Coney Island Cyclone
Seen from Surf Avenue in 2013
Luna Park, Coney Island
LocationLuna Park, Coney Island
Coordinates40°34′27″N 73°58′40″W / 40.57417°N 73.97778°W / 40.57417; -73.97778
StatusOperating
Opening dateJune 26, 1927[1]
Cost$175,000
ReplacedGiant Racer
DesignatedJune 25, 1991[2]
Reference no.91000907
DesignatedJune 12, 1988[3]
Reference no.1636
General statistics
DesignerVernon Keenan
Track layoutCompact Twister
Lift/launch systemChain-lift
Height85 ft (26 m)
Length2,640 ft (800 m)
Speed60 mph (97 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:30
Max vertical angle58.1°
Capacity1440 riders per hour
G-force3.75
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Coney Island Cyclone at RCDB

The Cyclone, also called the Coney Island Cyclone, is a wooden roller coaster at Luna Park in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City. Designed by Vernon Keenan, it opened to the public on June 26, 1927. The roller coaster is on a plot of land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street. The Cyclone reaches a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and has a total track length of 2,640 feet (800 m), with a maximum height of 85 feet (26 m).

The roller coaster operated for more than four decades before it began to deteriorate, and by the early 1970s the city planned to scrap the ride. On June 18, 1975, Dewey and Jerome Albert, owners of the adjacent Astroland amusement park, entered an agreement with New York City to operate the ride. The roller coaster was refurbished in the 1974 off-season and reopened on July 3, 1975. Astroland Park continued to invest millions of dollars in the Cyclone's upkeep. The roller coaster was declared a New York City designated landmark in 1988 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. After Astroland closed in 2008, Cyclone Coasters president Carol Hill Albert continued to operate it under a lease agreement with the city. In 2011, Luna Park took over the Cyclone.

History

Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States from about 1880 to World War II, attracting several million visitors per year. At its height, it contained three amusement parks (Luna Park, Dreamland, and Steeplechase Park) and many independent amusements.[4]: 147–150 [5]: 11 [3]: 3  The Cyclone site was occupied by the Giant Racer from 1911 to 1926.[6][7]

Early history

Wall of the New York Aquarium, with blue-painted fish and the Cyclone
South wall of the New York Aquarium, commemorating the Cyclone's 1927 opening

The success of the Thunderbolt and Tornado roller coasters, which respectively opened in 1925 and 1926, led Irving and Jack Rosenthal to acquire land at the intersection of Surf Avenue and West 10th Street for a coaster of their own.[3]: 5 [8] The Rosenthal brothers leased a land lot for 19 years from the Coast Holding Company, a syndicate composed of "many prominent business and amusement men of Coney".[9]

With a $100,000 investment, they hired leading coaster designer Vernon Keenan to design a new ride.[3]: 5 [8][9] Harry C. Baker supervised the construction, while local companies provided the material, including steel contractor National Bridge Company and lumber contractor Cross, Austin, & Ireland.[3]: 5 [8] Its final cost was reportedly $146,000 to $175,000. When the Cyclone opened on June 26, 1927, a ride cost 25 cents (equivalent to $4.21 in 2022[10]), except on Sundays and holidays, when the Rosenthals charged 35 cents.[9] With the success of the Cyclone, the Rosenthals installed a similar ride at Golden City Park in Canarsie, Brooklyn, in 1928.[11]

In 1935, the Rosenthals took over the management of New Jersey's Palisades Park.[12] The Cyclone was placed under the supervision of Christopher Feucht, a Coney Island entrepreneur who had built Drop the Dip in 1907. Feucht performed minor retracking work on the Cyclone[3]: 6  The ride's first drop was reduced by 5 feet (1.5 m) in 1939.[13]: 2  By that time, New York City parks commissioner Robert Moses planned to clear a 100-foot-wide (30 m) area inland of the Riegelmann Boardwalk, which would have required the relocation or closure of the Cyclone.[14][15] These plans were subsequently modified to preserve the amusement area there.[16] The ride remained extremely popular.[3]: 6  A person with dwarfism would originally zap disembarking riders with an electric paddle, a practice which ended during the 1950s.[17]

Decline

Sylvio and Al Pinto acquired the Cyclone in March 1959.[18] By the 1960s, attendance at Coney Island was declining.[17][19] Increased crime, insufficient parking, poor weather, and the post-World War II automotive boom were all cited as contributing factors in the decline.[20] Coney Island's last remaining large theme park, Steeplechase Park, was closed in 1964 and subsequently demolished.[21][22]: 172 [23] The Cyclone was sold to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) in 1965.[17] Around that time, the New York City government wanted to construct an expansion to the New York Aquarium,[24] which had been constructed east of the Cyclone in 1954.[25] The city began planning to acquire the Cyclone via eminent domain in 1967. Its owners, East Coaster Corporation, unsuccessfully fought the city; they did minimal long-term maintenance, enough to keep the ride operating safely.[24] The city bought the Cyclone for $1.2 million in 1969.[23]

The Cyclone was then operated under contract by East Coaster Corporation while the city worked with the New York Aquarium on plans to redevelop the site. There was a lack of long-term maintenance by the city, and the coaster soon received 101 safety violations.[24] In 1972, aquarium officials announced that they would replace the Cyclone with a swamp display. Opponents of the plan organized a "Save the Cyclone" campaign to contest the proposed demolition of the coaster.[26] This created a conflict between the aquarium, which supported the Cyclone's demolition, and the Coney Island Chamber of Commerce, which opposed it.[27] The owners of the AstroWorld theme park in Houston were considering buying the Coney Island Cyclone and moving it to Houston. This was eventually rejected as being too expensive, and AstroWorld's owners instead built a replica, which they branded as the Texas Cyclone.[28][29]

By 1974, city officials doubted their decision to purchase the Cyclone and considered leasing the coaster to a private operator.[30][31] The proposed demolition of the Cyclone was seen as potentially disastrous to Coney Island's economy.[23] The city changed its plans to dismantle the coaster and, in April 1975, invited sealed bids to lease operation of the ride.[24] The owners of the Astroland amusement park won the lease, with a bid of $57,000 per year.[32] After Astroland spent $60,000 to refurbish the Cyclone, the coaster reopened on July 3, 1975.[24][3]: 6–7 

Preservation

See caption
The Cyclone in 2010

During the 1986 season, insurance disputes forced the Cyclone to stay closed until July.[33] The Cyclone remained in operation as a separate enterprise following the 2008 closure of Astroland[34] and during the single operating season of Dreamland in 2009.[35][36]

The adjacent Luna Park took over management of the Cyclone in 2011[37][38] and began a major refurbishment of the coaster during the off-season.[39][40] The ride had not been refurbished since the 1970s, and various planks and other elements of the structure had come loose. Although Luna Park officials said the Cyclone's maximum speed and layout would remain unchanged, roller coaster enthusiasts expressed concern that the refurbishment would make the ride experience smoother, saying that the Cyclone's roughness was a major characteristic of the ride.[41][42] Luna Park hired Great Coasters International (GCI) to refurbish the roller coaster.[39][43] The roller coaster remained largely intact after the surrounding area was flooded during Hurricane Sandy in late 2012.[44][45] GCI completed its refurbishment of the Cyclone in 2016.[46][47] The Cyclone did not operate during the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City;[48][49] it reopened during the 2021 season.[50][51]

Characteristics

The wooden roller coaster[a] covers 75 feet (23 m) at 834 Surf Avenue and 500 feet (150 m) on West 10th Street,[3]: 12  which is owned by NYC Parks.[23] The former concession stands (built into the coaster's structure) was home to the Coney Island History Project,[53] which was moved to a space near the Wonder Wheel.[54] A souvenir stand selling Cyclone-based shirts, hats, and on-ride photos remains.[53] The Cyclone is considered an "irreplaceable" structure, since timber-supported coasters can no longer be built under modern New York City building codes.[55]

The track is 2,640 feet (800 m) long, including six fan turns and twelve drops. The ride's top speed is 60 miles per hour (97 km/h), and each ride takes about one minute and fifty seconds. The brown wooden track has red wood fencing alongside it and has a white structural framework, giving it a distinctive appearance.[56][57][52] The steel framework is composed of vertical I-beams, horizontal tie bars, and diagonal cross-bracing beams, connected by riveted steel plates.[13]: 2  "Cyclone" appears in large, red, incandescent letters on the east and west sides of the lift hill;[13]: 3 [3]: 6  the letters on this sign were originally 10 feet (3.0 m) high.[9] The coaster is surrounded by a fence.[13]: 3  Before 2000, the Cyclone's 58.1-degree initial drop was the third-steepest drop of any wooden coaster in the world. As of 2014, it has the ninth-steepest drop of any wood coaster worldwide.[58]

The Cyclone has three trains, each with three cars; one train can run at a time. Riders are arranged two across in four rows, for a total of 24 riders per train. The trains have bench seating (rather than individual seats for each passenger), and a single-position lap-bar restraint system which drops across the entire row. The seats do not have headrests.[56][52][3]: 6 

Each ride in Luna Park charges a number of credits for admission, with each credit typically costing $1.[59] As of July 2019, each ride on the Cyclone costs 10 credits ($10); free and reduced-price re-rides have been eliminated. Ride admission is also included in Luna Park's fixed-date and any-date passes.[60] "Bonus credits" accumulated by the purchase of ride credits cannot be used for the coaster.[59] The station is accessed from the ticket booth on West 10th Street. It consists of two wooden platforms, one on each side of the track; the outer (western) platform is for riders who are boarding, and the inner (eastern) platform is for exiting riders. The station is under a gable roof canopy supported by a steel arch frame, which has segmented arcades along its sides. A mechanical room is partly underneath, and next to, the platform.[8][13]: 3  Outside the station is a vertical sign with incandescent letters spelling "CYCLONE",[8][13]: 3  which measures 45 feet (14 m) high.[9]

Ride experience

The Cyclone, with high-rise apartment buildings in the background
Seen from the west

The train leaves the station heading north and immediately turns right at an almost 180-degree angle, which leads to an 85-foot (26 m) lift hill. It then moves over the first 58.1-degree drop; as the train reaches the bottom of the drop, it comes close to the track above for a headchopper effect. The train then ascends into the first high-speed U-turn to the left, descending again beneath the lift hill and rising to the second 70-foot-tall (21 m) U-turn to the right. It descends parallel to the lift hill, enters a camelback hill and rises to a smaller banked right U-turn, where it dives under the first high-speed curve. After the third U-turn, the train enters a second camelback hill with a fan turn and a smaller airtime section as it approaches a fourth U-turn to the right. The train hops several times more, paralleling the second drop, before entering a final right curve. It drops slightly, ascends into a tunnel with a small left fan turn, and enters a brake run just before re-entering the station.[56][57]

Incidents

See caption
As seen from West 10th Street

At least three people have died after riding the Cyclone. On May 26, 1985, a 29-year-old man was killed when he stood up and hit his head on a crossbeam.[61] On August 23, 1988, a 26-year-old maintenance worker, riding in the back seat during his lunch break, was killed after falling 30 feet (9.1 m) from the coaster and landing on a crossbeam of a lower section of track. The ride was closed after the incident but reopened a day later after safety inspectors concluded it was safe.[62] Keith Shirasawa, a 53-year-old man, suffered several crushed vertebrae in his neck while riding the Cyclone on July 31, 2007, and died four days later due to complications during surgery.[63][64]

On June 12, 2008, a woman rode the Cyclone and later claimed that she had been seriously injured due to the ride. She was awarded $1.5 million in damages in 2015, despite being found partly at fault.[65]

Notable riders and records

Aviator Charles Lindbergh was said to have ridden the Cyclone two years after it opened,[66] and reportedly called the experience "greater than flying an airplane at top speed".[67][55] Emilio Franco, a mute coal miner with aphonia, visited Coney Island in 1948 and reportedly screamed while going down the Cyclone's first drop. Franco also reportedly said, "I feel sick" as his train returned to the station. According to multiple accounts, he fainted after realizing that he had spoken.[3]: 6 [17][68] Although one version of the story reported that Franco had been mute since birth,[67] a contemporary New York Times story said that he had been mute for five years.[68]

Michael Boodley set a record in 1975 for the most consecutive trips on the Cyclone, riding it 1,001 times over a 45-hour period.[69] Nineteen-year-old Richard Rodriguez broke the record from August 18 to 22, 1977, riding the coaster for 104 hours. He took short bathroom breaks between rides, eating hot dogs and M&Ms and drinking shakes during the ride itself. Rodriguez broke his own record for the longest roller-coaster marathon in 2007, riding for 405 hours and 40 minutes at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in the United Kingdom.[69] In 2009, the Coney Island History Project gave an award to Howie Lipstein, who had ridden the Cyclone for fifty consecutive years.[70][71] In 2019, Luna Park honored him for riding for sixty consecutive years.[72]

Impact

Commemorate plaque from the American Coaster Enthusiasts
American Coaster Enthusiasts plaque

The Cyclone was named a city landmark in 1988[3] and a National Historic Landmark in 1991.[73] An ACE Coaster Classic and Coaster Landmark,[74][75] it inspired the name of the Brooklyn Cyclones baseball team, which plays at nearby Maimonides Park.[76]

Replicas

The popularity of the Cyclone has inspired eight replica coasters that share (or mirror) a similar layout.[17][77] Four replicas of the Cyclone were built at Six Flags parks: Viper at Six Flags Great America;[78][77] Psyclone at Six Flags Magic Mountain;[79][80][77] the Texas Cyclone at Six Flags AstroWorld;[81][82][77] and the Georgia Cyclone at Six Flags Over Georgia. [83][77] Of these, only Viper is still operational in its original state.[77][b] International replicas include Bandit at Movie Park Germany; the defunct White Canyon at Yomiuriland in Japan, and the defunct Aska at Japan's Nara Dreamland.[87][77]

The Riverside Cyclone, built in 1983 at Riverside Amusement Park (now Six Flags New England), was inspired by the design of the Coney Island Cyclone.[88] Later known as the Cyclone, it was closed in 2014 and replaced with Wicked Cyclone,[89] constructed by Rocky Mountain Construction.[90] Despite the shared name, the Riverside Cyclone was not a replica of the Coney Island Cyclone.[90]

Rankings

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023
Ranking 7[91] 8[92] 11[93] 11[94] 13[95] 16[96] 16[97] 14[98] 16[99] 14[100] 16[101] 14[102] 13[103] 15[104] 14[105] 19[106] 22[107] 16[108] 27[109] 22[110] 29[111] 28[112] 13 (tie)[113] 17[114] 16[115]

Notes

  1. ^ The Roller Coaster DataBase also cites the ride as being a hybrid roller coaster.[52] This is because the track is made of wood, while the support structure is made of steel.[52][13]: 2 
  2. ^ The Texas Cyclone was demolished with AstroWorld's closure in 2005,[28] Psyclone was demolished in 2007,[84] and the Georgia Cyclone was converted by Rocky Mountain Construction into Twisted Cyclone in 2018.[85][86]

References

  1. ^ Denson, Charles (2002). Coney Island: Lost and Found. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 9781580084550.
  2. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The Cyclone" (PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. July 12, 1988. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  4. ^ DeSena, Judith N.; Shortell, Timothy (2012). The World in Brooklyn: Gentrification, Immigration, and Ethnic Politics in a Global City. Lexington Books. pp. 147–176. ISBN 978-0-7391-6670-3. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  5. ^ Parascandola, L.J. (2014). A Coney Island Reader: Through Dizzy Gates of Illusion. Columbia University Press. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-231-53819-0. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved January 20, 2019.
  6. ^ "Ride America's Most Historic Roller Coasters". www.smithsonianmag.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  7. ^ Marden, Duane. "Giant Racer  (Luna Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Cyclone 101". The Washington Post. August 4, 2002. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Coney's Latest Ride, The Cyclone, Opens". The Billboard. Vol. 39, no. 28. July 9, 1927. p. 74. ProQuest 1031835440.
  10. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  11. ^ "Golden City Park To Install Ride". The Billboard. Vol. 40, no. 34. August 25, 1928. p. 81. ProQuest 1031879664.
  12. ^ "Park-Resorts-Pools: Palisades Let To Rosenthals". The Billboard. Vol. 47, no. 22. June 1, 1935. pp. 46, 49. ProQuest 1032072390.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "Historic Structures Report: Coney Island Cyclone" (PDF). National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. June 25, 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 27, 2021. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
  14. ^ "Coney Island Plan Revised By Moses; He Offers Alternate Schemes to Mayor, Both Retaining Present Atmosphere". The New York Times. August 21, 1939. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019.
  15. ^ "Moses Submits 2 Plans to Add To Coney Beach: Urges Slart Next Year on One ofProposals, Putting Cost at 3 to 6 Million". New York Herald Tribune. August 21, 1939. p. 1. ISSN 1941-0646. ProQuest 1266816402.
  16. ^ "Coney Improvement". Brooklyn Citizen. December 16, 1939. p. 1. Archived from the original on May 9, 2022. Retrieved January 6, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b c d e Osterhout, Jacob E. "8 questions for Coney Island's Cyclone roller coaster master, Jerry Menditto". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  18. ^ "Parks-Kiddielands-Rinks: Cyclone at Coney Island Sold to Pinto". The Billboard. Vol. 71, no. 9. March 2, 1959. p. 55. ProQuest 1475620392.
  19. ^ "Coney Island Still Lures Millions of Visitors: Some Call It Tawdry but Famous People Are Among Throngs at Home of Hot Dog". Los Angeles Times. May 16, 1968. p. C20. ProQuest 155979948.
  20. ^ "Coney Island Slump Grows Worse; Decline in Business Since the War Years Has Been Steady". The New York Times. July 2, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 31, 2018. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  21. ^ Chan, Sewell (July 21, 2005). "Leaps of Imagination for the Parachute Jump". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  22. ^ Immerso, Michael (2002). Coney Island: the people's playground (illustrated ed.). Rutgers University Press. ISBN 978-0-8135-3138-0. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  23. ^ a b c d "The Cyclone Highlights : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  24. ^ a b c d e Futrell, J. (2006). Amusement Parks of New York. Amusement Parks Series. Stackpole Books. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-8117-3262-8. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
  25. ^ Salerno, Al (October 24, 1954). "Break Ground for World's Greatest Aquarium at Coney Island". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. pp. 1, 21. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019 – via Brooklyn Public Library; newspapers.com.
  26. ^ McQuiston, John T. (March 5, 1972). "Aquarium is Getting a Piece of Old Long Island". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 13, 2012. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  27. ^ "Aquarium Urges Razing Of Coney Island Cyclone". The New York Times. May 27, 1975. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 15, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  28. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Texas Cyclone  (Six Flags AstroWorld)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  29. ^ Rouner, Jef (March 18, 2015). "Where Are AstroWorld's Roller Coasters Now?". Houston Press. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  30. ^ Lichtenstein, Grace (December 20, 1974). "City Is Leaning to Keeping Steeplechase a Fun Place". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  31. ^ Fallon, Beth (July 30, 1974). "Coney Showdown: Thriller vs. Killer". New York Daily News. p. 35. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com Open access icon.
  32. ^ McCarthy, Sheryl (June 27, 1977). "This Ride's Dips Are a Real Up". New York Daily News. p. 282. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2019 – via newspapers.com Open access icon.
  33. ^ Blau, Eleanor (July 11, 1986). "Cyclone at Coney Island Rolls Again at Last". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  34. ^ Chatelain, Ryan (September 5, 2008). "End of an ara at Coney Island" (PDF). AM New York. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 15, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  35. ^ Sederstrom, Jotham (April 8, 2009). "Dreamland amusement park to take place of Astroland at Coney Island". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
  36. ^ The Associated Press (April 6, 2009). "Coney Island's Cyclone roller coaster is back for one more summer". nj. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  37. ^ Kaminer, Ariel (April 2, 2010). "Thrilling Reminder of Old Coney Island". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 25, 2019. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  38. ^ "Brooklyn's Cyclone set to re-open". UPI.com. March 31, 2009. Archived from the original on August 22, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2012.
  39. ^ a b "CAI selects Great Coasters International, Inc. to revamp Coney Island Cyclone". Amusement Today. January 31, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  40. ^ Bush, Daniel (January 19, 2012). "Thrill Kill? Cyclone fans fear coaster will become kinder, gentler". Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  41. ^ Chaban, Matt (January 20, 2012). "Rumbles Stripped! Coney Cyclone Becoming Safer, Smoother Snoozer Coaster". Observer. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  42. ^ Bush, Daniel (January 19, 2012). "Thrill Kill? Cyclone fans fear coaster will become kinder, gentler". Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  43. ^ "How Coaster Refurbishment Works with Great Coasters International". Coaster101. October 27, 2016. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  44. ^ MacDonald, Brady (November 7, 2012). "Superstorm Sandy: Tallying the damage at amusement piers". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  45. ^ Bredderman, Will (November 12, 2012). "Sandy spares Cyclone". Brooklyn Paper. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  46. ^ Eisinger, Dale W.; McShane, Larry (March 26, 2016). "Coney Island's refurbished Cyclone coaster debuts as spring rolls into Brooklyn". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  47. ^ Ellefson, Alex (March 28, 2016). "Elected Officials Christen Refurbished Cyclone At Luna Park Spring Opening". bklyner.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  48. ^ Maisel, Todd (May 12, 2020). "An endless bummer? Coney Island gripped by uncertainty as summer approaches in COVID-19 era". AM NewYork. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  49. ^ Vespoli, Lauren (May 21, 2020). "Can Coney Island Survive This?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  50. ^ Yakas, Ben (April 9, 2021). "Photos: Coney Island Joyfully Reopens After 18 Month Shutdown". Gothamist. Retrieved April 5, 2022.
  51. ^ Passy, Charles (April 8, 2021). "Coney Island's Wonder Wheel Set to Spin After Covid-19 Pause". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  52. ^ a b c d Marden, Duane. "Cyclone  (Luna Park (Brooklyn, New York, United States))". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  53. ^ a b Newman, Andy (May 29, 2007). "Beneath the Speeding Cyclone, a Look Back in Time". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 2, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  54. ^ "Coney Island History Project – Museums & Galleries". NYCgo.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  55. ^ a b Diamonstein-Spielvogel, Barbaralee (2011). The Landmarks of New York (5th ed.). Albany, New York: State University of New York Press. p. 583. ISBN 978-1-4384-3769-9.
  56. ^ a b c "Cyclone at Luna Park". COASTER-net. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  57. ^ a b "Cyclone front seat on-ride HD POV Luna Park, Coney Island". CoasterForce. June 4, 2013. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019 – via YouTube.
  58. ^ "Wood Coasters". Roller Coaster Records. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  59. ^ a b "Park Prices". Luna Park Coney Island. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  60. ^ "Coney Island Cyclone". Luna Park Coney Island. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  61. ^ Phalen, W.J. (2016). Coney Island: 150 Years of Rides, Fires, Floods, the Rich, the Poor and Finally Robert Moses. McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-4766-2373-3. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  62. ^ "Park Employee Dies in Roller-Coaster Fall". The New York Times. August 24, 1988. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  63. ^ McLaughlin, Mike (November 3, 2008). "Cyclone: Joy ride or death ride?". Brooklyn Paper. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  64. ^ Zambito, Thomas (October 29, 2008). "Family of Cyclone accident victim is suing New York City". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  65. ^ Marzulli, John (March 30, 2015). "Exclusive: Woman awarded $1.5 million over claim she was seriously injured riding Cyclone roller coaster in Coney Island". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2019. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  66. ^ Clines, Francis X. (June 24, 1977). "50 Years of Ups and Downs for 'Cyclone'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  67. ^ a b Associated Press. "Coney Island's iconic Cyclone roller coaster to celebrate its 85th anniversary with 25-cent rides on Saturday". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  68. ^ a b "Roller-Coaster Ride Brings Back Speech To Army Veteran Who Lost Voice in 1943". The New York Times. August 12, 1948. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  69. ^ a b Kilgannon, Corey (June 23, 2017). "Coney Island's Coaster King Takes Another Spin". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 1, 2018. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  70. ^ Monahan, Rachel (April 6, 2009). "A 50-year constant in Coney Island". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on July 26, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  71. ^ "Howie Lipstein: Devoted Cyclone Rider". Coney Island History Project. April 5, 2009. Archived from the original on July 26, 2016. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
  72. ^ "Cyclone in New York City". 5DGUIDE. June 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 16, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  73. ^ Kristen King (August 4, 1995). "Cyclone Honors to Roll". The Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on April 23, 2009. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  74. ^ "Coaster Awards". aceonline.org. September 8, 2015. Archived from the original on September 8, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  75. ^ "Coaster Awards". www.aceonline.org. Archived from the original on December 12, 2010. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
  76. ^ Lipton, Eric (November 28, 2000). "Plus: Baseball; Affiliate Named Brooklyn Cyclones". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  77. ^ a b c d e f g Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  78. ^ "Six Flags Great America to run Viper and American Eagle coasters backwards during 2013". Theme Park Tourist. May 27, 2013. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  79. ^ Shuster, Fred (February 17, 1991). "Ride a Tribute to Roller Coaster History". OrlandoSentinel.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  80. ^ "Six Flags Magic Mountain". DeseretNews.com. April 30, 1995. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  81. ^ Callahan, Michael (January 15, 2016). "1976: Astroworld coaster construction under way". www.chron.com. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  82. ^ Communications, Emmis (June 1976). Texas Monthly. Emmis Communications. Archived from the original on May 30, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
  83. ^ Bluestein, Greg. "Six Flags shutters the Georgia Cyclone after one last hoorah". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on July 5, 2019. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
  84. ^ Marden, Duane. "Psyclone  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  85. ^ Marden, Duane. "Georgia Cyclone  (Six Flags Over Georgia)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  86. ^ Marden, Duane. "Twisted Cyclone  (Six Flags Over Georgia)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  87. ^ Rutherford, Scott, 1961– (2004). The American roller coaster. St. Paul, MN: Motorbooks International. ISBN 0760319294. OCLC 56339670.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  88. ^ Marden, Duane. "Cyclone  (Six Flags New England)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  89. ^ Blair, Russell (August 28, 2014). "Six Flags New England Announces Plans To Replace Cyclone Coaster". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 6, 2022.
  90. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Wicked Cyclone  (Six Flags New England)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  91. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998.
  92. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1999.
  93. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. August 2000.
  94. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  95. ^ "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  96. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  97. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007.
  98. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  99. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  100. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  101. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  102. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  103. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  104. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  105. ^ "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012.
  106. ^ "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013.
  107. ^ "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014.
  108. ^ "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015.
  109. ^ "2016 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016.
  110. ^ "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017.
  111. ^ "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018.
  112. ^ "2019 Top 50 Wood Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019.
  113. ^ "2021 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021.
  114. ^ "2022 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022.
  115. ^ "2023 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Amusement Today. 27 (6.2): 71–72. September 2023. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023.

External links

Preceded byGiant Dipper World's Fastest Roller Coaster June 1927 – April 1976 Succeeded byScreamin' Eagle
U.S. National Register of Historic Places in New York
Coney Island
Recipients of the ACE Coaster Landmark Award
Recipients of the ACE Coaster Classic Award
Protected areas of New York City
Categories