PNE’s Wooden Rollercoaster Celebrates 50 Years
The old wooden roller-coaster at the PNE celebrated it 50th birthday last month.
The roller-coaster is the most popular ride at Playland, despite the millions they spend on new rides every year.
Since the coaster is made of wood, instead of steel, the duration of the ride fluctuates depending on the time of day and the weather conditions. Rides at the end of the day are faster then those at the beginning because the tracks heat up as the coaster is used. As a result, ride times can vary up to 6 seconds, not much of a time difference, until you consider that the ride only last about 90 seconds!
Over the coaster 50 years, a few famous “bottoms” have graced those roller-coaster seats, including Mel Gibson, Johnny Depp, Adam Sandler, Bryan Adams, Alicia Silverstone, Mark Wahlberg and Kelly Osborne.
The American Coasters Enthusiasts Club(ACE) has designated Playland wooden roller-coaster an “ACE Coaster Classic”.
photo credit – L.Sunstrom
2 Comments
WHAT? the million they spend on new rides
this park playland has very few rides they got a
FRISBIE a couple years back and the their is hellgate which they charge you extra to ride and then there is one that spins around with the water fountian but besides that the park has next two no rides it is a sad park that is falling a part it really needs some new major rides like a couple new steel coaster not like the little one they have now, it really is a shame to see this park fall apart a bit more each year.
I love the Playland coaster nd it’s so awesome that I’m going to be working at Playland this summer.
I do agree that playland is falling into quite abit of neglect… Ice machine at drink stand has been broken for 2 years, popcorn is often burnt and overly salty, drinks are too watery, chunks of unmelted sugar in the cotton candy, corkscrew’s paint job and track maintainence is way overdue etc
I think they need a new coaster badly to replace the Wild Mouse they just scrapped…