Lost Legends: Blue Streak |
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| When the Coney Island Cyclone opened in 1927, it success made its designer, Vernon Keenen one of the most sought after designers of the time. The first park to commission a design from him after Coney Island was Woodcliffe Pleasure Park in Poughkeepsie, New York. They had high hopes for their new ride, and Keenan didn't let them down. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Woodcliffe's new coaster, which they named Blue Streak, was constructed by Harry Baker in 1927. It opened at the park in early 1928, and broke three world records. It not only was the world's tallest and fastest roller coaster, but also had the longest drop. It stood 127' above ground at it's highest point. Its longest drop plunged 140' into a natural ravine. Both of these records stood for an incredible 52 years, until they were broken in 1977 by The Beast at King's Island. It reached speeds of 105kph (65.2mph), a record that stood for 54 years, until it was broken by the American Eagle at Great America in 1981. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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A ride on the Blue Streak began off with a chain lift straight out of its station. After the lift came a turnaround, and then a drop of about 70 feet. The next hill featured a double-dip drop. After two more fast, shallow hills, the track rose onto the fifth hill. Following the fifth hill came a enormous swooping drop into a ravine that lead up into a fast turnaround. This turnaround was precariously perched on the edge of a large cliff overlooking the Hudson river. Next came the biggest drop: 140 feet. The trains would plunge into the same gorge as the previous drop. During this drop the track travelled very close to trees, and crossed through the wood structure of, making the more than 65 mhp speed attained seem even faster. After the adrenaline rush of the incredible sixth drop, riders were reminded what a normal drop was like, and then were returned to the station. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Even though the Blue Streak was destroyed when the park closed in 1941, its records stood long past its physical demise. No other coaster has ever held a record for as long as Blue Streak has. It was the tallest and fastest coaster ever in the seventies; just imagine how incredible this must have been when it obliterated those records in the twenties. In all probability, we will never see a coaster hold a record for as long as the mighty Blue Streak. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Written by James Kay
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Photos: Robert Cartmell Collection, George Siessel and Joe Heflin
