakes still worked as of 2000 or so.

 

I'll see what I can find on the lap bar. I'm always happy to inspire self-touching!

 

Sorry to hear some loser cut the brake handles off the Dipper. Nice act of preservation.

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Those trains are awesome. If only I could have a piece of coaster history.

 

For some reason, I think the image on the Dipper train looks Photoshopped on (or at least edited on).

 

Someone sent that to me a while ago. If you mean the Native American decal/painting on the front looks Pshopped ... I have no idea. I have see other shots of the ride in operation and it also features that graphic.

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