Arrow Development Co., Mountainview, Cal?

I was looking on the cedarpoint website, and ran accross this.... http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/park/rides/tranquil/antique_cars.cfm

Is this the same arrow company that built coasters? If so, I thought they were located in Utah, or was there another arrow company?

They are located in Logan, Utah now at S&S. Previously they were in Mountainview.

I thought that arrow was always located in what I think is called "clearview" or clear...something Utah.

It is possible that Arrow had another facility in Utah prior to being purchased by S&S and moving to Logan. Mountainview, Clearview, Logan...it's all the same Arrow.

Just for the record, it's Clearfield, UT. I think it was around the mid 1980s that Arrow Development figured it's facility in Mountainview was limited and moved to Clearfield. Then they were bought out by S&S and I remember reading an interview saying that [Arrow Dynamics] made a big mistake by running/maintaining/owning their own manufacturing facility (which was pointless when their rides stopped selling) so now they're with S&S.

I think Arrow may have moved to Utah shortly after the Arrow/Huss dibacle ended in the mid-80's.

Adam

Totally. When my family moved to the Bay Area in 1980, we used to go to the Mountain View Drive-in right behind their facility. I don't remember the movie, but I DO remember a lightning loop set up in the yard behind the trees. You could also catch a glimpse from 101 North when you went by.

I'm sure they moved because of land. It was a small plot and real estate values were going way up even back then.

/Edit: Ooops...it was the Moffett Drive-in (quite a while ago). Also, I remember thinking that the shuttle loop wasn't a real ride. I just thought that because they didn't have the land to build full-size coasters, they set up a contraption to test whether the train would make it through their loops. So yah, Lightning Loops was a loop tester. I remember being surprised when I joined ACE and discovered that it was indeed a real ride.

And interesting side note regarding the site: Microsoft built an office there in the early 90's. Given how wildly popular the company was in the area at that time, it is no surprise that they would tuck the office away in a remote corner of Mountain View...still in Silicon Valley, but out of sight and mind. ;)

*** Edited 4/28/2006 2:52:47 PM UTC by janfrederick***

Funny you should mention the drive-in. I just looked at some old footage of the full size suspended test track to try and determine if the track was in California or Utah. In the background is a drive-in movie screen so I guess that answers my question.

The Arrow/Huss debacle ended in 1986 when the American officers bought out the company and formed Arrow Dynamics. So if Adam is correct that the move to Clearfield occurred after Huss was out of the picture that would be sometime around 1986-1987.

Just to add a little to what Jeffrey and Adam have already said...

Arrow established the facility in Clearfield either during or just before the Arrow-Huss days. When they bought themselves out in '86, they relocated to their own facility in Utah. I don't know much about the two sites, but I seem to recall that the Mountain View location didn't have as much space for fabrication and prototyping as the Clearfield location.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Hey, speaking of "Arrow" and "California", is the famous carousel Arrow refurbished (you know, the one that got Walt Disney's attention) still in operation?

Jeff,

That wouldn't happen to be the video America Screams would it? I bought that video years ago and while it's pretty out of date, it had some great footage of the Arrow prototype and a decent interview with John Allen.

Also, the Great American Scream Machine DVD that SFOG gave us at Spring Fling has great footage of John Allen speaking of designing coasters. It's really neat to hear his thoughts on coasters and how he got into it.

As others have pointed out, definitely the same Arrow Development. They also created the cars for Frontier Village in San Jose (RIP) and both Marriott's Great America.

You can read a bit of the history here:

http://www.mv-voice.com/morgue/2002/2002_07_26.history726.html

The wierd thing is there is now an Arrow electronics plant across the freeway from PGA. No relation, but it always make me think a bit ("didn't they move?").

Cory,

I've seen those same test runs on a number of different videos. It could be on the America Screams video as well, I honestly don't remember. Someone converted the footage of those test runs into a WMV file so I currently have it stored on my computer.

For what's its worth here is the history on ARROW:

In 1945 Karl Bacon & Edgar Morgan started Arrow Developement Co. During the first years they made replacement parts for trucks as they were not avaliable during the war. They started making little carrousels and then they met Walt Disney and the rest they say is history. (Dana Morgan - son - started Morgan Rides - now owned by Chance)

In 1973 Arrow was sold to Rio Grande Ind.

In 1981 Klaus Huss bought Arrow (Huss rides)

Arrow/Huss filed bankruptcy in 1984

Court awarded Arrow to group of employees in 1986

Eventually bought by S&S

I knew most all the players whom are all gone.

Hope this helps.

So when did Ron Tumor enter the frey?

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john peck said:
Hey, speaking of "Arrow" and "California", is the famous carousel Arrow refurbished (you know, the one that got Walt Disney's attention) still in operation?

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Yep, still operating in it's original location here in San Jose:

http://www.hhpz.org/hh-park/play/play.php

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janfrederick said:
/Edit: Ooops...it was the Moffett Drive-in (quite a while ago). Also, I remember thinking that the shuttle loop wasn't a real ride. I just thought that because they didn't have the land to build full-size coasters, they set up a contraption to test whether the train would make it through their loops. So yah, Lightning Loops was a loop tester. I remember being surprised when I joined ACE and discovered that it was indeed a real ride.

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I so remember that too, remember thinking it was just part of the drive-in, always wanted my parents to take me to the Moffett so I could go ride the coaster!

Ron Toomer Got involved some where around late 50's or early 60's. He is in the process of writing a book on his experiences. He eventually ran Arrow when the employees got it. They lost lot of good people when they moved - Wayne Bergman was one of the best track fabricators in the business, he stayed in Cambell CA. All the Dreager guys left - Bud went to Marriott to open Great America - Buds son ran maintenance at Santa Cruz for years then ??? who knows and the plot thickens. The last time I visited with Ron was the day they opened Magnam - May 89'

Ron Toomer joined Arrow in 1965.

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I so remember that too, remember thinking it was just part of the drive-in, always wanted my parents to take me to the Moffett so I could go ride the coaster!

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This is tangential, but there was a Drive-In near Riverside, CA (Rubideux) that had several flat rides and a miniature train up front. Anyone ever see anything like that elsewhere?

Here's a blurb from driveinmovie.com:

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Riverside (Riverside County) California
Rubidoux Drive-in: 951-683-4455
located at 3770 Opal Street @ Mission Blvd
¾mile w. of Valley Blvd. off-ramp on {60} Freeway

One of California's oldest continually-operated
Drive-ins, the Rubidoux was a solo screen venue
(with amusement park rides beneath the screen),
when it was first lit- back in 1948. Presently, there
are 3 screens lit-up with a double feature on each.
Movie admission: $5 for ages 12&UP (11&under free).
Open seasonally (May thru Sept), the old picture show
shuts down for the fall and winter months .. while the
FleaMarket SwapMeet held here operates year-round
on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, from 6am.

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