Thunderbolt (1925 roller coaster)

This article is about the defunct wooden roller coaster. For the current steel roller coaster, see Thunderbolt (2014 roller coaster).

Thunderbolt
(1995)
Coney Island
Location	Coney Island
Coordinates	40°34′26″N 73°58′57″W
Status	Closed
Opening date	1925
Closing date	1982
General statistics
Type	Wood
Designer	John A. Miller
Height	86 ft (26 m)
Duration	1:20
Thunderbolt at RCDB

The Thunderbolt was a wooden roller coaster located at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York. It operated from 1925 until 1982 and was finally demolished in autumn 2000. It was designed by John Miller. In June 2013, it was announced that a new steel roller coaster would be constructed on Coney Island named the Thunderbolt. Although they share the same name, the new coaster bears no resemblance to the old one, as the new version is made of steel and uses a completely different design.

In popular culture

It was featured briefly in Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall as the boyhood home of Alvy Singer (Allen's character). The house was a real residence, built in 1895 as the Kensington Hotel; the coaster was constructed atop this building.

The indie rock/slowcore band Red House Painters 1993 album, Red House Painters (Rollercoaster) features a sepia toned photograph of the Thunderbolt as its cover art.

The last film to photograph the Thunderbolt was Requiem for a Dream.