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The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing company in the world. Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry Auchey and Chester Albright, making various amusement devices, including carousels, wooden roller coasters, and their trains. The company's carousels were preferred among discriminating clients, for their elaborate carvings and elegant decorations. Among their lead carvers were Daniel Carl Muller, Leo Zoller, John Zalar and, most importantly, Frank Caretta. Fine examples of the company's carousels (manufactured from 1904–1934) exist throughout the United States. A few of the rides the Philadelphia Toboggan Company built include the Rollo Coaster at Idlewild Park in 1938, and the Carousel for the same amusement park in 1931. The company also manufactured Skee Ball machines for many years.
In 1991, the company changed its name to Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. It is now managed by Tom Rebbie, and they mainly make and refurbish roller coaster cars and trains.
[edit] Wooden Roller Coasters
See also: Category:Philadelphia Toboggan Company roller coasters
This table only includes PTC Coasters that are still operating.
| Opened |
Name |
Park, Location |
| 1921 |
Roller Coaster |
Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington, Utah |
| 1923 |
Thunderhawk |
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania |
| 1927 |
Wildcat |
Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut |
| 1936 |
Yankee Cannonball |
Canobie Lake Park, Salem, New Hampshire |
| 1938 |
Rollo Coaster |
Idlewild Park, Ligonier, Pennsylvania |
| 1946 |
Comet |
Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania |
| 1949 |
Roller Coaster |
Joyland Amusement Park, Wichita, Kansas |
| 1950 |
Little Dipper |
Memphis Kiddie Park, Brooklyn, Ohio |
| 1951 |
Comet |
Waldameer Park, Erie, Pennsylvania |
| 1956 |
Sea Dragon |
Zoombezi Bay, Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio |
| 1959 |
Tornado |
Wedgewood Village, Oklahoma City, OKC Oklahoma |
| 1964 |
Blue Streak |
Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio |
| 1966 |
Swamp Fox |
Grand Strand Amusement Park, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, renovated in 1992 when park reopened as Family Kingdom Amusement Park |
| 1967 |
Cannon Ball |
Lake Winnepesaukah, Lakeview, Georgia |
| 1968 |
Zingo |
Bell's Amusement Park, Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 1972 |
Fairly Odd Coaster |
Kings Island, Mason, Ohio |
| 1972 |
Racer |
Kings Island, Mason, Ohio |
| 1973 |
Great American Scream Machine |
Six Flags Over Georgia, Austell, Georgia |
| 1974 |
Scooby-Doo's Ghoster Coaster |
Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia |
| 1975 |
Fairly Odd Coaster |
Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina/Fort Mill, South Carolina |
| 1975 |
Rebel Yell |
Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia |
| 1976 |
Screamin' Eagle |
Six Flags St. Louis, Eureka, Missouri |
| 1976 |
Thunder Road |
Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina/Fort Mill, South Carolina |
| 1978 |
Tornado |
Adventureland, Altoona, Iowa |
| 1979 |
The Beast |
Kings Island, Mason, Ohio |
| 1981 |
Mighty Canadian Minebuster |
Canada's Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| 1981 |
Scooby's Gasping Ghoster Coaster |
Canada's Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| 1981 |
Wild Beast |
Canada's Wonderland, Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
| 1985 |
Phoenix(1) |
Knoebels, Elysburg, Pennsylvania |
| 1987 |
Skyliner |
Lakemont Park, Altoona, Pennsylvania |
| 1994 |
Comet(2) |
The Great Escape, Queensbury, New York |
| 2006 |
Meteor |
Little A-Merrick-A, Marshall, Wisconsin |
| 2007 |
Starliner |
Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Winter Haven, Florida |
(1) Originally built in 1947 at Playland Park (San Antonio, TX) as The Rocket. Park closed in 1980. Relocated to Knoebels in 1985.
(2) Originally built in 1949 at Crystal Beach Park (Crystal Beach, Ontario Canada). park closed in 1989. Coaster desmantled in 1990. In storage until 1993. Transported to Queensbury, NY's The Great Escape. Rebuilt and opened in 1994.
[edit] Carousels
See also: Category:Philadelphia Toboggan Company carousels
This table only includes PTC carousels that are still operating or in restoration. Most PTC carousels were numbered, so they are easily identified. Most have been moved from their original opening locations.
| PTC # |
Owner |
City, State |
Year Built |
| 6 |
Kit Carson Co. Fairgrounds |
Burlington, Colorado |
1905 |
| 15 |
Palisades Center Mall |
West Nyack, New York |
1907 |
| 17 |
Six Flags Over Georgia |
Atlanta, Georgia |
1908 |
| 18 |
Carousel Center |
Syracuse, New York |
1909 |
| 19 |
Euclid Beach (in restoration) |
Cleveland, Ohio |
1910 |
| 21 |
Six Flags Magic Mountain |
Valencia, California |
1912 |
| 30 |
Luna Park, Melbourne |
St Kilda, Melbourne Australia |
1913 |
| 33 |
Como Park |
St. Paul, Minnesota |
1914 |
| 35 |
Six Flags St. Louis |
Eureka, Missouri |
1915 |
| 39 |
Lake Winnepesaukah |
Rossville, Georgia |
1916 |
| 43 |
Western Washington Fair |
Puyallup, Washington |
1917 |
| 44 |
Kings Dominion |
Doswell, Virginia |
1917 |
| 45 |
Woodland Park Zoo |
Seattle, Washington |
1918 |
| 46 |
Walt Disney World |
Lake Buena Vista, Florida |
1917 |
| 47 |
Hersheypark |
Hershey, Pennsylvania |
1919 |
| 50 |
Carousel Park |
Hampton, Virginia |
1920 |
| 51 |
Elitch Gardens |
Denver, Colorado |
1925 - 1928 |
| 53 |
Charles Walker |
Griffin, Georgia |
1920 |
| 54 |
Battleship Cove |
Fall River, Massachusetts |
1920 |
| 59 |
Peddler's Village |
Lahaska, Pennsylvania |
1922 |
| 61 |
Jane Walentas |
Brooklyn, New York |
1922 |
| 62 |
Santa Monica Pier |
Santa Monica, California |
1922 |
| 67 |
Carowinds |
Charlotte, North Carolina |
1923 |
| 72 |
Kiddieland |
Melrose Park, Illinois |
1925 |
| 75 |
Gillian's Wonderland Pier |
Ocean City, New Jersey |
1926 |
| 76 |
Valleyfair |
Shakopee, Minnesota |
1926 |
| 79 |
Kings Island |
Kings Island, Ohio |
1926 |
| 80 |
Holyoke Heritage State Park |
Holyoke, Massachusetts |
1927 - 1929 |
| 83 |
Idlewild Park |
Ligonier, Pennsylvania |
1931 |
| 84 |
Canada's Wonderland |
Vaughan, Ontario, Canada |
1928 |
| 85 |
Carousel Station |
Hull, Massachusetts |
1928 |
| 87 |
Family Kingdom |
Myrtle Beach,South Carolina (mechanism only - Horses Replaced - formerly Asbury Park, NJ, Casino) |
1929 |
[edit] Funhouse items
Laffing Sal - automated funhouse character/amusement device
PTC was involved with the booming dark ride and funhouse business since before WWII, spawning off the company Funni-Frite of Columbus, Ohio.
[edit] External links
