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Curtis D. Summers
| Status | Defunct |
| Headquarters |  |
| Key people | Charles Dinn |
Curtis D. Summers was an American structural engineer.
History
Summers worked as a structural engineer in the US Navy from 1953 to 1958. He went on to work for Coney Island on projects including the Lake Como Railroad, Skyride and the Puppet Theatre. When the company behind Coney Island built the larger Kings Island park, Summers worked on the construction of the Racer roller coaster, which opened in 1972. That year, Summers set up Curtis D. Summers Inc.[1] As well as roller coasters, it also worked on buildings and warehouses and had 18 employees in 1988.[2]
Summers met Charles Dinn during the construction of Kings Island. The pair worked together on The Beast, which opened in 1979. Summers' company worked with the Dinn Corporation, supplying designs and calculations.[3] The two companies working together delivered record-breaking wooden roller coasters. However, there were several accidents which led to parks taking legal action against the two companies.
Summers died of a heart attack in May 1992, amidst a legal battle with Six Flags.[4] His last project was Jupiter at Kijima Kogen, which opened later that year.[1] Several of Summers' employees were subsequently hired by Custom Coasters International, a company formed by Charles Dinn's daughter, Denise.[5]
Personal life
During an interview in 1991, Summers said that he only rode roller coasters for work, never for fun, preferring to travel to the mountains or to Europe.[3]
Projects
- This list is incomplete, please expand it if you can.
| Name | Park | Country | Collaborators | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beast | Kings Island | |
Kings Island, Charles Dinn | April 14, 1979 | Operating |
| American Eagle | Six Flags Great America | |
Intamin, Jim Figley, Leonard Wright | May 23, 1981 | Operating |
| Wolverine Wildcat | Michigan's Adventure | |
Dinn Corporation | May 18, 1988 | Operating |
| Raging Wolf Bobs | Geauga Lake | |
Dinn Corporation | May 28, 1988 | Closed June 16, 2007 |
| Timber Wolf | Worlds of Fun | |
Dinn Corporation | April 1, 1989 | Operating |
| Hercules | Dorney Park | |
Dinn Corporation | May 6, 1989 | Closed September 1, 2003 |
| Georgia Cyclone | Six Flags Over Georgia | |
Dinn Corporation | March 1990 | Closed July 30, 2017 |
| Texas Giant | Six Flags Over Texas | |
Dinn Corporation | March 17, 1990 | Closed November 1, 2009 |
| Predator | Six Flags Darien Lake | |
Dinn Corporation | May 1990 | Operating |
| Thunder Run | Kentucky Kingdom | |
Dinn Corporation, John Fetterman | August 1990 | Operating |
| Psyclone | Six Flags Magic Mountain | |
Dinn Corporation | March 23, 1991 | Closed 2006 |
| Pegasus | Efteling |  |
Dinn Corporation, Intamin | July 1, 1991 | Closed June 9, 2009 |
| Jupiter | Kijima Kogen |  |
Intamin | 1992 | Operating |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Curtis Summers, amusement park ride designer", The Palm Beach Post.
- ↑ "Designer puts new twists into nation's roller coasters", The Cincinnati Enquirer.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "White Knuckle King", The Cincinnati Enquirer.
- ↑ "Theme park thrill rides risky", Daily Record.
- ↑ Curtis D. Summers / Charles Dinn - Southwest Ohio Amusement Park Historical Society (Wayback archive)