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The Rollercoaster From Annie Hall Will Return To Coney Island
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2013
Modified Jun 11, 2013
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jun 11, 2013
Modified Jun 11, 2013
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New, new, new, old.
The Cyclone isn't the only famous wooden rollercoaster to grace Coney Island—in 1925 the Thunderbolt was built, and it kept on operating all the way through 1982. And while it was demolished in 2000, there is now a plan to bring it back to life. Today Luna Park and the city’s Economic Development Corp announced the return of the coaster, which will happen in 2014.
We were told this morning that "the new coaster will stand on the original Thunderbolt’s site, and will hit speeds of 65 mph, with a 125 foot drop, which surpasses the legendary 86-year-old Cyclone’s speed of 60 mph, and its 85 foot drop." And the NY Post notes that it will include "backward loops and corkscrew turns." Valerio Ferrari, president of Zamperla USA, which will build and operate the $10 million ride, declared: “There’s nothing like it in Coney Island right now, and people are going to love it."
While the new coaster may be sleeker and faster, can it really compare with the vintage version, which was immortalized in Woody Allen's 1977 classic Annie Hall?
Tagged
coney island
roller coaster
rollercoaster
thunderbolt
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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