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| Manufacturer | National Amusement Device Company | ||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Vernon Keenan | ||||||||||
| Type | Wooden | ||||||||||
| Propulsion | Chain lift hill | ||||||||||
| Height | 70 feet | ||||||||||
| Top speed | 35 mph | ||||||||||
| Length | 2640 feet | ||||||||||
| Inversions | 0 | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1:55 | ||||||||||
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| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters | ||||||||||
| Riders per train | 18 | ||||||||||
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Flyer Comet, commonly shortened to "Comet", was a wooden roller coaster located at Whalom Park in Lunenburg, Massachusetts, USA. It opened in 1940 and closed in 2000 following the park's closure. Comet remained standing but not operating until demolition occurred in October 2006.[1][2]
History
Early history
When the 1923 Shooting Star was destroyed in 1938 by a hurricane and tornado[3][4], Whalom staff hired the National Amusement Device Company and designer Vernon Keenan to create a new roller coaster for the park. The Flyer Comet, then simply called Comet opened in 1940. Many parts from the Shooting Star were used to construct the ride. The Comet was the third coaster to be built at Whalom Park, and the last to be added to the park.
The Comet was later named the Flyer Comet.
Closure and demolition
Whalom Park and the Flyer Comet closed in 2000, with the owners citing financial problems as the reason for closure. The park was subsequently sold to a property developer.[5]
The lift hill motor and other mechanical portions of the ride were sold off years before the Flyer Comet's demolition. This required the track to be cut apart, thus sealing the fate of the ride years prior to the demolition.
The roller coaster was finally demolished on October 18, 2006 during the clearing of the property to make way for a housing estate.[5]
Design
Theme
The rides entrance was decorated with comets/shooting stars. The Black Hole tunnel was added over a hilly section of track in 1990 and was meant to add to the space theme of the ride.
Trains
3 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows, for a total of 18 riders per train. The trains were built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters.
References
- ↑ "Coasting to a Stop at Whalom Park". The Boston Globe. 2006-10-19. p. 21. Retrieved 2024-01-16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "As Coaster Falls, memories pour out". The Boston Globe. 2006-10-19. p. 28. Retrieved 2024-01-16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Whalom tornado 1938". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1938-08-17. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-01-16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Toppling Trees Wreak Havoc at Summer Resort". Fitchburg Sentinel. 1938-08-17. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-01-16 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Vernon Keenan Flyer Comet Coaster Meets The Wrecking Ball". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
External links
- Flyer Comet on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
