The Cannon Coaster at Coney Island was designed to jump a gap in the tracks, but sandbag tests showed it was too dangerous. No one was hurt, but the coaster was eventually filled in. Coney Island was once the largest amusement area in the US, but now has two major parks and hosts events like the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Opened in 1902, Coney Island’s Cannon Coaster was supposed to make passengers feel like they were being shot out of a cannon, culminating in the terrifying experience of a tall roller coaster “jumping” over a gap in the tracks. But trials, which used sandbags as test dummies, showed that any small change in weight distribution would cause the roller coaster to crash. No one has ever been injured or killed on the Cannon Coaster, despite urban legends to the contrary, but a lot of sand has been lost. Eventually, George Francis Meyer’s idea for a “jump the gap” coaster was definitely derailed and the missing track was filled. The Cannon Coaster eventually became a common thrill ride that only lasted until 1907.
The ups and downs of Coney Island:
Between 1880 and 1940, Coney Island was the largest amusement area in the United States, attracting several million visitors a year. At its peak, three competing parks were in operation.
In 1964, the last remaining major theme park on Coney Island, Steeplechase Park, closed. The rides were auctioned off and the property was sold to developer Fred Trump, the father of President Donald Trump. The elder Trump spent 10 years trying to redevelop the property, with no success.
As of 2016, Coney Island has two major amusement parks: Luna Park and Deno’s Wonder Wheel. Coney Island also hosts popular events like the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
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