The Texas Cyclone at Astroworld. That tall building on the left-center horizon is the Williams Tower in the Galleria. That white “glob” on the right center is the Astrodome. See! – The ride even came with scary skies!
The Texas Cyclone opened as the premier roller coaster at Astroworld on June 12, 1976. Constructed as a close replica of the original wooden Coney Island Cyclone built at Coney Island in 1927, the Texas version was built after Astroworld representatives cancelled their attempt to purchase and move the original track and ride from Brooklyn to Houston because of the prohibitively high costs involved.
The new Texas Cyclone at Astroworld was designed by Don Rosser and William Cobb and built in Houston by the Frontier Construction Company. It’s vital figures included a wood frame, a chain lift and launch mechanism, a maximum height of 93 feet, a biggest drop of 80 feet from the first crest, at a maximum vertical angle of 53 degrees, at a maximum speed of 64 MPH, over a total length course of 3,180 feet, at 4.2 G Force, over 2 minutes and 15 seconds of brain-rattling ride.
You really had to ride the thing to get a full appreciation for the sinus and digestive system clearing experience the Texas Cyclone provided.
The Pecan Park Eagle was still young enough to do things like the Cyclone back in 1976 and we would not trade the memory for anything in the world. – I said “wouldn’t trade the memory.” There’s no way in the world today I would not want to get on anything like the Cyclone today and actually recreate the memory. – As GHWB may have once said, via Dana Carvey, – “wouldn’t be prudent.” My holding on for dear life skills have deteriorated considerably in recent years.
The first drop on the cyclone felt as though a giant sucking hole had just opened underneath you. At a sight-angle that looked more like a 90 degree cliff-drop than 53 degrees, you just went pummeling to earth with no time for prayers or mental processing. What that actually did was to build up the speed and momentum to be whirling up and down, but also all around, on clacking, clattering tracks that quickly helped generate the notion that a constant flood of adrenalin was now your new state of normal.
Back then, our initial reaction to that first biochemically disturbing ride was pretty much what a lot of people did on the heels of any disturbing, but exciting experience. Some people even reacted to a ride on the Cyclone as they would have to a bad marriage. As soon as it was over, they got in line to do it again. Ours wasn’t quite that dumb, but it came close. We wanted more of that Cyclone scare.
The Texas Cyclone made its last fright ride on October 30, 2005, the last day of Astroworld’s life as a popular amusement park. It was taken down and demolished on March 9, 2006, but its memory lives on as one of the crown jewels in Houston’s entertainment history crown.
Thanks for the memories, Texas Cyclone!
Tags: Texas Cyclone
The Pecan Park Eagle 
March 17, 2014 at 1:10 pm |
rode it many times. I remember being fond of the Alpine Mountain ride, mainly because there was about 30 seconds of cold air conditioned air encountered during the ride. A good break form the heat.