Recreation of the original Wildcat at Idora Park - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-10-26 | This recreation is the original version that operated at Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio, from 1930-1932. After the 1932 season, the first drop and a couple of other hills were reprofiled. The first drop was the most significant modification, from the swooping drop here to a flat turn and straight drop most are familiar with.A POV of the reprofiled version that ran from 1933-1984 (when fire tragically destroyed the coaster and closed the park) is available here: youtube.com/watch?v=uh1ApaWM9zY.
Flip Flap Railway recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2023-04-09 | Flip Flap Railway operated at Paul Boyton's Sea Lion Park in Brooklyn, New York, from 1895-1902. It was designed by Lina Beecher and originally built in Toledo, Ohio in 1888. Boyton liked the idea and had the coaster moved to his park near present-day Coney Island.It was known for being intense, pulling around 12 G's in the circular loop. It was uncomfortable and unpopular, so it was difficult to make a profit. It closed with the park in 1902.
Backyard looping roller coaster POV #RollerCoaster #BackyardCoaster #shorts #POV Raptor Alex 2023-03-01 | An HD POV of the former Blue Flash coaster in John Ivers' backyard in Indiana.
Willow Mill Park Red Streaker recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2023-02-22 | Red Streaker operated at Willow Mill Park in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, from 1937 to 1989. It was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. It opened as Blue Streak but closed in 1972 after Hurricane Agnes damaged it. It was rebuilt and the blue train replaced with a red train, so it was renamed Red Streaker. The ride closed with the park, and the ride was dismantled in 1994. A train and parts of the coaster are in storage.
Hersheyparks original Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-12-13 | Wildcat operated at Hersheypark (then written Hershey Park) from 1923-1945 roughly in the area where Storm Runner currently is. It was Herbert Schmeck's first design (he had been construction supervisor on a handful of coasters before) and was built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters.It was a simple out-and-back terrain coaster that crossed Spring Creek twice.
Dorney Park Coaster (pre-Thunderhawk) recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-11-10 | Coaster operated at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, from 1924-1929. It was modified from this out-and-back design to a figure-eight design for the 1930 season. The second hill also was modified with a shallower rise and drop sometime later in its life. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. The name was changed to Thunderhawk in 1989. Thunderhawk continues to operate.
Lincoln Park Comet recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-10-05 | Comet operated at Lincoln Park in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts, from 1946 to 1987. It was designed by Edward Leis and Vernon Keenan. Keenan also designed the Coney Island Cyclone, and you can certainly see similarities in the two designs. Comet closed with the park but remained standing until 2012. The land is now a residential neighborhood.
Kennywood Pippin recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-08-01 | Pippin was designed by John Miller and operated at Kennywood near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1924-1967. After the 1967 season, it was heavily modified by Andy Vettel into Thunderbolt, which still operates.Pippin was similar to Jack Rabbit on the other side of the park. It also featured a pre-lift drop into a ravine and a double-down into the same ravine. The similarities between the two might have been why it was modified into Thunderbolt.
Mountain Park Mountain Flyer recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-05-21 | Mountain Flyer operated at Mountain Park in Holyoke, Massachusetts, from 1929-1987. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. It had two infamous elements: the bunny hop after the first drop and the turnaround. The turnaround was said to be wild and full of laterals. It was the standout section of the coaster.The coaster closed with the park.
Clementon Park Jack Rabbit recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-03-16 | Jack Rabbit was a junior wooden roller coaster designed by John Miller. It operated at Clementon Park in New Jersey from 1919-2002. It was in need of a rebuild, which the park considered too expensive, so it stood but did not operate from 2003 until 2007, when it was torn down. It was one of the oldest coasters in the world, the last operating coaster to open in 1919, and the last Miller coaster without upstops.
Lakeside Park Shooting Star recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2022-01-27 | Shooting Star operated at Lakeside Park in Salem, Virginia, from 1968-1986. It was designed by John Allen for Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and was 84 feet tall.A flood damaged the park in 1985, and in 1986, a worker was struck and killed by a Shooting Star train that was testing. The flood and lawsuit over the worker's death spelled the end of the park after the 1986 season. The coaster was bought by Wet 'n' Wild in Greensboro, North Carolina, but it was never assembled and was eventually scrapped.
Rocky Glen Mountain Dips recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-12-26 | Mountain Dips operated at Rocky Glen amusement park in Moosic, Pennsylvania, from 1920 to 1939. It was designed by John Miller. It was a terrain coaster, similar to Miller's Jack Rabbit at Kennywood. It crossed the Laurel Line railroad tracks and dropped into a ravine next to a dam. It featured two double-down drops and a double-up.
Fontaine Ferry Park Comet recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-10-21 | Comet operated at Fontaine Ferry Park in Louisville, Kentucky, from 1951-1976. This out-and-back coaster was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. The park closed after the 1975 season after several fires. Parts of this coaster remain on the site, which is now a city park. There are several concrete footers, some guy wires, supports and rails.
Joyland Roller Coaster recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-08-30 | Roller Coaster (also known as Nightmare in its later years) operated at Joyland in Wichita, Kansas, from 1949-2004. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and John Allen and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters.It was one of the last coasters with original trains that had only a stationary bar as a restraint. It did not have seat belts or buzz bars. It only had a single metal bar. It closed in 2004, though the park operated sporadically for a few years after. Roller Coaster was torn down in 2015.
Euclid Beach Derby Racer recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-06-15 | Derby Racer operated at Euclid Beach in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1913 to 1969. It closed with the park. This mobius coaster was designed by John Miller. It is one continuous track; you start on the right and end on the left. The split is when the trains leave the station. It was renamed Racing Coaster to not cause confusion with the Great American Racing Derby ride.
Euclid Beach Thriller recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-06-14 | Thriller operated at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1924-1969. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and Howard Stoneback. After its first year, the second hill was lowered, which is the version I have created since it ran the rest of its life like this. The coaster closed with the park.
State Fair of Texas Comet recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-04-06 | Comet operated at the State Fair of Texas from 1947 to 1985. It was built by National Amusement Devices and designed by Charles Paige, who designed only four other roller coasters. Coaster enthusiasts attempted to save Comet, but it was torn down in 1989.
Jantzen Beach Big Dipper recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-03-14 | Big Dipper operated at Jantzen Beach in Portland, Oregon, from 1928 to 1969. It was designed by Carl E. Phare, who designed the wooden roller coaster at Playland in Vancouver, British Columbia. Big Dipper, which was 55 feet tall, opened with the park and closed a year before the park closed for good.
Bertrand Island Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2021-02-02 | Wildcat operated at Bertrand Island amusement park from 1925 to 1983. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. Bertrand Island was on the shores of Lake Hopatcong in Mount Arlington, New Jersey. The coaster closed with the park.
Rocky Glen Mighty Lightnin recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-12-17 | Mighty Lightnin (also known as Comet and Jet) was a junior wooden roller coaster that operated at Rocky Glen in Moosic, Pennsylvania, from 1959 to 1987. It was demolished in 1994 after several fires and a partial collapse. It was designed by John Allen of Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, but it was a clone of Montaña Rusa at Coney Island in Havana, Cuba. That coaster was designed by Herbert Schmeck. There is an operating mirrored clone called Tornado at Stricker's Grove in Ohio.
Glen Echo Park Coaster Dips recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-11-04 | Coaster Dips was a National Amusement Device Co. terrain roller coaster that operated at Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, Maryland, from 1921 to 1968. It featured two drops into a ravine: a double-down and an 85-foot drop after the turnaround. The coaster closed with the park.The park was the site of several protests because it was segregated. All that remain now are some buildings, signs and the carousel. The 1921 Dentzel carousel continues to operate.
Cedar Point Cyclone recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-09-22 | Cyclone operated at Cedar Point from 1929-1951. It was designed by Prior and Church and built by Harry Traver. It was one of the first major roller coasters at Cedar Point. It sat on the beach around where Gatekeeper's station is now.The coaster in the background is Leap the Dips.
Elitch Gardens Mr. Twister recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-08-28 | Mr. Twister operated at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, from 1965 to 1994. It was designed by John Allen. It originally dropped directly into the double helix, but Allen felt that was slow and a little dull, so the ride was modified before the 1966 season to raise the lift hill and add more hills. It closed with the park in 1994 and was removed in 1999.
Elitch Gardens Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-08-26 | Wildcat operated at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, from 1936 to 1994. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and was a revamp of the park's Sky Rocket, which closed in 1935. The most notable change was the second hill, which Schmeck raised. The coaster interacts with Mr. Twister, which was built in 1965.
Ocean View Park Rocket recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-06-16 | Rocket operated at Ocean View Amusement Park in Norfolk, Virginia, from 1929 to 1978. It was designed by Edward Vettel and modified shortly after opening by Herbert Schmeck. It was in the 1977 movie "Roller Coaster" and was dynamited in the 1979 movie "The Death of Ocean View Park."
Buckeye Lake Dips recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-05-07 | Dips was designed by John Miller and operated at Buckeye Lake in Ohio from 1924 to 1958. It closed after a non-fatal accident but remained standing until 1966, when a storm blew it into the lake.
Rocky Springs Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-04-23 | Wildcat was designed by Herbert Schmeck and operated at Rocky Springs Park in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, from 1928 to 1965. This terrain coaster was 90 feet tall, had a 95-foot first drop and was around 2,500 feet long. The tunnel was 500 feet long and included undulating track. This version includes the original swooping second hill, which was flattened shortly after the ride opened.Wildcat remained standing but not operating until 1990, when it was torn down. The carousel house and some buildings remain at the site of the park.
West View Park Racing Whippet recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-02-23 | Racing Whippet was a mobius racing roller coaster designed by Edward Vettel that operated at West View Park in West View, Pennsylvania, from 1927 to 1977. It was one continuous track (the split is a the first turn after the drop), and riders ended up on the other side of the station from where they began. It closed with the park in 1977.
West View Park Dips recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2020-02-22 | Dips was a roller coaster designed by Edward Vettel that operated at West View Park in West View, Pennsylvania, from 1909-1977. It originally opened as a side-friction coaster but was modified for the 1929 season to run with upstops. The layout was changed slightly, and the famous turnaround was added. The version I recreated is that modified one. The coaster closed with the park in 1977.
Coney Island Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-11-12 | Wildcat was a wooden roller coaster designed by Herbert Schmeck. It operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati from 1926 to 1964. Coney Island closed as an amusement park in 2019.
Coney Island Shooting Star recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-11-11 | Shooting Star was a wooden out-and-back roller coaster designed by Herbert Schmeck. It operated at Coney Island in Cincinnati from 1937 to 1971. Coney Island closed as an amusement park in 2019.(Re-uploaded for sound fix)
Goodbye, Coney Island Raptor Alex 2019-10-07 | This family amusement park in Cincinnati announced it was removing all of its rides to focus on the water park. I had never been, so I made a road trip on Sept. 14. I am glad I got to visit. It's always sad when a park closes.Music by Zack Aydelotte.
Everland Eagles Fortress recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-09-27 | Eagle's Fortress was an Arrow Dynamics suspended coaster that operated from 1992 to 2009 at Everland in South Korea. The few who have ridden it said it was the best suspended coaster ever built.
Oaks Amusement Park Zip recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-07-11 | Zip was a Harry G. Traver-designed wooden roller coaster at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon. It was a smaller version of the Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters. It operated from 1927 to 1934. Its short life was due to its lack of popularity because it was so rough. The shorter train, with only five cars, apparently was one of the reasons it was rough, though I imagine the track was the real reason.
Sea Breeze Wild Cat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-06-05 | Wild Cat was designed by Herbert Schmeck and operated at Sea Breeze (now Seabreeze) park in Rochester, New York, from 1926-1935. It was lost in a fire. The log flume currently sits in its place. It was a terrain coaster with several drops into a ravine.The coaster in the background is Jack Rabbit, a 1920 Miller coaster that still operates.
Chippewa Lake Park Big Dipper recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-05-16 | Big Dipper was a roughly 50-foot-tall wooden roller coaster that operated at Chippewa Lake Park in Ohio from 1925 to 1978. After the park's closure, the ride and several others sat rotting and rusting as the trees grew in. Big Dipper was finally removed in 2010.
Central Park Skyclone recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-04-20 | Skyclone was a John Miller terrain coaster that operated at Central Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania, from 1929-1957. It survived at least two fires. It was originally named Cyclone but was modified and renamed after a fire.
Rocky Glen Million Dollar Coaster recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-02-19 | Million Dollar Coaster was a Vernon Keenan-designed out-and-back that operated from 1946 to 1957 at Rocky Glen in Moosic, Pennsylvania. It actually cost around $100,000 to build, but the park wanted to make it sound more exciting with this name.Rocky Glen operated from 1885 to 1988.
Puritas Springs Cyclone recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-02-09 | Cyclone was a John A. Miller out-and-back that operated at Puritas Springs in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1928-1958. It was known for its final drop into a ravine, where it reached speeds of 55 to 60 mph.
Idora Park Jack Rabbit recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2019-01-26 | Jack Rabbit opened at Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio, as a side-friction coaster in 1914. It was converted into an out-and-back for the 1930 season by Edward Vettel. It ran until 1984, when the park was devastated by a fire.
Woodcliff Pleasure Park Blue Streak recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-12-13 | Blue Streak operated from 1928 to 1941 and had the longest drop and was the fastest roller coaster in the world. It was 70 feet tall but dropped 120 to 130 feet down a ravine toward the Hudson River, where it hit 65 mph.The drop and speed records would not be beaten until Kings Island's Beast opened in 1979, 38 years after Blue Streak closed.It was designed by Joseph A. McKee and Vernon Keenan and built by Harry C. Baker. For more information, visit http://www.hvmag.com/Hudson-Valley-Magazine/May-2014/Lost-Amusement-Parks-of-the-Hudson-Valley
Screechin Eagle at LeSourdsville Lake recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-12-06 | Screechin' Eagle has a complex history. It was a John A. Miller wooden roller coaster that first operated as Thunderbolt at Moxahala Amusement Park in Zanesville, Ohio, from 1928 to 1939. It was moved to LeSourdsville Lake/Americana, where it operated from 1940 to 1999. It did not operate in 2000 or 2001. The park reopened in 2002 but only operated for a few months. It never reopened. Screechin' Eagle was taken down in 2011.I was lucky enough to get nine rides on it on a summer day in 2002. It was excellent. Every hill had nice airtime, but the best hills were the hill just before the turnaround and the final hill. It is a real shame that another classic is gone forever.
Idora Park Wildcat recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-11-06 | Wildcat operated at Idora Park in Youngstown, Ohio, from 1930-1984. This version, which ran from 1933-1984, is what most are familiar with -- it has a high turn after the lift hill, straight first drop, and banked straightaway after the low turnaround. The original version featured a diving drop to the right, an extra bunny hop, and a small camelback after the low turnaround. I recreated that here: youtube.com/watch?v=zCBOpbSxqxQWildcat was damaged in a fire in 1984. It was demolished in 2001.
My 250th roller coaster Raptor Alex 2018-10-19 | This milestone came by accident. I just wanted to get to Schnepf Farms and ride this thing because it's kind of a rare credit to get. After counting, it turns out this was my 250th individual roller coaster. So I made a video for the occasion.Gravity Roller Coaster is a Miler Manufacturing coaster that is around 20 feet tall. It has two bunny hops and five drops. It is surprisingly fun in the back seat.Music: purple-planet.com
Moonsault Scramble recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-09-23 | Moonsault Scramble was a Meisho shuttle coaster at Fuji-Q Highland in Japan. It opened in 1983 as the first roller coaster over 200 feet tall. It was nearly 230 feet tall and pulled a stunning 6.2 G's at the bottom of the pretzel loop. It operated until 2000.
2018 Phoenix dust storms Raptor Alex 2018-09-20 | This year was an intense monsoon season with several haboobs, which are walls of dust. One week had three haboobs in consecutive days, though I only managed to capture two of them.Shot with an iPhone 8 using time-lapse mode.Music: http://www.purple-planet.com
The original Bat coaster at Kings Island - recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-06-23 | The Bat was an Arrow Dynamics suspended roller coaster that operated sporadically from 1981 to 1983. It was known for its swinging trains, unbanked track and reliability issues. Vortex, also by Arrow, now sits in its place.This re-creation was made in the NoLimits 2 roller coaster simulator.Music: http://www.purple-planet.com
Crystal Beach Cyclone recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2018-02-13 | Take a ride on the most intense roller coaster ever built, Cyclone at Crystal Beach amusement park in Ontario. This Harry G. Traver coaster lasted from 1926 to 1946. It didn't have a straight section of track from the first drop to the brakes. A nurse was supposedly stationed at the ride's exit.Cyclone was part of the Traver Triplets, which also included Cyclone (1927-1934) at Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey and Lightning (1927-1933) at Revere Beach in Massachusetts.This is not the NoLimits 1 version. I hand-built this from blueprints and old photos found on the internet. Special thanks to the Prior & Church and Traver group on Facebook for the photo and video references.
Long Beach Pike Cyclone Racer recreation - NoLimits 2 Raptor Alex 2017-10-28 | Designed by Frederick Church and built by Harry Traver, this racing coaster lasted from 1930 to 1968 at Long Beach Pike in Southern California. I recreated it in the NoLimits 2 coaster simulator.Music is "Ragtime Dance" by Scott Joplin, downloaded from freemusicarchive.org.
John Ivers backyard roller coaster Raptor Alex 2017-10-10 | 10 years ago, my friend Doug and I rode John Ivers' roller coaster, The Blue Flash. We visited again in 2012 and 2013 and got more video and photos. This video is a celebration of a great and fun coaster.Blue Flash is a 19-foot-tall roller coaster with a 360-degree loop and a helix. John Ivers, who lives near Vincennes, Indiana, built it out of scrap metal. The seat is from a car, and the seat belt is from a bulldozer.I have ridden hundreds of roller coasters, and Blue Flash scares me more than any other, even after several rides.Credits:Video by Doug Meenan and mePhotos by meMusic by Zack Aydelott
