Golden Nugget coming together at Knoebels as Black Diamond

Posted | Contributed by Jeff

Knoebels bought the Golden Nugget’s track, trains and mechanics from Morey’s before it was demolished in 2009. The Black Diamond, will have the same track as the Golden Nugget, which was a favorite of the park’s president, Dick Knoebels. But the scenery and stunts will be new and will have a coal mining theme, said Joe Muscato of Knoebels. Two designers are working on plans for the track. The park will chose one of them. Even though Tracy’s original scenery and stunts won’t be part of the Black Diamond, the additions will be designed in his style to preserve the classic feel, Muscato said.

Read more from The Patriot-News.

Related parks

Does anyone here remember Roseland Park in Canandaigua, NY? (Small park on Canandaigua Lake, was the original home of the Skyliner coaster now at Lakemont Park and the carousel at the Carousel Mall in Syracuse) Anyway they had a tracked dark ride called the Golden Nugget too. Is this an off-the-shelf model, or perhaps Morey's bought it from Roseland when it closed?


But then again, what do I know?

^ Knoebel's bought the ride from Morey's Piers in Wildwood NJ. Was built buy PTC for Hunt's Pier, and opened in 1960. I am not familiar with Roseland Park, but I'd think that would a different model then what PTC made for Hunt's Pier. Maybe someone else knows.

Mamoosh's avatar

RCDB doesn't list such a ride at Roseland. Also, on a list of all rides by PTC only one steel coaster makes the list: Golden Nugget/Black Diamond.

I suspect what you remember was a dark ride.

I don't think anyone besides an in house job @ Knoebels could do true justice to Tracy's classic style. This surely will become a long loved classic like the park's Haunted Mansion.

For those of you who haven't had a chance to see exactly what the park can do with a great ride....
http://www.dafe.org/attractions/darkrides/knoebels/hm.php
is a great story behind the ride.

Boy, when they get this up and running, and (hopefully) get Flying Turns operating someday, Knoebels truly will be the Mecca of traditional amusement parks.


My author website: mgrantroberts.com

Mamoosh's avatar

Will be? :)

Knoebels is amazing for what it has. But for me personally it's just not quite enough to justify the 5+ hour trip to make it a yearly jaunt. Those additions would most definitely put it over the top.

::ducks for cover::


My author website: mgrantroberts.com

Jeff's avatar

I got your back, Mike. It took the park being "on the way" from another trip to get me to stop there. On one hand, I realized how much I had been missing out, but on the other hand, it was a bit out of the way for what it is to explicitly hurry back.

And now it's really out of the way!


Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog

Mamoosh's avatar

LOL Jeff...I believe you may now be a teeny bit closer than I am :)

Jeff's avatar

Hey, if we weren't having events in the Midwest, I probably wouldn't even get out for those. I'd be stuck with a couple of crappy rides at Wild Waves (which I admit, I haven't to yet, so maybe it isn't that crappy).


Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog

Sorry the "stunts, scenery, and coal mine theme" made me think it was a dark ride not a coaster. Yes the Golden Nugget @ RoseLand was a dark ride, with a haunted coal mine theme. It was a tracked ride with carts more than trains, thus the confusion. Sorry again!


But then again, what do I know?

Mamoosh's avatar

No worries. Knoebels ride (that begin its life on the Jersey shore) is a hybrid of the two ride types.

Black Diamond update

I have it on pretty good authority that Eric Princz and Jim Melonic did a storyboard for Knoebels which included all the Tracy type stunts (Jim Melonic's company was started from Bill Tracy's company). Anyhow Knoebels loved the design but also said that they're not Disney and it would have to be scaled back, (at least at first). Eric and Jim are in a holding pattern waiting to see what Knoebels wants to do, I'm guessing that there are other people bidding on it.

DaveStroem's avatar

I'm a bit worried about this ride. They say they are using the track from Golden Nugget. When we were at Morey's Coastin' by the Ocean, my 11 year old daughter won the top prize, a section of track from GN. So I know for a fact that they are going to be at least 1 foot short. :)


Before you can be older and wiser you first have to be young and stupid.

obxKevin's avatar

First actual attempt at a roller coaster jump?


The poster formerly known as 'Zcorpius.' Joined 2004
rollergator's avatar

Re: missing steel rail...from what I recall, they were planning to increase the drops, etc. Typical Knoebels-type stuff... ;)

obxKevin - Cannon Coaster made the attempt at a jump over 100 years ago. Less successfully than Sonny's loop.


You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)

Morey's was giving away chunks of the track at the Golden Nugget farewell ceremony.

The sections of track that I saw looked new when I was up there.

It seems like Knoebels got the cars and the blueprints, and some of the track but not much else.

Last edited by billb7581,

DaveStroem said:
I'm a bit worried about this ride. They say they are using the track from Golden Nugget. When we were at Morey's Coastin' by the Ocean, my 11 year old daughter won the top prize, a section of track from GN. So I know for a fact that they are going to be at least 1 foot short. :)

Before you can ride, you have to go to where the previous riders got off, pick up the car, and move it past the 1 foot gap in the track. Then you'll experience first hand what it was like to be a mule in a mine. :)

It will be interesting to see what they come up with for a story line. I never went to the Pioneer Tunnel in Ashland which is only halfway to Knoebels from my house, because I sort of grew up with it all. I finally visited Knoebels mining museum last time I was there and found it very interesting.

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