Rye Playland Derby Racer

Got a question for those who routinely visit Rye Playland. I made my first trip there this summer. I was looking forward to the Derby Racer, as it is the only "twin" to Cedar Downs at Cedar Point which is origionally from Euclid Beach in Cleveland. My father rode Derby Downs quite a bit and my father-in-law worked the ride in the 60's. (For those who haven't been to Cedar Point or Playland, these are carousels that run significantly faster and "race".)

Arriving this summer, I was surprised to see the Playland racer no longer moved forward and backward, but instead, all horses were fixed in place in the center of their respective troughs. They still went up and down, but the "racing" concept was lost. When was this done and why? I know when the PBS documentary "great Old Amusement Parks" filmed there in 1999 the horses still moved forward and backward as well as up and down.

Just curious.

That's disturbing news. I hope it is only a temporary problem. The horses moved in the normal manner a few years ago.

There are times when the horses race and others when they don't. I'm not sure if parts frequently break and that is when the "racing" is turned off or if it's one of those things that has no rhyme or reason. When running at full tilt, that thing has some insane lateral g forces!

Someday I'll get that blasted Derby Racer...

IIRC, something happened last season where the ride had to run *sans racing*...apparently that didn't get fixed over the '05-'06 offseason... :-/

On a positive note (-ish), I did get on CP's Derby Racer, and while it's quite *tamed* in comparison, it remains a ride I *must* do every visit to CP.

edit: "great Old Amusement parks" is, well, GREAT! :)

*** Edited 8/23/2006 4:31:19 PM UTC by rollergator***

^and the one at Blackpool Pleasure Beach puts those to shame. Or at least it seemed that way to me when I was there 10 years ago.

I can not say for certain that this is the case, but it looked liked the front to back motion was semi-permantly disabled, as the front to back trough that the horse slides in was covered with what seemed like a nailed in place wood cover. (I didn't look in as much detail as I would have liked.)

It's a shame there were only 4 or 5 of these rides built anywhere... But what another great rides Knobels could build from scratch if they wanted to...

I went there 2 times last season and the first time they didn't work and the 2nd they did. I just think they need to fix it so it runs right. I like them alot better than a traditional carousel.

I'll have to head to Rye Playland and check it out for myself (not like I wasn't planning on going anyway!)

While I feel fortunate to have ridden CP's several times. Yes they seem fast.

While visiting the Herschell Carousel Museum in Niagra Falls a couple of years back, I was informed that their regular two row carousels were capable of 27mph but osha has a limit of 7mph and most operate at about 4mph.

History lesson.

The carousel was originally created for swordsman and joust practice. The goal was to spear a ring while in motion. The ring dispenser was placed at several different elevations for practice.

A far cry from todays grab the ring, Still quite interesting.