Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters
Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry Auchey and Chester Albright under the name Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The company manufactured carousels, wooden roller coasters, toboggans and later, roller coaster trains.
History
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company was incorporated January 20, 1904.It built and designed roller coasters until 1979. Notable designers included Joe McKee, John A. Miller, Herbert Schmeck, Frank Hoover, and John C. Allen. When Allen retired as president in 1976, the company stopped designing roller coasters but continued to work on coaster projects until 1979 when it exited the coaster-construction industry for good.
The company manufactured carousels which were known for their elaborate carvings and decorations. Lead carvers included Daniel Carl Muller, Leo Zoller, John Zalar and Frank Caretta. Examples of the company's carousels exist throughout the United States.
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company built the Rollo Coaster at Idlewild Park in 1938, and the carousel for the same amusement park in 1931. The company manufactured Skee Ball games from 1946-1977. In 1926, PTC was granted a trademark on a new name, Philtobco.
Flying Turns
Developed by J. Norman Bartlett and John Miller, the Flying Turns coasters came to the attention of PTC. Recognizing the ride's potential, PTC signed a licensing agreement with Bartlett and Miller to market the ride in North America—with the exception of the state of California. With the arrival of the Great Depression, PTC built only one in 1931, at Rocky Point Amusement Park. The coaster was engineered by Herbert Schmeck, but experienced problems. The ride opened late in the summer and Schmeck stayed on site for some time before he was able to get the ride operating consistently. The ride was damaged beyond repair by a storm on September 21, 1938.Schmeck engineered a second Flying Turns for Hershey Park in August 1941. Due to the entry of the United States into World War II, and the resulting rationing of building materials, the roller coaster was never built. It would have been located in the park next to what is now the Wave Swinger, and part of where the Comet lift hill is located. Though Bartlett and Miller went on to build several more Flying Turns-type coasters, PTC never proposed another.
PTC Today
On November 27, 1991, Tom Rebbie and Bill Dauphinee purchased the Philadelphia Toboggan Company from its former owner, the late Sam High. They incorporated a new company, Philadelphia Toboggan Coaster, shortly thereafter. Rebbie was appointed president of the company. Rebbie bought out Dauphinee in 2007 to become the sole owner and the name was slightly modified to Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc.. The company continues to manufacture roller coaster trains, queue gates and fin brakes.List of roller coasters
As of 2019, Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters has built 127 roller coasters around the world.PTC # | Name | Park | Country | Opened | Status | Details |
Shooting Star | Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe Lakeside Park | ![]() | 1968 to 1986 | |||
1 | Figure 8 Toboggan | Pine Beach Park | ![]() | 1904 | Figure eight layout. Designed by Henry B. Auchy. | |
2 | Toboggan Figure 8 | Vinewood Park | ![]() | 1904 | Figure eight layout. Designed by Henry B. Auchy. | |
3 | Forest Toboggan | Olentangy Park | ![]() | 1904 | Figure eight layout. Designed by Henry B. Auchy. Possibly relocated from former zoo in Columbus, Ohio. | |
4 | Figure 8 | White City | ![]() | 1904 | Figure eight layout. Designed by Henry B. Auchy. | |
5 | Figure Eight Toboggan | Pabst Park | ![]() | 1904 | Figure eight layout. Designed by Chester E. Albright. | |
6 | Toboggan Slide | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1904 | ||
7 | Figure Eight | Delmar Garden | ![]() | 1905 | Figure eight layout. | |
8 | Unknown | Unknown | ![]() | 1905 | ||
9 | Figure Eight | Euclid Beach | ![]() | 1904 | ||
10 | Figure 8 | Idlewood Amusement Park | ![]() | 1906 | Designed by Henry B. Auchy. | |
11 | Forest Coaster | White City | ![]() | 1906 | Reconstructed. | |
12 | Unknown | Dreamland | ![]() | 1907 | Designed by Chester E. Albright. Burnt down. | |
13 | Unknown | Willow Grove Park | ![]() | 1909 | Reconstructed. | |
14 | Unknown | Delmar Garden | ![]() | 1910 | Reconstructed. | |
15 | Unknown | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1910 | Reconstructed. | |
16 | Jack Rabbit Formerly Forest Scenic Railway | Point Breeze Park | ![]() | 1912 | ||
17 | Unknown | Golden City Park | ![]() | 1915 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor Joe A. McKee. | |
18 | Unknown | Lake Orion | ![]() | 1915 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor C. Mitchow. | |
19 | North Wind Coaster Formerly Jack Rabbit | Luna Park | ![]() | 1915 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor Baker. | |
20 | Jack Rabbit | Willough Beach Park | ![]() | 1915 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor Baker. | |
21 | Unknown | Revere Beach | ![]() | 1916 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor Edward E. Rhoads. | |
22 | Jack Rabbit | Shellpot Park | ![]() | 1916 | Designed by Joe A. McKee, construction supervisor Austin McFadden. | |
23 | Unknown | Paragon Park | ![]() | 1917 | Designed by John A. Miller, construction supervisor William Strickler. | |
24 | Forest Ride | Ross Grove / Ross Farms | ![]() | 1917 | ||
25 | Unknown | Euclid Beach Park | ![]() | 1917 | ||
Jack Rabbit | Rocky Springs Park | ![]() | 1918 | |||
Jack Rabbit | Clementon Park | ![]() | 1919 | |||
Deep Dipper | Carlin's Park | ![]() | 1919 | |||
Forest Ride | Six Gun Territory | ![]() | 1919 | |||
Mountain Dips Coaster | Rocky Glen | ![]() | 1920 | |||
Dips | Buckroe Beach Park | ![]() | 1920 | |||
Racer Dip | Bay Shore Park | ![]() | 1920 | |||
Deep Dipper | Frederick Road Park | ![]() | 1920 | |||
Wildcat | Merrimack Park | ![]() | 1921 | |||
Wildcat Formerly Thriller Formerly Wasco Dips | Enna Jettick Park | ![]() | 1921 | |||
Alpine Dips | Sanatoga Park | ![]() | 1921 | |||
Roller Coaster | Woodlawn Park | ![]() | 1922 | |||
38 | Dips | Schuylkill Park | ![]() | 1922 | ||
39 | Wildcat | Hersheypark | ![]() | 1923 | ||
40 | Ski Ride | Broad Ripple Park | ![]() | 1924 | ||
41 | Thunderhawk Formerly Coaster | Dorney Park | ![]() | 1924 | ||
Wildcat | Frederick Road Park | ![]() | 1923 | |||
42 | Thriller | Euclid Beach | ![]() | 1924 | ||
43 | Big Roller Coaster | Memorial Park | ![]() | 1924 | ||
Cyclone | Parc Belmont | ![]() | 1924 | |||
46 | Wildcat | Bertrand Island | ![]() | 1925 | ||
Jet Star Formerly Rocket Formerly Jet Formerly Jack Rabbit | Olympic Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
Junior Coaster | Woodlawn Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
Wildcat | Shellpot Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
Giant Roller Coaster | Lakeside Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
Wildcat | Shady Grove Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
Island Flyer | Island Park | ![]() | 1925 | |||
52 | Sky Rocket | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1926 | ||
53 | Wildcat | Coney Island | ![]() | 1926 | ||
54 | Twister | Coney Island | ![]() | 1926 | ||
55 | Kids Coaster | Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | ![]() | 1926 | ||
Wildcat | Rocky Point Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Wildcat | Joyland Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Coaster | Laurel Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Express | Brandywine Picnic Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Wild Cat | Seabreeze Amusement Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Wildcat | Fernbrook Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Wildcat | Long Branch Park | ![]() | 1926 | |||
Wildcat | Lake Compounce | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Twister | Hocus Pocus Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Wild Cat | Woodside Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Tornado | Woodside Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Twister | Croops Glen | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Wildcat | Edgewood Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Wildcat | Belvedere Beach Amusement Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Twister | Lakemont Park | ![]() | 1927 | |||
Wildcat | Rocky Springs Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Wildcat | Brady Lake Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Zip | White City | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Baby Dipper | Happyland Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Bear Cat | Sans Souci Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Twister | Warner Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Wildcat | Erie Beach Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Twister | McCullough Lake Park | ![]() | 1928 | |||
Mountain Flyer | Mountain Park | ![]() | 1929 | |||
Wildcat | Pine Island Park | ![]() | 1929 | |||
Cyclone | Palace Playland | ![]() | 1930 | |||
Wildcat | Lakeside Park | ![]() | 1930 | |||
Wildcat | Idora Park | ![]() | 1930 | |||
Blue Flyer Formerly Zipper Dipper | Blackpool Pleasure Beach | ![]() | 1934 | |||
Teddy Bear | Kennywood | ![]() | 1935 | |||
Teddy Bear | Coney Island | ![]() | 1935 | |||
Whirlwind | Dinosaur Beach | ![]() | 1935 | |||
Yankee Cannonball Formerly Greyhound Formerly Roller Coaster | Canobie Lake Park Lakewood Park | ![]() | 1936 1930 to 1935 | |||
Teddy Bear | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1936 | |||
Wildcat | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1936 | |||
Shooting Star Formerly Clipper | Coney Island | ![]() | 1937 | |||
Rollo Coaster | Idlewild and Soak Zone | ![]() | 1938 | |||
Thunderbolt Formerly Cyclone | Six Flags New England 1939 New York World's Fair | ![]() | 1941 1939 to 1940 | |||
Comet | Forest Park Highlands Amusement Park | ![]() | 1941 | |||
Roller Coaster | Bayside Park | ![]() | 1942 | |||
Comet | Pleasure Pier | ![]() | 1942 | |||
Cyclone | Palisades Amusement Park | ![]() | 1945 | |||
Comet | Hersheypark | ![]() | 1946 | |||
Comet | Meyer's Lake Park | ![]() | 1947 | |||
Little Dipper | Hoppyland | ![]() | 1949 | |||
Nightmare Formerly Roller Coaster | Joyland | ![]() | 1949 | |||
Comet | Waldameer | ![]() | 1951 | |||
Comet | Ghost Town on the River | ![]() | 1951 | |||
Montaña Rusa | Isla del Coco | ![]() | 1951 | |||
Roller Coaster | Funland | ![]() | 1954 | |||
Junior Coaster | Lincoln Beach | ![]() | 1955 | |||
Little Dipper | Belmont Park | ![]() | 1955 | |||
Sea Dragon Formerly Jet Flyer | Columbus Zoo and Aquarium | ![]() | 1956 | |||
Valley Volcano | Angela Park | ![]() | 1956 | |||
Flyer | Dinosaur Beach | ![]() | 1957 | |||
Comet Formerly Mighty Lightnin Formerly Ghost Town Jet | Rocky Glen | ![]() | 1959 | |||
Tornado | Wedgewood Village | ![]() | 1961 | |||
Blue Streak | Cedar Point | ![]() | 1964 | |||
Mr. Twister | Elitch Gardens | ![]() | 1964 | |||
Jetstream | Riverview Park | ![]() | 1964 | |||
Skyliner | Fair Park | ![]() | 1965 | |||
Swamp Fox | Family Kingdom Amusement Park | ![]() | 1966 | |||
Cannon Ball | Lake Winnepesaukah | ![]() | 1967 | |||
Zingo | Bell's Amusement Park | ![]() | 1968 | |||
Tornado | Petticoat Junction | ![]() | 1970 | |||
Racer | Kings Island | ![]() | 1972 | |||
Woodstock Express Formerly Fairly Odd Coaster Formerly Beastie Formerly Scooby Doo | Kings Island | ![]() | 1972 | |||
Great American Scream Machine | Six Flags Over Georgia | ![]() | 1973 | |||
Comet | Funway Amusement Park | ![]() | 1973 | |||
Woodstock Express Formerly Ghoster Coaster Formerly Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster FormerlyScooby Doo | Kings Dominion | ![]() | 1974 | |||
Woodstock Express Formerly Fairly Odd Coaster Formerly Scooby Doo's Ghoster Coaster Formerly Scooby Doo | Carowinds | ![]() | 1975 | |||
Racer 75 Formerly Rebel Yell | Kings Dominion | ![]() | 1975 | |||
Screamin' Eagle | Six Flags St. Louis | ![]() | 1976 | |||
Thunder Road | Carowinds | ![]() | 1976 | |||
Phoenix Formerly Rocket | Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort Playland Park | ![]() | 1985 1948 to 1980 | |||
Skyliner | Lakemont Park Roseland Park | ![]() | 1987 1960 to 1985 | |||
Comet | Great Escape Crystal Beach Park | ![]() | 1994 1948 to 1989 | |||
Meteor Formerly Little Dipper | Little Amerricka Hillcrest Park Kiddytown | ![]() | 2006 1967 to 2003 1953 to 1966 | |||
Starliner | Cypress Gardens Miracle Strip Amusement Park | ![]() | 2007 1963 to 2004 | |||
Little Dipper | Six Flags Great America Kiddieland | ![]() | 2010 1950 to 2009 | |||
Black Diamond Formerly Golden Nugget | Knoebels Amusement Park & Resort Dinosaur Beach | ![]() | 2011 1960 to 1998 |
Carousels
Most PTC carousels were numbered, so they are easily identified. Most have been moved from their original opening locations. PTC carousels that are still operating or in restoration:PTC # | Owner | City, State | Year Built | Notes | Ref |
6 | Kit Carson Co. Fairgrounds | Burlington, Colorado | Originally built for Elitch Gardens in 1905, it was removed and sold to Kit Carson County in 1928 in favor of the new, more modern PTC #51. | ||
9 | Carousel of Pottstown | Pottstown, Pennsylvania | Restoration completed November 2016 | ||
15 | Palisades Center Mall | West Nyack, New York | Removed 2009 | ||
17 | Six Flags Over Georgia | Atlanta, Georgia | |||
18 | Destiny USA | Syracuse, New York | |||
19 | Western Reserve Historical Society | Cleveland, Ohio | Formerly Euclid Beach Park ; Palace Playland ; returned to Ohio in 1996 and restoration completed November 2014 | ||
21 | Six Flags Magic Mountain | Valencia, California | |||
30 | Luna Park, Melbourne | St Kilda, Melbourne Australia | |||
33 | Como Park | St. Paul, Minnesota | |||
35 | Six Flags St. Louis | Eureka, Missouri | |||
39 | Lake Winnepesaukah | Rossville, Georgia | |||
43 | Washington State Fair | Puyallup, Washington | |||
44 | Kings Dominion | Doswell, Virginia | |||
45 | Woodland Park Zoo | Seattle, Washington | |||
46 | Magic Kingdom | Bay Lake, Florida | Prince Charming Regal Carrousel | ||
47 | Hersheypark | Hershey, Pennsylvania | |||
49 | Louisville Zoo | Louisville, Kentucky | Formerly Clementon Park, Clementon, NJ | ||
50 | City of Hampton | Hampton, Virginia | |||
51 | Elitch Gardens Theme Park | Denver, Colorado | Built for the original northwest location of Elitch Gardens to replace PTC #6, it, along with many of Elitch Gardens' original rides, were moved to the park's Downtown Denver location in 1995. | ||
53 | Charles N. Walker | Griffin, Georgia | |||
54 | Battleship Cove | Fall River, Massachusetts | |||
59 | Peddler's Village | Lahaska, Pennsylvania | |||
61 | David and Jane Walentas | Brooklyn, New York | |||
62 | Santa Monica Pier | Santa Monica, California | |||
67 | Carowinds | Charlotte, North Carolina | |||
72 | Sonny's Place | Somers, Connecticut | Formerly Kiddieland Amusement Park, Melrose Place, Ill. | ||
75 | Gillians Wonderland Pier and Island Waterpark | Ocean City, New Jersey | Formerly Fernbrook Park, Dallas, PA, Formerly Rolling Green Park, Sellinsgrove, PA, | ||
76 | Valleyfair | Shakopee, Minnesota | |||
79 | Kings Island | Mason, Ohio | Formerly Coney Island, Cincinnati | ||
80 | Holyoke Heritage State Park | Holyoke, Massachusetts | Holyoke Merry-Go-Round, originally built for Mountain Park which shuttered in 1987, preservation campaign moved to Heritage State Park in 1993 | ||
83 | Idlewild Park | Ligonier, Pennsylvania | |||
84 | Canada's Wonderland | Vaughan, Ontario, Canada | |||
85 | Carousel Station | Hull, Massachusetts | |||
87 | Family Kingdom | Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | Mechanism only - Horses Replaced - formerly Asbury Park, NJ, Casino |
Funhouse items
Beginning before World War II, PTC was involved with the booming dark ride and funhouse business. It spawned the company Funni-Frite Industries of Lancaster, Columbus, and Pickerington, Ohio, which ceased manufacturing operations in 2000.- Laffing Sal - automated funhouse character/amusement device