Rocket Ships

http://www.waterwinterwonderland.com/images/amusement/323/wla.jpg

Can anyone compare these ships with those that were at Geauga Lake?

These were at Walled Lake Park in Walled Lake, Michigan until the park closed in the 60's.

Are these similar? Smaller?

I think the ones at Geauga went the other direction. Also, the tower decoration (the trellis work) on the Walled Lake machine is nicer looking. Apart from that it appears to be about the same ride.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I remember riding the Rocket Ships as a kid at Euclid Beach Park, and the loading platform was elevated, similar to the round platform on the ride above. Did all of these Rocket Ship rides load on the elevated platform at one time? Were some modified with longer cables the brought the ships to the ground? Or was Euclid Beach's ride unique in this regard?

I remember thinking the Rocket Ships at Euclid Beach being really cool as a kid, because they seemed to go very high because you started about 15 or 20 feet up.

There's a great pic of the GL rockets at this little site.

http://www.rowan.edu/earth/denton/COASTERS/Photos/sfo/

Looks like the Rockets at Geauga Lake same the same direction. (Sorry Dave) (No trellis work though ;))

That URL triggers a memory or two.

Wow...someone else who remembers Walled Lake Amusement park!!

My first coaster ride was at that park.

I'm a Novi resident. The Walled Lake park stood on the Novi part of the Walled Lake shoreline I believe. Whenever we drive by that big enpty area where it used to be, my mom always talked about that place. Something about the slide they had there that was really dangerous.

It's a shame that park closed. It would be awesome to have a small local park. It was a Miller coaster too. Great rides those are. I wonder what the park would be like if it was still running today.

Most of these Rocket Ship rides were built as Aeroplane Rides by Traver Engineering. In the original form they loaded at ground level. Beginning in the late 1930's the ones that were still left were rebuilt with Rockets supplied by R. E. Chambers (the succussor to Traver), with the notable exception of Euclid Beach, which did all of the work in house. The EB tubs were larger than the Chambers ones. The loading platforms were raised, freeing up a considerable amount of space around the ride. Most of these rides survived until the parks they were in closed. Geuaga Lakes and Kennywoods were removed when they were found to have major structural issues.
*** Edited 3/25/2005 8:08:16 PM UTC by Dutchman***

Idora Park had the same setup:

http://www.idorapark.org/gallery/karenz/43_G

The Traver Aeroplane was a very popular ride during the height of the trolley park boom. I would hazard a guess that all of them that survived the Great Depression were retrofited with the Chambers tubs and had their loading platform elevated. Reportedly the latter was first done by the Humphry Co. at Euclid Beach.

Actually, Geauga Lake's Rockets were removed to make way for Head Spin... and SFI was reluctant to re-construct due to the expenses of retro-fitting the ride to make it handicap accessible.

Yes, but I recall a conversation with one of the mechanics back in 97 that there were structual issues with the tower as well.

Anyone notice something odd about the Big Dipper pics at the link I posted above?

Beside the Rotor being in them, the first drop picture is mirror image. The second picture looks like it was taken from the backseat backwards POV. I didn't even notice it at first. Then I was confused about what I was looking at.

Yea Big Dipper takes a left turn at the top not a right.

I know of a couple circle swings that were not elevated. Bertrand Island Park (Mt. Arlington, NJ) run their ride at ground level until the park closed in 1983. And I think Twin Grove Park in PA still has the structure of a circle swing standing and it wasn't/isn't elevated.

I think Cedar Point's ran from the ground, even with the new ships, and so did the ride at Chicago's Riverview.