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(Redirected from Curtis D. Summers, Inc.)
Curtis D. Summers
Status Defunct
Headquarters
Loveland, Ohio, USA
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 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA 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, Inc., 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
USA
Kings Island, Charles Dinn April 14, 1979 Operating
American Eagle Six Flags Great America
USA
Intamin, Jim Figley, Leonard Wright May 23, 1981 Operating
Wolverine Wildcat Michigan's Adventure
USA
Dinn Corporation May 18, 1988 Operating
Raging Wolf Bobs Geauga Lake
USA
Dinn Corporation May 28, 1988 Closed June 16, 2007
Timber Wolf Worlds of Fun
USA
Dinn Corporation April 1, 1989 Operating
Hercules Dorney Park
USA
Dinn Corporation May 6, 1989 Closed September 1, 2003
Georgia Cyclone Six Flags Over Georgia
USA
Dinn Corporation March 1990 Closed July 30, 2017
Texas Giant Six Flags Over Texas
USA
Dinn Corporation March 17, 1990 Closed November 1, 2009
Predator Six Flags Darien Lake
USA
Dinn Corporation May 25, 1990 Operating
Thunder Run Kentucky Kingdom
USA
Dinn Corporation, John Fetterman August 1990 Operating
Psyclone Six Flags Magic Mountain
USA
Dinn Corporation March 23, 1991 Closed 2006
Pegasus Efteling
Netherlands
Dinn Corporation, Intamin July 1, 1991 Closed June 9, 2009
Jupiter Kijima Kogen
Japan
Intamin 1992 Operating

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Curtis Summers, amusement park ride designer". The Palm Beach Post.
  2. "Designer puts new twists into nation's roller coasters". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  3. 3.0 3.1 "White Knuckle King". The Cincinnati Enquirer.
  4. "Theme park thrill rides risky". Daily Record.
  5. Curtis D. Summers / Charles Dinn - Southwest Ohio Amusement Park Historical Society (Wayback archive)