bobsled roller coaster

{{short description|Roller coaster design}}

{{ Infobox attraction model

| name = Bobsled roller coaster

| logo =

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| image = BPBbobsled.jpg

| imagedimensions = 250px

| caption = Avalanche at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

| status = In Production: Mack Rides

Discontinued: Intamin, and John Norman Bartlett

| first_produced = 1929

| installations = 21

| manufacturer =

| manufacturer2 = Intamin, John Norman Bartlett, and Mack Rides

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| restraint = Lap-bar

| custom_label_1 =

| custom_value_1 = [http://rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&de=3 Bobsled roller coaster at RCDB]

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A bobsled roller coaster is a roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has cars that are sent down this pipe in a freewheeling mode. The name derives from the great similarity to the track design used for the winter sport of bobsleigh.

Most modern bobsled roller coasters are made of steel; however, the first bobsled coasters, known as Flying Turns, were made of wood. On October 4, 2013, after seven years of construction, Knoebels in Pennsylvania opened the world's only modern wooden Flying Turns coaster, Flying Turns. The ride was scheduled to open in 2007, but had been delayed due to dysfunctional wheels and other issues. As there were no historic plans available, the new coaster was designed entirely from scratch.

Both the bobsled coaster and the Flying Turns coaster are buildable in the RollerCoaster Tycoon and Thrillville series of video games.

Notably, the Gerstlauer Bobsled Coaster model is not a bobsled coaster by this definition but rather an improvement on the wild mouse.{{Cite web |title=Bobsled Coaster |url=https://www.gerstlauer-rides.de/en/products/roller-coasters/bobsled-coaster |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=www.gerstlauer-rides.de |language=en}}

Installations

As of 2012, 21 bobsled roller coasters have been built. The roller coasters are listed in order of opening dates.

class= "wikitable sortable"
NameParkCountryOpenedClosedTypeManufacturerStatus
Flying TurnsLakeside Park{{flagu|United States}}19291930 - 1954*WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Lakeside Park|rcdb_number=10483|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsEuclid Beach Park{{flagu|United States}}1930September 28, 1969WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Euclid Beach Park|rcdb_number=1909|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsRocky Point Park{{flagu|United States}}19311938WoodJohn Norman Bartlett/Philadelphia Toboggan CoastersRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Rocky Point Park|rcdb_number=2123|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsForest Park|{{flagu|United States}}1934July 19, 1963WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Forest Park|rcdb_number=2100|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsSteeplechase Park{{flagu|United States}}1934September 14, 1939WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Steeplechase Park|rcdb_number=2153|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsRiverview Park
Formerly Century of Progress
{{flagu|United States}}1935
May 27, 1933
1967
October 31, 1934
WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Century of Progress|rcdb_number=3469|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Riverview Park|rcdb_number=2359|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Lake Placid BobsledPalisades Amusement Park{{flagu|United States}}19371946WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Lake Placid Bobsled|location=Palisades Amusement Park|rcdb_number=2115|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
BobsledConey Island
Formerly Flushing Meadows Park
{{flagu|United States}}1941
April 30, 1939
1974
October 27, 1940
WoodJohn Norman BartlettRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Bobsled|location=Flushing Meadows Park|rcdb_number=3467|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Bobsled|location=Coney Island|rcdb_number=3468|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Flying TurnsHersheyPark{{flagu|United States}}1942 (intended)N/AWoodPhiladelphia Toboggan Co.Cancelled{{cite book |first=Torrence |last=Jenkins Jr. |title=Herbert P. Schmeck The Forgotten Legacy |publisher=Knepper Press |year=2006 |pages=91–93 }}{{cite news |last=Rutherford |first=Scott |title=PTC built one Flying Turns at Rocky Point; Hershey's ride was designed, but never built |newspaper=Amusement Today |year=2004 |volume=8 |issue=2 |page=23 }}{{cite news |title=Around The Grounds |newspaper=Billboard Magazine |date=June 12, 1943 |page=43 }}
Screamin' Delta DemonOpryland USA{{flagu|United States}}April 1984October 31, 1997SteelIntaminRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Screamin' Delta Demon|location=Opryland USA|rcdb_number=170|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Schweizer BobbahnEuropa Park{{flagu|Germany}}1985{{N/A}}SteelMack RidesOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Schweizer Bobbahn|location=Europa Park|rcdb_number=974|accessdate=September 4, 2012}}
Disaster Transport
Formerly Avalanche Run
Cedar Point{{flagu|United States}}May 11, 1985July 29, 2012SteelIntaminRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Disaster Transport|location=Cedar Point|rcdb_number=19|accessdate=September 5, 2012}}
BobbaanEfteling{{flagu|Netherlands}}1985September 1, 2019SteelIntaminRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Bobbaan|location=Efteling|rcdb_number=899|accessdate=September 6, 2012}}
La Vibora
Formerly Sarajevo Bobsled
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Magic Mountain
{{flagu|United States}}1986
1984
2024
1986
SteelIntaminRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Sarajevo Bobsleds|location=Six Flags Magic Mountain|rcdb_number=98|accessdate=September 6, 2012}}{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=La Vibora|location=Six Flags Over Texas|rcdb_number=99|accessdate=November 10, 2024}}
Reptilian
Formerly Avalanche
Kings Dominion{{flagu|United States}}1988{{N/A}}SteelMack RidesOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Avalanche|location=Kings Dominion|rcdb_number=282|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
AvalanchePleasure Beach Blackpool{{flagu|United Kingdom}}June 22, 1988{{N/A}}SteelMack RidesOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Avalanche|location=Pleasure Beach Blackpool|rcdb_number=789|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Munich AutobahnKobe Portopialand{{flagu|Japan}}April 1991March 31, 2006SteelMack RidesRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Munich Autobahn|location=Kobe Portopialand|rcdb_number=1199|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Schweizer BobbahnHeide Park{{flagu|Germany}}1994{{N/A}}SteelMack RidesOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Schweizer Bobbahn|location=Heide Park|rcdb_number=282|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Alpine Bobsled
Formerly Rolling Thunder
Formerly Sarajevo Bobsled
Six Flags Great Escape and Hurricane Harbor
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great Adventure
{{flagu|United States}}1998
1989
1984
2023
1995
1988
SteelIntaminRemoved{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Sarajevo Bobsled|location=Six Flags Great Adventure|rcdb_number=493|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Rolling Thunder|location=Six Flags Great America|rcdb_number=494|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Alpine Bobsled|location=Great Escape|rcdb_number=495|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Trace Du HourraParc Astérix{{flagu|France}}March 31, 2001{{N/A}}SteelMack RidesOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Trace Du Hourra|location=Parc Asterix|rcdb_number=1038|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Flying TurnsKnoebels{{flagu|United States}}October 5, 2013{{N/A}}WoodKnoebelsOperating{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Flying Turns|location=Knoebels|rcdb_number=3458|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}
Montanha RussaParque Shanghai{{flagu|Brazil}}{{N/A}}{{N/A}}Wood{{N/A}}Removed{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Montanha Russa|location=Parque Shanghai|rcdb_number=9045|accessdate=October 15, 2016}}

  • * Denotes that exact closing date is not known.
  • † The Screamin' Delta Demon was transported to Old Indiana Fun Park following Opryland's closure in 1998, but was never reassembled and eventually scrapped.{{Cite RCDB|coaster_name=Screamin' Delta Demon|location=Old Indiana|rcdb_number=171|accessdate=September 7, 2012}}

References

{{Reflist|2}}