Switchback Railway Opens: Coney Island's First Thrill Ride
LaMarcus Adna Thompson opened the Switchback Railway at Coney Island on June 16, 1884, charging five cents for a ride on a gravity-powered car that traveled at six miles per hour along an undulating 600-foot track. Passengers had to climb a tower to board, and an attendant pushed the car to start. The ride was crude by modern standards, but it was an immediate sensation, earning $600 per day (equivalent to over $19,000 today). Thompson patented the design and built dozens of similar rides across the country. Within a year, Charles Alcoke built a competing ride with a continuous oval track, eliminating the need to manually reposition cars. Philip Hinkle added a chain lift in 1885. By 1920, there were over 2,000 roller coasters in North America.
June 16, 1884
142 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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