VANCOUVER — The PNE’s wooden roller coaster celebrated its 65th anniversary at a ceremony Wednesday.
Being the PNE, they gave out hotdogs rather than birthday cake. Dubbed the “’58 Special,” after the year the coaster opened, it features hickory sticks on top, to simulate the slats of Douglas fir that underpin the track.
It may have reached official senior status, but the coaster remains the PNE and Playland’s top ride, drawing more than 500,000 riders annually.
“In total, more than 32 million riders have experienced the stomach-churning drop, the snaky back winds and the camel drops of this iconic ride,” said PNE president and CEO Shelley Frost.
That would be coaster-speak for the coaster’s route. Essentially, it’s lifted up a hill via a chain, then drops from the sky, sending it careening around the track in a series of curves and dips.
The remarkable thing is that after the first hill, it’s all done by gravity.
“Carl Phare was the architect, the engineer and the designer, and before his death called this roller coaster his greatest design achievement,” said Frost.
Phare’s family recently discovered the original blueprints for the coaster design, dated Dec. 10, 1957. They have donated them to the PNE, which will keep them in its archive.
“The one remaining testament to my grandfather’s work is here in Vancouver,” Phare’s grandson Toby Fraley said in a statement. “When I climb aboard this ride, I feel as if I can sense his presence.”
Phare’s partner in the build was Walker Leroy, who told the Vancouver Sun in 1998 that the coaster is made from “select” high-altitude Douglas fir (“it has a real tight growth ring on it, and the knots are spaced out, so you just get beautiful wood out of it”).
The wood was put together by a crack crew of carpenters.
“There were a couple of Norwegian boat builders,” said Leroy. “They didn’t speak very good English, but they built the most beautiful sub-layer, the primary layer on that coaster. It was absolutely fabulous, like they were building Cleopatra’s war canoe or something. That’s why it’s been such a good ride.”
The PNE coaster may look and feel rickety and ancient, but Leroy said that’s just the natural bend in the wood. Properly maintained, he said the wooden coaster will last “forever,” because you can replace worn out parts piece by piece.
The PNE spent $2 million over the last two years maintaining the coaster. The ride takes about 90 seconds, and reaches maximum speeds of up to 80 km/h at the steepest drop.
Vancouver councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung was on hand to declare Aug. 2 “Playland Wooden Coaster Day in the City of Vancouver.” She then went on a ride with VIPs, including Lana Popham, sa国际传媒’s minister of tourism, arts and culture, and Royce Chwin, CEO of Destination Vancouver.
Several speakers noted how the coaster has international acclaim. Chwin quoted American coaster enthusiast Randy Geisler, who once said, “I don’t know if Vancouverites know or appreciate it, but the coaster has a world-class reputation.
“It’s one of those rides that people want to seek out among coaster connoisseurs. It’s a classic, thrilling roller coaster, lots of hills, fast turns and well-paced. It’s everything that a great roller coaster could offer, and that’s what it’s all about.”
The current coaster is the third on the PNE grounds, prefaced by the Giant Dipper (1925-57) and the Little Dipper (1928-44). Some of the rail cars for the Giant Dipper are still in use on the roller coaster at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup, 50 kilometres south of Seattle. The Puyallup coaster was built in 1935.
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
