Curtis D. Summers

Curtis D. Summers (September 17, 1929 – May 11, 1992) was an engineer and American roller coaster designer credited for designing or providing structural engineering on 25 wooden roller coasters around the world.[1] He earned a degree in Architectural Engineering from Kansas State University and was a registered engineer in 40 states.[1]

Curtis D. Summers
Born(1929-09-17)September 17, 1929
Abilene, Kansas
DiedMay 11, 1992(1992-05-11) (aged 62)
Montgomery, Ohio
OccupationAmusement park engineering, roller coaster designer
Known forCurtis D. Summers, Inc

Career

Curtis D. Summers began his career in the amusement industry when he was contacted by Cincinnati's Coney Island to provide structural repairs to the park's Shooting Star roller coaster. He was hired by the Hixson Engineering Company and worked with Coney to keep the park's two wooden coasters, Shooting Star and Wildcat, structurally sound.[1] In 1972, Summers left Hixson Engineering to start his own firm, Curtis D. Summers, Inc., based in Cincinnati, Ohio[2] The owners of Coney Island, Taft Broadcasting, closed the park in order to escape the repeated flooding from the Ohio River and built a new park, Kings Island, 25 miles to the north. Summers was asked to design most of the structures of the new park and worked alongside John C. Allen to assist him by providing the structural engineering on the two new wooden coasters constructed for the park.[3]

The Taft Broadcasting Company, and its successor, Kings Entertainment Company (KECO), went on to build two more amusement parks, Kings Dominion and Canada's Wonderland. They purchased an existing park, Carowinds; managed California's Great America and were co-owners of Australia's Wonderland. Curtis D. Summers and his firm continued to be the primary engineers for each of the parks. When John Allen retired from the coaster-building business in 1976, Summers took over as the primary designer of wooden coaster projects for the Taft/KECO chain of amusement parks.[4]

In 1978 KECO started building The Beast at Kings Island. Summers' firm was brought on board to provide structural engineering for the massive helix finale. The project was built in-house and was overseen by Charles (Charlie) Dinn, Kings Island's Director of Construction, Maintenance and Engineering. Dinn left Kings Island in 1984 to start his own firm the Dinn Corporation. In 1985 he contacted Summers' firm to provide the design for the restoration of the helix of Paragon Park's Giant Coaster which Dinn was moving to Wild World in Largo, Maryland.[4] That was the start of relationship that lasted until 1991. Following a few more coaster moves and rebuilds, the two teamed up in 1987 to start building new coasters. The two companies always operated separately but every new coaster built by the Dinn Corporation from 1988 to 1991 was engineered by Curtis D. Summers. Ten of these "Dinn & Summers" coasters were built during that time period, and many of them featured record-breaking drops.[4]

Dinn retired in 1991 and closed the Dinn Corporation. Summers went on to design one more coaster, Jupiter at Kijima Amusement Park in Japan. The coaster was built by Intamin and opened in July 1992, a few months after Summers died. Two of the designers from Curtis Summers Inc. went on to start their own firms. Dennis Starkey started the Stand Company and Larry Bill worked a number of years for Custom Coasters International before becoming one of the founders of The Gravity Group.[4]

Wooden roller coasters
OpenedNameParkNotesStatusRef
1972The RacerKings IslandAssisted John Allen with structural engineeringOperating[3]
1972Woodstock ExpressKings IslandAssisted John Allen with structural engineeringOperating[3]
1974Ghoster CoasterKings DominionAssisted John Allen with structural engineeringOperating[3]
1975Rebel YellKings DominionAssisted John Allen with structural engineeringOperating[1]
1976Thunder RoadCarowindsBased on Philadelphia Toboggan Company/John Allen designDemolished August 2015 for a water park expansion[1]
1979The BeastKings IslandStructural support, primarily the helix finaleOperating[1]
1981American EagleSix Flags Great AmericaContracted by Intamin to provide structural engineeringOperating[1][5]
1981Mighty Canadian MinebusterCanada's WonderlandLoosely patterned after Shooting Star at Coney Island, Cincinnati, OhioOperating[3]
1981Wild BeastCanada's WonderlandBased on PTC Wildcat at Coney Island, Cincinnati, OhioOperating[3]
1982GrizzlyKings DominionBased on PTC Wildcat at Coney Island, Cincinnati, OhioOperating[3]
1986The GrizzlyCalifornia's Great AmericaBased on PTC Wildcat at Coney Island, Cincinnati, OhioOperating[3]
1986Wild OneSix Flags AmericaRestoration of missing helixOperating[3]
1986WildcatLake CompounceComplete in-place rebuild with profile modificationOperating[3]
1988Wolverine WildcatMichigan's AdventureFirst Dinn & Summers coasterOperating[6]
1988Raging Wolf BobsGeauga LakeRemovedDisassembled 2010-2012[7]
1989Timber WolfWorlds of FunOperating[8]
1989HerculesDorney Park & Wildwater KingdomDemolished 2003 replaced by Hydra the Revenge[9]
1990Texas GiantSix Flags Over TexasConverted to hybrid roller coaster in 2011Operating[10]
1990Georgia CycloneSix Flags Over GeorgiaConverted to hybrid roller coaster in 2018Operating[11]
1990PredatorDarien LakeOperating[12]
1990Thunder RunKentucky KingdomSummers engineering of John Fetterman design, Dinn Construction.Operating[13]
1991PsycloneSix Flags Magic MountainOnly wooden coaster to feature Bolliger & Mabillard trainsDemolished February 2007 replaced by Apocalypse: The Ride[14]
1991Mean StreakCedar PointTallest Dinn & Summers coasterClosed end of 2016 season refubished by Rocky Mountain Construction[15]
1991PegassusEftelingDinn corp left in middle of project — Intamin completedDemolished 2009 to make way for a Great Coasters International dueling coaster[16]
1992JupiterKijima KogenIntamin projectOperating[17]

Miscellaneous projects
  • Carowinds, design of renovation and additions to park and 8,000 seat amphitheater
  • Canada's Wonderland, complete park design including buildings and ride stations
  • Kentucky Kingdom, Flume foundation design
  • Kings Dominion, complete park design including buildings, ride stations and steel frame mountain
  • Kennywood, foundation design for Shuttle Loop and Pirate Ship
  • Raging Waters Waterpark (Wildwood, NJ), design of speed slide and raft ride
  • Surf Cincinnati, design of speed slide and raft ride
  • Six Flags St. Louis, foundation for Looping Star (Jet Scream) coaster
  • Splashtown, USA, water ride supports and foundation

Sources

Curtis D. Summers, Inc. "Listing of Representative Projects," inserted into a company promotional booklet, likely distributed at the IAAPA trade show circa 1987.

References
  1. Jenkins, Torrence (1997). "The Legacy of Curtis Summers". RollerCoaster! Magazine. 18 (3): 32–37. ISSN 0896-7261.
  2. "Curtis Summers". Orlando Sentinel. 15 May 1992. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
  3. Ruben, Paul (1990). "The Coasters of Summers (Curt Summers, that is)". RollerCoaster! Magazine. 11 (1): 18–20. ISSN 0896-7261.
  4. Seifert, Jeffrey (2008). "Dinn and Summers, A Brief Resurgence in Wooden coasters". RollerCoaster! Magazine. 29 (3): 18–27. ISSN 0896-7261.
  5. "Intamin, Inc. v. Figley-Wright Contractors, Inc". Retrieved October 9, 2013.
  6. "Roller Coaster Census: Wolverine Wildcat". Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  7. Marden, Duane. "Cyclone  (Six Flags New England)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  8. "Roller Coaster Census: Timber Wolf". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  9. Marden, Duane. "Hercules  (Dorney Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  10. "Roller Coaster Census: New Texas Giant". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  11. "Roller Coaster Census: Georgia Cyclone". Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  12. "Roller Coaster Census: Predator". Archived from the original on 19 July 2012. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  13. "Roller Coaster Census: Thunder Run". Archived from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  14. Marden, Duane. "Psyclone  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  15. "Roller Coaster Census: Mean Streak". Archived from the original on 2 October 2006. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  16. Marden, Duane. "Pegasus  (Efteling)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  17. "Roller Coaster Census: Jupiter". Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
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