Cyclone was the name of two

wooden Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

roller coasters A roller coaster is a type of amusement ride employing a form of elevated railroad track that carries passengers on a train through tight turns, steep slopes, and other elements, usually designed to produce a thrilling experience, though some r ...

which operated at

Palisades Amusement Park Palisades Amusement Park was a 38-acre amusement park located in Bergen County, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City. It was located atop the New Jersey Palisades, lying partly in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, Cliffside Park and ...

Bergen County, New Jersey Bergen County is the List of counties in New Jersey, most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

1927 Coaster

The first coaster was steel-framed

wooden roller coaster A wooden roller coaster is a type of roller coaster classified by its wooden track, which consists of running rails made of flat steel strips mounted on laminated wood. The support structure is also typically made of wood, but may also be ...

which was designed and built by

Harry Traver Harry Guy Traver (November 25, 1877 – September 27, 1961) was an American engineer and early roller coaster designer. As the founder of the Traver Circle Swing Company and Traver Engineering Company, he was responsible for the production of ...

of the

Traver Engineering Company Harry Guy Traver (November 25, 1877 – September 27, 1961) was an American engineer and early roller coaster designer. As the founder of the Traver Circle Swing Company and Traver Engineering Company, he was responsible for the production of ...

and a member of the notorious Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster "Terrifying Triplets".

History and design

After hearing reports of the success of the

Cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...

Crystal Beach Park Crystal Beach Park was an amusement park in Crystal Beach, Ontario from 1888 to 1989. It was serviced by the ''SS Canadiana, Canadiana'' passenger ferry in Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, making it a popular tourist destination for both Canadians and ...

and the

Lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...

Revere, Massachusetts Revere (, ) is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Located approximately northeast of Downtown Boston, Revere is the terminus of the Blue Line (MBTA), MBTA Blue Line, with three stations located within the city: Wonderland station, Wonderla ...

Nicholas Nicholas is a male name, the Anglophone version of an ancient Greek name in use since antiquity, and cognate with the modern Greek , . It originally derived from a combination of two Ancient Greek, Greek words meaning 'victory' and 'people'. In ...

and

Joseph Schenck Joseph Michael Schenck (; December 25, 1876 – October 22, 1961) was a Russian-born American film studio executive. Life and career Schenck was born to a Jewish family in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russian Empire. He emigrated to New York Cit ...

, 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. As a result, the coaster was built quite near the cliff edge of the Palisades. The coaster opened mid-season on September 10, 1927. As with other members of the "Terrifying Triplets", the coaster suffered many maintenance issues throughout its existence and spent considerable periods of time standing but not operating. A modern roller coaster designer theorized that this was partly due to 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 also 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 its negative reputation and declining ridership (the coaster had been up for sale in 1933), led to its ultimate demolition.

Ride experience

As with the other Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters, the first Cyclone at Palisades was notorious for a rough ride. Although no fatal incidents were reported, park operators reported occasional broken ribs and collarbones. It is thought that this coaster may have been the roughest of the "Terrifying Triplets". The steel structure of the coaster on the unforgiving Palisades terrain and the design adjustments needed to accommodate it are thought to be partially responsible. The spiral element common on Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters was the tightest on the coaster, as were the turns. The ride incorporated the rapidly undulating "Jazz Track" common amongst steel-framed, Traver-designed coasters. A lack of repeat ridership was a particular problem for the income the coaster created. Only about 10% of rides given were re-rides (compared to about 40% for other coasters of the era). "Cyclone watching" (to see the reactions of pained riders) became a popular pastime and the park's owners considered giving a prize to anyone who rode the coaster three times in succession.

1945 Coaster

The second coaster was a more traditional wooden coaster built by

Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B. Auchy and Chester Albright under the name Philadelph ...

. The coaster was built partially from the remains of a previous coaster known as the Skyrocket. The Skyrocket had operated between 1926 and 1944, when it was destroyed by fire. This second Cyclone closed with Palisades in 1971.

References

{{reflist, 30em Former roller coasters in New Jersey Cliffside Park, New Jersey