Figure Eight Toboggan
| Other Name(s) | Figure Eight Toboggan Figure 8 Toboggan Slide Figure 8 Three-Way Figure Eight Toboggan |
|---|---|
| Type | Roller Coaster Track Rides |
| Park Section | North, West |
| Built | 1902 |
| Opened | 1902 |
| Closed | 1937 (park closure) |
| Materials | Wood |
| Vehicle Type | Car |
The Figure Eight Toboggan was the first track-based roller coaster built at Olentangy Park and the first ride built after the Dusenbury Brothers bought the park in 1899. Opening in 1902, it was originally called a "toboggan ride" or "toboggan slide" before "roller coaster" became a common term for rides where riders coasted on rollers inside their toboggan "cars."[1][2] The ride was in the shape of a figure-eight and was located on the north plateau south of Fair Japan and the original Miniature Railway location and where the giant Swimming Pool would later be added.[3][4] The ride remained in operation until the park closed in 1937.
Description
The ride had a wooden frame and was described as being a "figure-eight" design and at times, a "three-way figure-eight."[4] The coaster would travel freely on a multi-level track and included wooden side rails to keep the cars on track.
The Roller Coaster Database says it was designed by Henry B. Auchy and manufactured by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC).[5] However, PTC wasn't incorporated until two years after the ride was built. The RCDB and other sources often combine the Figure Eight Toboggan with the Forest Toboggan, later the Scenic Coaster/Red Devil.
Injuries
A person was injured in August 1902, landing the term "roller coaster" in quotation marks in its reporting in the Columbus Evening Dispatch.[1]
In May 1906, Thomas Callis, a pipe organist and insurance salesman, was spooked by the flashing lights and accidentally stepped off a nearby platform and injured his right ankle bad enough that amputation was considered. He was sent to Grant Hospital for treatment.[6]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Brevities." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 18 August 1902. Pg. 8.
- ↑ Clay Record. United States: Clay Record Publishing Company, 1903. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Clay_Record/c6pPAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0
- ↑ "Geisha Girls are to be Attraction." Columbus Evening Dispatch. 2 January 1905. Pg. 5.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Columbus Railway & Light Co." Street Railway Review. Vol. XVI. No. 2. Pg. 70.
- ↑ "Forest Toboggan." Roller Coaster Database. https://rcdb.com/3156.htm
- ↑ "Peculiar Accident." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 20 May 1906. Pg. 6.