Switchback Railway Opens: Coney Island's First Thrill Ride
LaMarcus Adna Thompson's 1884 Switchback Railway launched America's first purpose-built amusement coaster, turning a six-cent thrill ride into a cultural phenomenon that redefined public leisure. This invention immediately sparked a rapid evolution in design, prompting Charles Alcoke to replace the back-and-forth track with an oval circuit and Phillip Hinkle to introduce forward-facing cars and lift systems just one year later.
June 16, 1884
142 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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