John C. Allen (May 21, 1907 – August 17, 1979) was a roller coaster designer who was responsible for the revival of wooden roller coasters which began in the 1960s. He attended Drexel University. He started working for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1934 as a coaster operator and rose to become president of the company by 1954.[1] He designed more than 25 coasters and made significant contributions to roller coaster technology.[2] He once said, "You don't need a degree in engineering to design roller coasters, you need a degree in psychology."[3]
John C. Allen | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 21, 1907 |
| Died | August 17, 1979 (aged 72) |
| Occupation | Roller coaster designer |
| Years active | 1934–1979 |
| Known for | Philadelphia Toboggan Company manufacturers |
List of roller coasters
editThe following is a list of roller coasters were credited as designed by John C. Allen:
| Name | Location | Built | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nightmare | Joyland | 1949 | Demolished |
| Jet Flyer/Sea Dragon | Gooding Zoo Park/Wyandot Lake/Jungle Jack's Landing/Adventure Cove) | 1956 | Operating |
| Valley Volcano | Angela Park | 1956 | Demolished |
| Flyer | Dinosaur Beach | 1957 | Demolished |
| Ghost Town Jet / Mighty Lightnin' / Comet | Rocky Glen Park | 1959 | Demolished |
| Skyliner | Lakemont Park | 1960 | Closed |
| Golden Nugget Mine/Black Diamond | Knoebels Amusement Resort | 1960 | Operating |
| Tornado | Wedgewood Village | 1961 | Demolished |
| Starliner | Miracle Strip/Cypress Gardens | 1963 | Demolished |
| Blue Streak | Cedar Point | 1964 | Operating |
| Jetstream | Riverview Park | 1964 | Demolished |
| Mr. Twister | Elitch Gardens | 1965 | Demolished |
| Skyliner | Fair Park | 1965 | Demolished |
| Swamp Fox | Grand Strand Park/Family Kingdom | 1966 | Operating |
| Cannon Ball | Lake Winnepesaukah | 1967 | Operating |
| Shooting Star | Lakeside Park | 1968 | Demolished |
| Zingo | Bell's Amusement Park | 1968 | Demolished |
| Tornado | Petticoat Junction | 1970 | Demolished |
| The Racer | Kings Island | 1972 | Operating |
| Woodstock Express | Kings Island | 1972 | Operating |
| Great American Scream Machine | Six Flags Over Georgia | 1973 | Operating |
| Comet | Funway Amusement Park | 1973 | Demolished |
| Woodstock Express | Kings Dominion | 1974 | Operating |
| Rebel Yell/Racer 75 | Kings Dominion | 1975 | Operating |
| Woodstock Express | Carowinds | 1975 | Operating |
| Screamin' Eagle | Six Flags St. Louis | 1976 | Operating |
References
edit- ^ Wooley, Eric (May 26, 2020). "How Every Modern Wooden Roller Coaster Traces Back to One Company". Coaster101. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Person = John C. Allen". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
- ^ Ridgway, Andy (August 27, 2009). "The thrill engineers". BBC Science Focus. Retrieved August 31, 2020.