Rare Classic Rides

Would Night Wing at SFNE be considered rare? I know it was a prototype ride when they got it and I haven't seen one in any other park that I have been to.

FYI, some rides being mentioned are not rare. This site is a good resource.

Oh, look at this:

http://www.flatrides.com/Ride%20Index/MajesticCatchinAir.jpg

Can you say Kangaroo?

IIRC the arms are lifted via hydraulics.

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Charles Nungester said:
Kennywood I believe is the only flying coaster left in the states
Chuck

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And like the newer version of the Flying Cages in England, they also has an abundant of the newer version of the Flying Coaster (Kangaroo).

I can't remember what name they go by called but on my trip several years ago I saw at least 6.

The exit off the ramp doesn't have the exact same feel as the originals but they were still lots of fun.

ANOTHER RARE FLAT:

HUSTLER (scroll down a bit)
http://www.shef.ac.uk/nfa/history/rides/novelty_rides.php

I saw one with a traveling carnival about 5 years ago. First one I have seen in many years. *** Edited 8/12/2006 4:06:23 AM UTC by swampfoxer***

Regarding Paratroopers, the ones that are rarely seen anymore are the old fixed version that loads like a Ferris wheel. Most Paratroopers today are the hydraulic version.

What parks still have the old-fashioned version? What parks have Paratroopers with the old-style mesh "umbrellas"?

Also: How many parks still have Mirror Mazes/Glass Houses? I remember the big one at West View many years ago. It was converted into the Boot Hill walkthrough. *** Edited 8/12/2006 10:23:35 AM UTC by Arthur Bahl***

^Kennywood for one but no mesh umbrellas

^Kennywood for one what? Their Paratrooper is the hydraulic arm version, too.

RE: BOOMERANG

I rode it many years ago a Wisconsin State Fair. It was part of Murphy Bros. Midway. May have been leased out.

What an uncomfortable and slightly painful ride...BUT FUN! hehehe

I remember long ago when KW had an old style Paratrooper witn the fixed arm and mesh umbrellas.

For a while, Hrubitz manufactured both the fixed and hydraulic versions of the ride. Some Paratroopers with mesh umbrellas were later retrofitted with the more colorful fiberglass ones.

I just found a partial answer to one of my earlier questions. According to a trip report, Rye Playland has a mirror maze called the Hall of Mirrors.

*** Edited 8/12/2006 6:48:40 PM UTC by Arthur Bahl***

Whoever made the Paratrooper at DelGrosso's, it was an odd looking thing that I have never seen before, and it spun the opposite direction as Paratroopers normally do (it went clockwise)

I never remembered seeing that Moon Rocket at West View Park...what year are we talking about here? And where in the park was it located? Must have been a midway ride for a short while while I was still a Kiddieland regular!

West View took their Moon Rocket out after the 1963 season. It was located on the hill next to the Mirror Maze which was next to the Racing Whippet. The Mirror Maze was converted to Boot Hill at the same time as the Moon Rocket was removed.

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Arthur Bahl said:

What parks still have the old-fashioned version? What parks have Paratroopers with the old-style mesh "umbrellas"?

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Only fixed in the up position Paratrooper I have seen in the last 10 years is the one at Funland in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware, the only mesh umbrella Paratrooper I have EVER seen is at Idlewild.

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Also: How many parks still have Mirror Mazes/Glass Houses? I remember the big one at West View many years ago. It was converted into the Boot Hill walkthrough.

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Trimpers rides in Ocean City, Maryland has a Mirror Maze, right around the corner from their Pirates Cove walk through.

Tom

How about that car ride at Americana?It goes around a track sort of like a go cart,sorry dont know the name of it.

After searching I found the name of the ride."Indy 500"

*** Edited 8/14/2006 4:36:52 AM UTC by Ex_Westview and KW_worker***

Thanks, Arthur! 1963.... that would have made me 2....hence the reason I don't remember it, or the mirror maze.

I knew that was there prior to Boot Hill, though....never heard of the Rocket, though.

A few pages back on this thread I was talking about a picture I had of some sort of a specialty Skydiver. I pulled out the picture and scanned it.

It turns out though that my recollection of the picture is wrong. It does not actually show two Skydiver wheels on one base, there is only one, and probably counterweight(s) on the other arm(s). It goes out of the picture so impossible to tell what's going on.

Check out my link for the picture, it's easier than trying to describe it. I have never seen another one of these, nor do I know where it was. Does anyone else?

http://members.aol.com/morestuf3/skydiver.jpg *** Edited 8/14/2006 9:16:45 AM UTC by bunchastuf***

^GREAT PHOTO!!

The trade name for that ride was called "TUMBLER".

Chance Mfg. only made one of these marvels which started out at SFoG in 1969. SF named the ride "Wheel Burrow". I was fortunate enough to ride it once in 1970 but the ride was removed after the 1971 season.

It then traveled to Rye Playland, which is where your photo was taken. I can tell because of the paint job.

It then ended up at Coney Island where it operated for a season or two. I have a photo of it lying disassembled by the Thunderbolt at Coney. I suppose it was scrapped from there.

I have several views of this ride from SF & Rye but this is my favorite.

http://members.aol.com/k9660r/wheel_burrow.jpg

Wow! What a crazy ride. I love how Chance took an existing ride and figured out a way to make it a little more sadistic. It must have been a maintenance nightmare since nobody kept it around very long.

Textbook publishers have a real knack for finding some really obscure photos. I had a physics book that some pretty weird amusement park pictures in it.

Hey Swampfoxer, thanks for the info - that is really cool! I have wondered about that ride ever since I got that photo!

Can you give me a little description of what the ride actually did? I can only surmise from the picture about what's actually going on. It looks like it might have been structurally altered for the version in my photo. At the edge of picture you can see a large wheel that doesn't seem to be in your shot - possibly a different way to turn the thing?

I'm amazed you know the entire history - including recognizing the paint scheme from Rye! That's great!

And Millrace - it's true about textbooks. I remember a social studies book I had in Jr. High School that had a really amazing picture of a wooden roller coaster. The book was boring as hell, but I used to look at that cool picture all the time. *** Edited 8/14/2006 8:47:02 PM UTC by bunchastuf***