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Opening Day Nightmare: Coney Island Cyclone gets stuck

March 30, 2015 By Dipti Kumar Brooklyn Daily Eagle
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The popular Coney Island Cyclone, a roller coaster ride at the beachfront amusement park, failed to give thrill-seekers the adrenaline rush they had hoped for on Sunday.  

The annual flag off to the re-opening of the amusement park was short lived after the famous roller coaster came to a grinding halt moments after taking its first set of riders upward to the famous drop.

About 24 passengers on the first run of the 87-year-old Cyclone at Luna Park were preparing for the initial drop when it suddenly stopped.

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It’s About Family Tradition

For many adventure seekers, the Cyclone is a family tradition. Diana Elsener and her family have been taking the ride every year on opening day since 1939.

“We’re not going to end the tradition because of a little hiccup,” Elsener said.

Erik Knappe, an ardent fan of the Cyclone who had taken the ride every year since he was 7 years old, had been waiting to take the ride from 8 a.m. on Saturday. He was among the first 100 free riders.

Knappe, nicknamed Mr. Cyclone, was one of the passengers who had to climb out of the wooden car and get to safety.

“It had some mechanical thing — no big deal. This is a safety thing; they didn’t want to leave us up there,” Knappe said, as photographers and reporters surrounded him.

Some of the younger riders who made it back down thought it was a setup, but realized it wasn’t after seeing a staff member walking up to the stranded passengers.

Among them was Bensonhurst local David Zubin, a roller coaster enthusiast who had taken the ride every year for 14 years. Zubin appeared shaken up and said the ride has never broken down.  

“Now I have a fear of it, so now I want to conquer it,” Zubin said. He had gotten in line the previous night with the hopes of finishing the ride.

Shortly after the ride stalled, park officials were seen climbing up the wooden ramp and escorting passengers down. The Eagle spoke with park employees on the ground about the cause of the breakdown, but was told it was a mechanical glitch.

“The situation is under control,” said Luna Park General Manager Fernando Velasquez when he was contacted via telephone for a comment.

An official from Luna Park added that the Department of Buildings is currently inspecting the Cyclone, and it should be up and running by April 3, the next open day.

Moments before the ride stopped abruptly, the traditional egg cream inauguration took place with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and other park officials who then took a ride on the roller coaster before the breakdown.

All 24 of the riders who had to disembark were given tickets to take the ride once it is fixed.  For Knappe and the other riders, this minor setback wasn’t going to deter them from taking the ride or returning to go on it again.

“I’m going to wait here ’till it’s operating again,” Knappe said.

For Zubin, his fears weren’t going to get the better of him either.

“I sleep, I eat, I conquer the Cyclone,” Zubin said.


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