September 27, 2011
We wanted to take a quick moment here and say “thank you” to Ron Toomer, who passed away yesterday. For those who don’t know, he was a key part of Arrow Dynamics (Arrow Development) for decades, beginning in the 1950’s. As someone who was part of the growth of the modern steel roller coaster, Toomer was a key reason why the steel coaster did more things in different ways than designers ever thought possible. Some of his creations, such as “Magnum XL-200” and the “Big Bad Wolf” were groundbreaking attractions, others, such as the “Bat”, had their share of issues. Regardless, in the 1970’s and 80’s it was Toomer and his team that competed with Germany’s Anton Schwarzkopf as steel coasters got bigger, faster and taller. Rides like Cedar Point’s “Corkscrew”, which is now an afterthought at that park, were media darlings. That particular coaster generated attention and lines down the midway, even with three train operation. Ron’s contributions were honored by the industry. In 2000, he was inducted to the IAAPA Hall of Fame (http://www.iaapa.org/aboutus/hof/RonToomer.html).
His designs also got people interested in the amusement industry. Like many people in my thirties who are now in the amusement industry, especially on the supply side, I remember being excited when I saw promo material for “Steel Phantom” (http://youtu.be/Etk9xieGIs4) and “Drachen Fire” (http://youtu.be/EXIjRwDhQJI) in the early 1990’s and was floored by the unique design direction these rides were taken. A big thank you goes out to Ron and his contribution to the amusement industry, which spanned five decades.