Leap-The-Dips

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leap-The-Dips
Lakemont Park
Coordinates 40°28′15″N 78°23′48″W / 40.47083°N 78.39667°W / 40.47083; -78.39667
Status Operating
Opening date 1902
General statistics
Type Wood – Side friction
Manufacturer Edward Joy Morris Company
Designer Edward Joy Morris
Height 41 ft (12 m)
Drop 9 ft (2.7 m)
Length 1,452 ft (443 m)
Speed 18 mph (29 km/h)
Duration 1:00
Max vertical angle 25°
Leap-The-Dips at RCDB
Pictures of Leap-The-Dips at RCDB
Leap-the-Dips
Location Altoona, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 40°28′15″N 78°23′48″W / 40.47083°N 78.39667°W / 40.47083; -78.39667Coordinates: 40°28′15″N 78°23′48″W / 40.47083°N 78.39667°W / 40.47083; -78.39667
Built 1902
Architect Edward Joy Morris
Governing body Local
NRHP Reference # 91000229
Significant dates
Added to NRHP March 15, 1991[1]
Designated NHL October 9, 1960[2]
Designated PHMC November 28, 2000[3]

Leap-The-Dips is the world's oldest operating wooden roller coaster and North America's last surviving side friction roller coaster.[4] It is located at Lakemont Park in Altoona, Pennsylvania and was built in 1902 by the E. Joy Morris Company. Leap-the-Dips operated until 1985, when it closed due to disrepair. A fund-raising campaign led to a restoration starting in 1997 and a reopening on Memorial Day 1999.

Although the ride is quite tame by today's standards, being only 41 ft (12.5 m) in height and having an average speed of 10 mph (16 km/h), many people still ride it. Several riders report that the rear wheels of cars were once able to leave the track at the crest of some dips.

At one time there was a "twin" coaster called Leap the Dips at Mounds State Park in Anderson, Indiana. This ride was installed around the great mound in 1908 and visitors said at the top of the ride you could see all the way down to the river. Due to lack of business, the amusement park started selling its equipment in the early 1920s.[5][6]

The Leap-The-Dips is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1996 was designated a National Historic Landmark. It is also an American Coaster Enthusiasts Coaster Classic and Coaster Landmark.[7][8]

External links

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leap-The-Dips.
  1. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2008-04-15. 
  2. ↑ "Leap-The-Dips". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved 2008-07-02. 
  3. ↑ "PHMC Historical Markers". Historical Marker Database. Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. Retrieved December 10, 2013. 
  4. ↑ Todd W. Fornwalt (2010). "Leap-the-Dips: A Thrill From the Past". Penn State University. Retrieved 13 May 2013. 
  5. ↑ Madison County Historical Society
  6. ↑ Leap the Dips Picture at Mounds State park
  7. ↑ ACE Coaster Classic Awards
  8. ↑ ACE Coaster Landmark Awards
Attractions
Transportation
Roads
Religion
Education
Industry
Sports
Newspapers
Television
Broadcast television in West-Central Pennsylvania, including Johnstown, Altoona and State College
Reception may vary by location and some stations may only be viewable with cable television
Local stations
Local cable
channels
Adjacent locals
Pittsburgh, PA
KDKA (2.1 CBS)
WTAE (4.1 ABC)
WPXI (11.1 NBC)
Hagerstown, MD
WHAG (25.1 NBC)
WJAL (68.1 Ind)
Defunct
  • W41CF (41 Ind)
WLLS-LP 49 (A1)
Radio
Radio stations in the Altoona, Pennsylvania market
By FM frequency
By AM frequency
NOAA Weather Radio frequency
By callsign
Topics
Lists by states
Lists by insular areas
Lists by associated states
Other areas
  • Category
  • Portal
  • WikiProject
Recipients of the ACE Coaster Landmark Award
Recipients of the ACE Coaster Classic Award
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.