Leap-The-Dips
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Leap-The-Dips | |
| Location | Lakemont Park |
|---|---|
| Type | Wood - Side Friction - Kiddie |
| Status | Open |
| Opened | 1902 |
| Manufacturer | Edward Joy Morris Company |
| Designer | Edward Joy Morris |
| Height | 41 ft (12.5 m) |
| Drop | 9 ft (2.7 m) |
| Length | 1452 ft (442.6 m) |
| Duration | 1:00 |
| Max Vertical Angle | 25 degrees |
| Leap-The-Dips at RCDB | |
| Pictures of Leap-The-Dips at RCDB | |
Leap-The-Dips is the World's oldest operating roller coaster and North America's last surviving side friction roller coaster. It is located at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania and was built in 1902 by the E. Joy Morris Company. Leap-the-Dips operated until 1985, when it closed due to disrepair. A fundraising campaign led to a restoration starting in 1997 and a reopening on Memorial Day 1999.
The ride is quite tame by today's standards, being only 41 ft (12.5 m) in height and having an average speed of 10 mph (16 km/h). In comparison, Kingda Ka, the fastest and tallest complete-circuit roller coaster (as of July 2006), reaches 456 ft (139 m) high and has a top speed of 128 mph (206 km/h). Despite this, Leap-The-Dips is considered a quite fun (and of course nostalgic) ride.
Leap-the-Dips is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1996 was made a National historic landmark. It is also an ACE Coaster Classic.
[edit] Current Issues
2005: The Leap-The-Dips is suffering from old age, as mechanical problems kept it closed for all but two weeks of the 2005 season. The wood supports for the side friction rails often needed to be replaced, and during its brief operation several cars stalled out, unable to gain enough momentum to finish.
2006: 2006 was a notable year for the Leap-The-Dips, with people waiting in long lines to ride it throughout the season. Few car-stalling problems occured, although a few wood supports did need to be fixed or replaced.
[edit] External links
- Lakemont Park and Island Waterpark Official Site
- Leap-The-Dips Preservation Foundation (Archived)
- Leap-the Dips On-Ride Video on Google Video
