Interesting article about the Lakemont Skyliner!

I found an interesting article at one of my favorite amusement park Blog websites, NewsPlusNotes, about the history of Skyliner at Lakemont Park. There is a lot of information on the ride there that I didn't know, like it was John Allen's first major roller coaster.

You can read it here.

It's a really great coaster, although I feel that Lakemont hasn't taken the best of care with it. It's only about 60 feet tall, but the first drop is steep and is quite a surprise, and the rest of the ride is pretty forceful, with pops of air throughout. It features some unique flat bottom-of-the-hill moments and a really cool non-banked turnaround that provides some amazing laterals.

If you haven't yet, you should pay a visit to the park and ride it, as I consider it very underrated.

I love Skyliner. I love "hanging" on the first drop in the front seat!

It's a pretty decent ride. It's also the ONLY roller coaster on which I've ever knocked my hand (unintentionally) against the structure while riding. I suppose I should reall keep my hands, arms and legs inside the car at all times.

It is a VERY under rated coaster.

Plus, where else can you ride a coaster in center field?

The ride op when I was there was pretty cool! She assisted in my goal of getting 200 laps on it in one day. The last hour of the day I was the only one on the train and she would let it roll through the station. But yes, a wonderful coaster.

^Wow! I thought my 64 laps on Screechin' Eagle (I was 16) was alot!

Skyliner is one of my 'most sought after' coasters to ride! I've never heard nothing but great things about it.

Valleyfair, while I didn't get 200 laps, I have gotten some roll throughs. This is the only coaster that I have ever had that happen on.

I found Skyliner particularly average as wooden coasters go. I love the layout and location, though. Very picturesque. Typical Allen characteristics: photogenic, great looking coaster, but average to above-average experience.

I had ridden Skyliner 4 yrs. ago, 2 yrs. ago and this past summer. I must not have ridden it in the back on my first two visits because that first ride this summer in the back seat beat and scared the crap out of me! I got off and kept repeating to my wife, "that S.O.B. scared the crap out of me!". I got back on and rode more to the front and felt safer. It was just out of control in the back and I was flying out of my seat.

I certainly respect more now than on my previous visits.

Maybe you rode it on a bad day, Vater. It has some high forces and speed, and while not my favorite coaster of all time, I really do enjoy it for what it is.

Here are a few interesting videos of the coaster.

This is a back seat POV of the coaster.

This video, although kind of silly in an old porno kind of way, has some interesting off ride shots

Was given a tip to ride in backseat for my first visit in 2001. Rode with brother. DANG! I was launched and came down kinda sideways due to both brother and I being large. and compressed my spine. I was in a bit of pain and the coaster was jackhammering some at the bottom of the drops Rode it several times later in the day after feeling much better and I liked it a lot. Also of note was a painter in the structure Painting while we were riding (Had this happen at Camden too) It was also the only time in my four visits that I've ridden with a full train. Since then I've only gotten rides with three or four rows taken.

Surprising though, Last time I was there Skyliner was smooth and LTD was jackhammering. I gotta find that footage of me getting launched airtime on LTD. Scared the crap out of me.

Also of note on Skyliner. Its one of the Few PTC non articulated trains running in true form. You sit down in the car. The lap bar is a foot off my lap. When they went to Articulates they raised the seat height but not the sideboards and back. Thus why I feel there is a safety issue. All other trains G, Morgan, Timberliners at least hit your armpit.

This video, although kind of silly in an old porno kind of way, has some interesting off ride shots

I don't know about porno, but the girl in the middle seat WAS pretty cute.

Another one on the "meh" charts for me.

I think it looks like a fun, rough, quirky little ride.

But a John Allen coaster without a single bunny hop? That's a first.

(Haha, get it?)

LostKause said:
Maybe you rode it on a bad day, Vater.

Maybe. But I prefer to think it was a decent, yet pretty average coaster. I have this super power that allows me to tell what a coaster is like after actually riding it.

Guess bran muffins help your hindsight too... ;)

I remember riding this ride about 30-35 years ago when it was located at Roseland Park in Canandaigua, NY. The Skyliner at Eldridge Park in Elmira, NY and this Skyliner were instrumental in developing my passion for coasters. I have not ridden the ride since the move.

Thanks for the link to the vids. It brought back some great memories.

The PTC Coasters & Parks Films by Tim Young, had an excellent segment on the building of the Skyliner at Roseland Park. Great construction and first-run clips I had never seen before, along with many shots of John Allen.

It's been out of print for some time but I searched and just found a copy on DVD here

I've only been to Lakemont Park once, back in June 1991. At that point in my coastering career, I had the Skyliner on up there in my top 10. I remember it being quite fun with a couple of thigh-bruising airtime launches. I'd love to go back and ride it again.

Vater said:
I have this super power that allows me to tell what a coaster is like after actually riding it.

Cute... Actually, that's not a superpower. Everyone can do that. :p We all have different opinions, as you can see from the differing opinions about the ride on this very page.