Comet (Lincoln Park)
Encyclopedia
The Comet was a twister-layout
wooden roller coaster
that operated in the now defunct Lincoln Park in Massachusetts
. It operated from 1946 until 1987. It continues to rot away as time passes by.
, each with five cars, arranged with two per row, two rows per car, for a total of 20 riders per train.
The coaster was originally designed with five cars, but during the last years of its operation, the ride was shortened to four to allow the last carts to be used for spare parts. The ride continues to stand, though it's lifthill has been partially collapsed as of 2005. As of the winter of 2008, the Comet's station building has completely collapsed. The cause was most likely the result of either heavy snow or just rot.
Amusement Park when the ride closed. Merrick
also expressed interest buying the coaster in 2002. The owner of Lincoln Park at the time, Walter Bronhard, offered to sell the coaster for $90,000, but received no buyers. Various preservation efforts were made to save the coaster, but as of January 2005 when the coaster's lift
had partially collapsed, the efforts had generally been abandoned. Instead, A-Merrick-A expressed that it would probably build an exact replica of the ride though the status of this plan is currently unknown.
Twister roller coaster
A twister roller coaster is the generic name given to any roller coaster layout which tends to twist or interweave its track within itself several times. It is essentially the opposite of an Out and Back roller coaster, which is often a much more simplistic layout...
wooden roller coaster
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
that operated in the now defunct Lincoln Park in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It operated from 1946 until 1987. It continues to rot away as time passes by.
History of The Comet
The coaster was designed by Edward Leis and Vernon Keenan and built by the National Amusement Device Company. The ride was 3000 feet long, and had a top speed of 55 mph. One ride lasted two minutes and ten seconds. It had two trainsTrain (roller coaster)
A roller coaster train or car describes the vehicle which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized joint. It is called a "train" because the cars follow one...
, each with five cars, arranged with two per row, two rows per car, for a total of 20 riders per train.
The coaster was originally designed with five cars, but during the last years of its operation, the ride was shortened to four to allow the last carts to be used for spare parts. The ride continues to stand, though it's lifthill has been partially collapsed as of 2005. As of the winter of 2008, the Comet's station building has completely collapsed. The cause was most likely the result of either heavy snow or just rot.
Possible Rebirth
The trains of the ride were purchased by Little MerrickMerrick
-Arts and entertainment:* Zack Merrick , Bassist in band All Time Low* Bryn Merrick , British guitarist with The Damned* Dave Merrick , American oil-on-canvas artist* David Merrick , American theatre producer...
Amusement Park when the ride closed. Merrick
Merrick
-Arts and entertainment:* Zack Merrick , Bassist in band All Time Low* Bryn Merrick , British guitarist with The Damned* Dave Merrick , American oil-on-canvas artist* David Merrick , American theatre producer...
also expressed interest buying the coaster in 2002. The owner of Lincoln Park at the time, Walter Bronhard, offered to sell the coaster for $90,000, but received no buyers. Various preservation efforts were made to save the coaster, but as of January 2005 when the coaster's lift
Lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point or peak in the roller coaster ride...
had partially collapsed, the efforts had generally been abandoned. Instead, A-Merrick-A expressed that it would probably build an exact replica of the ride though the status of this plan is currently unknown.