The Bobs (roller coaster)
The Bobs was a wooden roller coaster located at Riverview Park in Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1924 and was demolished with the rest of the park in 1967. The Bobs was built by Prior and Church and designed by Fred Church. According to professional review of the blueprints the Bobs had a maximum height of 64.75 feet (19.74 m), a drop of 59.58 feet (18.16 m), and reached speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[1]
The Bobs | |
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Riverview Park | |
Location | Riverview Park |
Coordinates | 41.940663°N 87.692439°W |
Status | Removed |
Opening date | 1924 |
Closing date | 1967 |
General statistics | |
Type | Wood |
Manufacturer | Prior and Church |
Designer | Fred Church |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
Height | 64.75 ft (19.74 m) |
Drop | 59.58 ft (18.16 m) |
Length | 3,235 ft (986 m) |
Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
Inversions | 0 |
The Bobs at RCDB |
A modernized version called Raging Wolf Bobs was located at the now defunct Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio, though it was not considered as intense as the original. A rollback accident that occurred on the ride resulted in a season-long closure. The Bobs was immortalized in American humorist Jean Shepherd's broadcast on August 26, 1967.
References
- Gee, Derek; Lopez, Ralph (2000). Laugh Your Troubles Away: The Complete History of Riverview Park, Chicago, Illinois. Livonia, MI: Sharpshooter Productions. ISBN 978-0-9676045-1-0