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Lightning (Revere Beach)

Buildings and structures in Suffolk County, MassachusettsDemolished buildings and structures in MassachusettsFormer roller coasters in MassachusettsRemoved roller coastersRevere, Massachusetts
Roller coasters introduced in 1927Roller coasters manufactured by Traver EngineeringRoller coasters that closed in 1933Wooden roller coasters
Lightning Revere Beach postcard cropped
Lightning Revere Beach postcard cropped

Lightning was a wooden roller coaster that operated from 1927 until 1933 at Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts. It was one of the infamous Giant Cyclone Safety Coasters which were constructed by noted roller coaster engineer Harry G. Traver in the mid-1920s (the rides were, in fact, anything but safe, and became known as the "terrifying triplets"). Lightning was the only Giant Cyclone Safety Coaster not to bear the "Cyclone" name, as a roller coaster named Cyclone already existed at Revere Beach when Lightning was constructed in 1927. The other two members of this group of coasters included the Crystal Beach Cyclone and the Palisades Park Cyclone (A fourth Traver roller coaster named Zip had a similar—but smaller—design and was installed at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon).

Excerpt from the Wikipedia article Lightning (Revere Beach) (License: CC BY-SA 3.0, Authors, Images).

Lightning (Revere Beach)
Revere Beach Boulevard, Revere

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude Longitude
N 42.42 ° E -70.986 °
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Address

Revere Beach Boulevard 332
02151 Revere
Massachusetts, United States
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Lightning Revere Beach postcard cropped
Lightning Revere Beach postcard cropped
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Cyclone (Revere Beach)
Cyclone (Revere Beach)

The Cyclone was a wooden roller coaster that operated at Revere Beach in Revere, Massachusetts, from 1925 until 1969. When Cyclone was constructed, it was the tallest roller coaster ever built, as well as being the first roller coaster in the world to reach 100 feet (30 m) in height. In addition to being the tallest roller coaster of its day, some also claim that it was the largest and fastest roller coaster in the world, with a length of 3,600 feet (1,100 m) and top speeds between 45 and 50 mph (some dispute the speed record claim and instead award that honor to the Giant Dipper). Cyclone held the title of world's tallest roller coaster until 1964 when it was surpassed by Montaña Rusa at La Feria Chapultepec Mágico in Mexico City, Mexico.Given its location near the Atlantic Ocean, Cyclone would take much damage throughout the years from ocean storms, flooding, and blizzards. Despite the abuse the coaster took from the ocean, however, it was a fire that eventually destroyed the Cyclone. When the Cyclone burned down in 1969, it was an event that signaled the demise of the Revere Beach amusement industry. The coaster's charred ruins were finally torn down in 1974.As with Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York, Revere Beach's attractions were owned by a variety of amusement operators, with the Cyclone being owned by the Shayeb family. In its heyday, Cyclone was a popular ride, regularly transporting as many as 1,400 riders per hour—a rate which was quickly able to recoup the 125,000 dollar cost of the coaster.