Texas Cyclone

Astroworld, Houston, Texas

June 12, 1976 marked the day that history was made in Houston Texas. It was the first wood coaster at Astroworld. It was the first coaster directly modeled after Coney Island's famous Cyclone. It would quickly become known as the world's number one rollercoaster.
Basically, I grew up on this ride. For several years, I had an apartment across the street from the park, and a season pass. I would literally ride the Cyclone all day. On good days, I could get more than 100 rides in. I've lost count of how many times I've been on this coaster, but it is easily more than 10,000. No, that's not a typo.

While TC's status as the number one coaster has long since fallen, it still remains as a classic example of old-school coaster thrills: up, down, repeat. Often.

Texas Cyclone is a great ride, not because of non-stop thrills or constant speed, but because of carefully orchestrated pacing. The climb up the lift is slow, which makes the first drop seem faster than it really is. Immediately after that drop, there is a long, flat turn. Speed reduces, you catch your breath, and you have time to anticipate the next drop. It's this anticipation that makes each drop a signature event.

And just when you get accustomed to the routine - curve, drop, hill, curve, drop, hill, etc- you get some nasty surprises. First, there's the post turn. Faster than the turns before it, and when it drops off, the track above looks like it's going to smack you in the head. No sooner have you tried to duck that than you crest the next hill and come to a quick bunny hop (above). Butts separate from the seat, riders float over the hill, then get slammed back down and right into a vicious turn.

Texas Cyclone has been tamed from its original form over the years. Still... it's a classic wood coaster experience in a park that is heavy on steel coasters.

Here's a video I made of the Texas Cyclone . It's almost 12megs, so give it a few minutes to load.

UPDATE: 

Astroworld closed to the public on October 30, 2005.

The Texas Cyclone was bulldozed to the ground on March 9, 2006.