Cyclone (Palisades Amusement Park)
| Cyclone | |
|---|---|
| Palisades Amusement Park | |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | September 10, 1927 |
| Closing date | 1934 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Traver Engineering |
| Designer | Harry G. Traver |
| Model | Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster |
| Trains | Single train with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 20 riders per train. |
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Cyclone at RCDB Pictures of Cyclone at RCDB |
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Cyclone was the name of two wooden roller coasters which operated at Palisades Amusement Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. The first operated from 1927 through 1934, and the second between 1945 and 1971.
The first coaster was steel-framed wooden roller coaster which was designed and built by Harry Traver of the Traver Engineering Company and a member of the notorious Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster "Terrible Triplets".
After hearing reports of the success of the Cyclone at Crystal Beach, Ontario and the Lightning in Revere, Massachusetts, Nicholas and Joseph Schenck, the owners of Palisades Park, decided to buy their own Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster in 1927. Construction of the Cyclone ran into difficulty when dealing with the uneven, rocky terrain and limited space. Indeed, the coaster sat quite near the cliffside of the Palisades. The coaster opened mid-season on September 10, 1927.
As with other members of the "Terrible Triplets", the coaster dealt with many maintenance issues during its existence and spent considerable periods of time standing but not operating. A modern roller coaster designer commented that this may have been partly a function of the additional wear and tear caused by the construction adjustments necessary for the Palisades terrain.
Although the first Palisades Cyclone was built on a steel frame, fire played at least some role in its destruction. A major fire at the amusement park in 1934 destroyed some of the coaster's wooden track. This, combined with a reputation in the community for danger and decreased ridership (the coaster had been up for sale in 1933), led to its ultimate demolition.
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