Derby Racer
{{short description|Roller coaster at Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts}}
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name = Derby Racer (1911)
|image = Derby Racer Revere Beach.jpg
|caption = Derby Racer in 1920
|previousnames =
|location = Revere Beach
|locationarticle = Revere Beach
|section =
|type = Wood
|type2 = Racing
|type3 =
|status = Removed
|opened = {{Start date|1911}}
|closed = {{End date|1936}}
|manufacturer = Fred W. Pearce
|designer =
|model =
|track = Figure Eight
|lift =
|height_ft =
|drop_ft =
|length_ft =
|speed_mph =
|inversions = 0
|duration =
|angle =
|capacity =
|cost = $140,000
|acceleration =
|acceleration_from =
|acceleration_mph =
|acceleration_km/h =
|acceleration_in =
|gforce =
|restriction_ft =
|restriction_in =
|restriction_cm =
|trains =
|carspertrain =
|rowspercar =
|ridersperrow =
|virtual_queue_name =
|virtual_queue_image =
|virtual_queue_status =
|single_rider =
|custom_label_1 =
|custom_value_1 =
|custom_label_2 =
|custom_value_2 =
|accessible =
|transfer_accessible =
|assistive_listening =
|cc =
|rcdb_number = 2912
|coordinates = {{Coords|42.420|-70.986|display=title,inline}}
}}
Derby Racer was the name of two wooden roller coasters that operated at Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts. The first coaster was built in 1911[http://www.rcdb.com/2912.htm RCDB listing for 1911 Derby Racer] and demolished in 1936.{{cite book |last1=Francis| first1=David W.| last2=Francis | first2=Diane DeMali |title=The Golden Age of Roller Coasters |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |year=2003 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4d9oXyOZubIC |isbn=0-7385-2338-0 }} The second coaster of the same name was built in 1937 and demolished in 1948.[http://www.rcdb.com/2145.htm RCDB listing for 1937 Derby Racer] Both coasters were racing roller coasters, with side-by-side track pairs where two coaster trains would race each other around the circuit of the coaster.
1911 Coaster
The first Derby Racer coaster at Revere Beach was built in 1911 by Fred W. Pearce[http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/elm/id/150/rec/1 Fred W. Pearce] for a cost of $140,000. Derby Racer's racing coaster design was a popular type of roller coaster in the first two decades of the 20th century; more than one quarter of all the racing coasters ever built were constructed in the 1900s and 1910s.[http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&ca=104&page=1 RCDB list of racing coasters] The twin tracks of the Derby Racer were laid out in a figure 8 design.{{cite journal |title=(description of Derby Racer) |journal=The Northeastern Reporter |year=1935 |publisher=West Publishing Company |volume=194 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9_c7AAAAIAAJ&q=%22derby+racer%22+%22revere+beach%22+eight }} Many years later, Pearce claimed that when the coaster was constructed in 1911, Derby Racer had been the second-largest roller coaster ever built. The owners of Derby Racer, Lewis Bopp and Lewis Trask also owned a restaurant that stood next to the coaster, as well as other attractions on Revere Beach.
=Accidents=
Derby Racer was known for a particularly poor safety record. A young man was thrown from the coaster, inflicting life-threatening injuries on June 8, 1911, shortly after the coaster opened.{{cite news |title=Hurled out of Coaster |newspaper=Boston Daily Globe |date=June 9, 1911 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/709289172.html?dids=709289172:709289172&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jun+09%2C+1911&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=HURLED+OUT+OF+COASTER&pqatl=google |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102194947/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/709289172.html?dids=709289172:709289172&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jun+09,+1911&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=HURLED+OUT+OF+COASTER&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} The coaster then re-opened two weeks following the incident.{{cite news |title=License is Restored |newspaper=Boston Daily Globe |date=June 21, 1911 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/709319992.html?dids=709319992:709319992&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Jun+21%2C+1911&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=LICENSE+IS+RESTORED.&pqatl=google |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102195000/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/709319992.html?dids=709319992:709319992&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Jun+21,+1911&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=LICENSE+IS+RESTORED.&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} Six years later, another man was killed on the Revere Beach Derby Racer after being thrown in front of a coaster train.{{cite news |title=Lynn Man Killed on Revere Beach Racer |newspaper=Boston Daily Globe |date=July 16, 1917 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/721348212.html?dids=721348212:721348212&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE:AI&date=Jul+16%2C+1917&author=Special+Dispatch+to+the+Globe&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=LYNN+MAN+KILLED+ON+REVERE+BEACH+RACER&pqatl=google |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102195012/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/721348212.html?dids=721348212%3A721348212&FMT=CITE&FMTS=CITE%3AAI&date=Jul%2016%2C%201917&author=Special%20Dispatch%20to%20the%20Globe&pub=Boston%20Daily%20Globe&desc=LYNN%20MAN%20KILLED%20ON%20REVERE%20BEACH%20RACER&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} In 1923 a couple was severely injured on the Derby Racer as well.{{cite news |title=Couple Injured on Derby Racer |newspaper=Boston Daily Globe |date=May 31, 1923 |url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/864910822.html?dids=864910822:864910822&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=May+31%2C+1923&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=COUPLE+INJURED+ON+DERBY+RACER&pqatl=google |access-date=July 6, 2017 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102195037/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/864910822.html?dids=864910822:864910822&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=May+31,+1923&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe&desc=COUPLE+INJURED+ON+DERBY+RACER&pqatl=google |url-status=dead }} Another rider was thrown from a train in 1929, which resulted in a 1935 Massachusetts Supreme Court case against Ocean View Amusements, the operator of the coaster.[http://www.loislaw.com/ogpc/login.htp?WSRet=12&dockey=9945214@MACASE&OLDURL=/gpc/index.htp&OLDREFURL=http%3A//news.google.com/archivesearch%3Fq%3D%2522derby%2Bracer%2522%2B%2522revere%2Bbeach%2522%26scoring%3Da%26hl%3Den%26ned%3Dus%26sa%3DN%26sugg%3Dd%26as_ldate%3D1930%26as_hdate%3D1939%26lnav%3Dhist2 Brennan v. Ocean View Amusement Co.], 289 Mass. 587, 194 N.E. 911 (1935)
1937 Coaster
{{Infobox roller coaster
|name = Derby Racer (1937)
|image =
|caption =
|previousnames =
|location = Revere Beach
|locationarticle = Revere Beach
|section =
|type = Wood
|type2 = Racing
|type3 =
|status = Removed
|opened = {{Start date|1937}}
|closed = {{End date|1948}}
|manufacturer = H. A. Bauscher
|designer = Harry C. Baker
|model =
|track =
|lift =
|height_ft =
|drop_ft =
|length_ft =
|speed_mph =
|inversions = 0
|duration =
|angle =
|capacity =
|cost =
|acceleration =
|acceleration_from =
|acceleration_mph =
|acceleration_km/h =
|acceleration_in =
|gforce =
|restriction_ft =
|restriction_in =
|restriction_cm =
|trains =
|carspertrain =
|rowspercar =
|ridersperrow =
|virtual_queue_name =
|virtual_queue_image =
|virtual_queue_status =
|single_rider =
|custom_label_1 =
|custom_value_1 =
|custom_label_2 =
|custom_value_2 =
|custom_label_3 =
|custom_value_3 =
|custom_label_4 =
|custom_value_4 =
|accessible =
|transfer_accessible =
|assistive_listening =
|cc =
|rcdb_number = 2145
|coordinates = {{Coords|42.420|-70.986|display=inline}}
}}
After the first Derby Racer at Revere Beach was demolished in 1936, a new racing roller coaster with the same name was constructed in 1937. This coaster was built by H. A. Bauscher, and designed by noted roller coaster designer Harry C. Baker. Little is written about the coaster, however, and it was demolished 11 years later in 1948.