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This page was first published on January 7, 1999
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My Tribute to Fred Church, Page Two
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Fred Church's roller coaster designs are, to me, what wooden coaster designs should be about. His designs feature swooping or diving curves, plenty of track layering or stacking, complex and twisting track layouts, and wonderful, plush, comfortable trains. For me, the best of his coasters that I have ridden was the fabulous Coney Island (New York) Tornado. This was a great coaster! Built on rooftops, it featured a diving first drop, and ran back and forth three different times. Its station was on the street level at one corner, and the ride began with a twisting tunnel. The tracks were positioned so that there were six lined up in a row; you were never sure which one you were heading for! For me, this was Coney Island's best coaster. I have also ridden the Rye (New York) Playland Dragon Coaster. This is a long, fairly mild ride, but shows Church's genious at track layouts. And the Prior and Church trains were a joy to ride. The replacement trains have greatly detracted from an otherwise good coaster. I have not ridden the San Diego Giant Dipper, but I got to walk on it. So I feel it's a coaster I experienced in a way. Even though it now runs trains I dislike, I would very much like to ride it. Finally, I did ride the Giant Dipper in Santa Cruz, California. This is a charming and exciting roller coaster. And while it may be a perfect example of a "beach twister", Santa Cruz is probably the very "essence" of California. Great Coasters International seems to be
inclined to design coasters in a Fred Church sort of style. I believe there is great hope for the future of wooden roller coasters!
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Below, the Dragon Coaster, Rye, NY, with its original trains
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Above: Do you wonder how the Dragon Coaster got its name?
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Below: While built to be a mild counterpart to its next-door neighbor, the Aeroplane, the Dragon is a wonderfully complex Fred Church design.
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The Coney Island Tornado
(George Siessel photograph)
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Above and Right: The Coney Island Tornado
(Both photographs by Elaine Hooley)
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Below: The Coney Island Tornado
(Photograph by Doug Garner)
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RIght: Coney Island Tornado
(Photograph by Elaine Hooley)
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go to Page Three, Tribute to Fred Church to see additional Church coasters with which I have had some experience.
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