Clementon Lake: New wooden coaster/Jack Rabbit gon

It seems to be the cost of the repairs that is keeping the park from keeping the ride, but no one seems to be able to explain what exactly is wrong with the ride. There isn't all that much that can go wrong with a wooden coaster, is there?

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

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Rob Ascough said:
It seems to be the cost of the repairs that is keeping the park from keeping the ride, but no one seems to be able to explain what exactly is wrong with the ride. There isn't all that much that can go wrong with a wooden coaster, is there?

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

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Actually both Big Dipper at SFWOA and Lesourdsvilles Screechin Eagle have been totally rebuilt at least twice each.

The Master Builder John Miller was notorious for making his drops go clear to the ground. No big deal you might say.

The footers sink and you actually get to a point where you can't work on it without totally rebuilding the section.

Thats if the ride had footers at all, Some older coasters placed the wood directly on the ground. LTD was sunk in the mud pretty bad before its overhaul. The pictures in the Parks LTD museum suggest that LTD was completely taken down and then rebuilt. At least I remember seeing a pic there of everything gone except the station house and stalls and the outline of a figure 8 on the ground.

If routine maintence had been slacked on there is a chance the cost of repairs are more than the park is willing to do.

Why did the park only run it one day this year? Something was wrong with it or it would be open.

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

Unfortunately Millrace, there is absolutely no way the park has the space to add another coaster inside their perimeter. I doubt they would take out the picnic areas since that is where a great deal of their income is from and parking is already an issue even though the property across the street helped a great deal.

Rob, it’s ironic that you mentioned campaigning to save it if it is in fact seeing the bulldozer. I’m still taking this as rumor due to the fact that none of the locals have really picked up on it. If a new coaster were to come, we would definitely know about it because of permits and such and the media would eat it up in a second since our communities need to know everything about everybody. Therefore, I’m considering writing a letter to the local paper just to find out what the current situation is with the ride. I don’t want to start any false rumors and cause the park any heartache but if something is going on, people around here will want to know.

We all hold this park very close to our hearts and remain very loyal (even though management hasn’t been the greatest in recent years) Also, I can’t agree with you more Millrace! ANY sacrifice the park needs to make to survive is better than another strip mall or condos! This park has already lost a great deal of its history and is possibly about to lose even more.

edit: fix formatting
*** This post was edited by RTneedsTLC 11/11/2003 4:17:27 PM ***

Just glad we decided to make that trip to Clementon summer of 2002.

As to a Terrain Coaster... I will second the comment that it really isn't. I believe it could be relocated with minor problems.

My question is this: What sort of financial shape is Clementon in? I thought I read that a few years ago they were having a hard time of it. If so, has this been cleared up, if not, how can they afford a new coaster?

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"I don't believe it!" - Victor Meldrew

Moosh....never would've gotten JR this year anyway....never ran AT ALL this year anyhow....kinda sad to see another one of the *old guard* go away....:(

bill, not surprised in the least, but bummed nonetheless....should've ridden when I was a kid in Joisey, esp. since Palisades was gone by then....darned non-enthusiast parents...;)

Charles: I had no idea that the Big Dipper was rebuilt TWICE... I thought that it was only re-done once in the early 80s!

I can understand the park's hesitation to keep the ride if it needed a total rebuild, but since so much work was put into the ride in recent years, I question whether or not that is the case. Why would the park invest so much in a ride that was going to need so much more work in years to come?

Since the ride features so much track that sits close to the ground, I wonder if any amount of flooding has caused those sections to require extra maintenance? If those sections are problematic to replace, then I can see the park's reluctance to make the necessary repairs.

RTCneedsTLC: After having spent the afternoon doing some research, let me just say that these "rumors" should be taken as more than just that. This isn't Screamscape "shootin-the-breeze" type stuff...

SLFAKE: I've also heard that the park has financial problems. Since they depend on a coaster to satisfy their patrons, maybe they need a new coaster to survive. Perhaps the cost of a new coaster isn't all that much more than rehabbing the existing ride? Do you think that this is what people felt when they heard that the Hershey Wild Cat was coming down to make way for the Comet?

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002
*** This post was edited by Rob Ascough 11/11/2003 4:42:07 PM ***

Could be... But wasn't coaster building and removal more common in the early part of the 20th century? Look at the list of Coney Island NY coasters there were standing for only a few years and then replaced. Of course, by 1945 that trend seemed to have passed when the Wild Cat came down.

You had mentioned flooding... could very well be an issue considering some of Jack Rabbit's track is basically at ground level.

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"I don't believe it!" - Victor Meldrew

I'm not sure if that area of NJ is prone to flooding, although the pics I have seen make that ground beneath the coaster look awfully swampy. Perhaps the footers have sunk (if there are indeed footers) and that makes the cost to rebuild the ride much more costly. Still, it doesn't make sense because of all the work that the coaster received just a few years back. If there was ever a time to remove the coaster, I would have thought it to be after the train crashed in the station. To remove the coaster now seems kind of like a delayed reaction...

rollergator: Don't feel bad... I've been a "kid" in Joisey all my life and I have never ridden the coaster! I don't feel bad for the coasters that I missed before I was an enthusiast (like another 1919 John Miller Jack Rabbit that lived in southern NJ until '85) but I do regret the ones that I missed out of sheer laziness. Should made that drive down the Turnpike many years ago... I just assumed that the JR would be around forever since it has been there since 1919.

But you know what happens when you assume...

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

I rode that ride a few years ago. It was a nice ride, but it cannot carry a park with new investors who are buying every Chance flat they get their hands on. They are a picnic park that needs some major upgrading to draw the picnics.

It was a good coaster in its day, but a new one is more fitting for the times. Lets see: Morey's have a great woodie:, Clementon may get a great woodie:, now its SF turn to build what the crowds need. Now, if they retired the Rolling Thunder, would anyone really cause an uproar?

Find Agent Johnson at IAAPA and get a free drink.....

I had the chance of riding this a couple years ago. I remember that drop that went down to the grass. The ride wasn't the most thrilling thing, but it was enjoyable, and seemed for the demographic of the park, being for families.

I'm glad I went to the park when I did, seeing of its possible removal. I lived in New Jersey for 9 years before I moved and never rode it. But I got the opportunity when my grandma won free tickets.

I'd love to see them try to save this ride and make the other coaster as well. One coaster would be perfect for the families while the other might be for those thrill seekers. I'd support a Whalom Park saving type thing for this ride. Too bad it isn't a ACE Coaster Classic, which is surprising. On RCDB, it does list it as SBNO.

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OoOoOo....Boulder Dash *Drools Excessively*
"That helix turns me on" - Nightride at CoasterCon

More tidbits of information are comming in about the proposed ride.

Aparently the cost of refurbishing JR is more than they were willing to spend, The park is in the mist of a change and has featured several new rides and waterslides in the past couple of years, A vist to their website http://www.clementonpark.com/ reviels some of this information such as the six lane version of HW's upcommng racing slide, A chaos, A inverter and one of the worlds largest flumes.

The new ride is not to be located on JR's old location and will feature a swoop over the lake. It is to be wood on steel and be aprox 100-110ft with speeds up to 55mph.

Several mentions of Raven have been made as if this coaster is to be custom built with some of the best elements known in wooden coasterdom.

While I believe Thunderhawk at SFEV was what the park wanted and it looks to be a good ride, It didn't exactly put S&S on the wood coaster map. I think they want to make a statement that they are in the wood coaster buisness with as much prolific thrills and design as their other linups.

Chuck, who has no facts but putting together news from people hes known to be reliable.

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

If that information is true (and I have no reason to believe that its not, given the nature of this "news"), it sounds as if the park may just be getting a wooden coaster that will put them on the map. This is exciting news... its just too bad that it has to come at a cost.

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

This excites me very much, knowing that i'll have a new woodie within 5 minutes from my house.

Any word on if it'll be for 2004 or 2005?

Also, if this new coaster is to be built over the lake, then Jack Rabbit won't be in the way. They should leave Jack Rabbit SBNO, then use their income off of the new coaster to repair Jack Rabbit.

If they do decide to demolish JR, I'll be handcuffing myself to it, anyone else wanna join me?

Been considering it... if we could get enough people to join us.

Actually, you make an excellent point... if the Jack Rabbit is not going to be in the way of the new coaster, then why not allow it to sit for another season (as it has been doing lately) and use some of the revenue that the new coaster will generate to make the necessary repairs. I'm sure that the park will be busy paying off the new ride, but I can't imagine that some funds couldn't be set aside.

Years ago, when Lakemont Park realized that their Leap The Dips coaster was too far beyond repair, they purchased and relocated the SBNO Roseland Park Skyliner to their park. It was much bigger and more thrilling than the simple Leap The Dips coaster, but it would generate revenue for the park and satisfy the guests' desire for a roller coaster. Eventually, ACE stepped in and started a fund-raising effort to rehabilitate the ride so that it could operate once again. Since ACE dedicated time and money to the Leap The Dips effort, I can't see why they couldn't do the same with this ride. Aside from Leap The Dips, is there a more "historical" coaster out there? Is there a coaster more worthy of a bonafide preservation effort?

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

Assuming JR is not going to be removed I agree that it's a good candidate for a donation from ACE's Preservation Fund.

mOOSH

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The only 2004 Wood Coaster Calendar still available, plus holiday & all-occasion cards. All at S&D Greetings.

ACE cannot help a FOR PROFIT PARK, In order for JR to be helped by fund raising from a not for proper park, All revenue for the ride must not be for profit or the entire park must be a not for profit organization.

Lakemont takes about $1 of each admission for the LTD foundation and all that money either goes back into payment of the ride or maintence. Anything left over must be donated to another NFP organization.

BTW, Much money is still owed on LTD If you'd like to help either visit the park or lakemont.com for information on donating to the LTD foundation.

Chuck, who doesn't see why since it is not a terrain coaster, They couldn't put it up for sale or auction.

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

Would a coaster need to be considered an ACE classic to benifit from the fund? I know the train was replaced with newer PTC in the 90's. I have a feeling that this train included upstops as well because of that really stupid accident. (yes, you need to stop the train before rerides can occur) Therefore, I know it can't be considered a classic in it's current form.

btw- I'm there if you guys are :-)

edit: Nevermind. Thanks for the info Chuck. We posted at the same time but now I know.
*** This post was edited by RTneedsTLC 11/12/2003 4:50:16 PM ***

I guess it would depend on how soon the park wants to build their new coaster. If time is of the essence, then I can imagine that a bulldozer would be the way for them to go instead of a careful dismantling. Unless the wood is in hideous condition (which I doubt), I don't see why the coaster couldn't be sold for a paltry sum of money and put into storage for the time being, just until another home can be found for the ride. If the park was willing to accept an offer, I don't understand why ACE couldn't allocate some of the preservation fund to purchase the ride and find a place to store it for a little while.

I find it rather surprising that so many people made such a stink about coasters such as the Coney Island Thunderbolt and Lincoln Park Comet in recent years (coasters that were/are far beyond repair) but seem to be so nonchalant about this coaster being removed. I'll agree- a new wooden roller coaster, one that will (hopefully) ensure the future of Clementon Lake- is a very good thing, especially for those of us in NJ, but I don't see why the majority of people seem not to care about the Jack Rabbit getting bulldozed into the ground. Isn't this the type of thing that ACE has been trying to end during the past 25 years? This seems like a step backwards, not forwards.

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-Rob
A.C.E. member since 1990
Posting @ Coasterbuzz since 2000
E.C.C. member since 2002

Let me clarify, ACE could be helpful in finding a buyer and helping move the coaster as they did with Phoenix, Skyliner and others. As far as donating money for upkeep. It can't come from the fund as long as the ride is for profit. ACER's could hold fundraisers ect. for upkeep like we do for Conneauts Blue Streak.

I mentioned some things that might be problems the coaster is facing in a earlier post such as bents sunk in the mud. If the coaster was moved then new footers and wood would not be a major problem. If that is indeed the case then that is major reconstruction which would require removal of those sections anyway.

Chuck, who will Email Matt and see if we can do anything, The whole thing might be a rumor!

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003

RTneedsTLC,

A coaster need not be a classic for help. Ace only promotes the opeeration of coasters in classic fashion but would rather have a coaster than no coaster at all.

Chuck, not speaking for ACE just pointing out some things

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Charles Nungester.
It's official Lesourdsville Lake is closed for 2003