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Karl R. Josker | all galleries >> Buffalo >> Crystal Beach > The Comet Closer Up
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The Comet Closer Up


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W. R Gracey 31-Aug-2016 22:26
Comet one of the best coaster of the time, I lived close in ontario and rode it often. My kids love the comet also and we are sad to see it gone. The Giant coaster was also a winner the only one of it's kind on the planet. It was the first coaster I ever rode! At 65 years old the only one I would like to ride is the new one at Dolly world the fastest woody on the planet! The rides at Crystal Beach were the fastest rides ever! Now the law has slowed every thing down and took all the fun out of the rides!!!The dam Government has to stick their nose into every thing. Well I guess the good old day had to go sometime. Will
Stephen 21-Mar-2016 03:40
I have really enjoyed reading all these memories of the fun people had at Crystal Beach. I went a couple of times courtesy of my mom"s brother uncle Terry. We would have a family picnic. It was the Oakville Ford plant family picnic.My older brother went with Uncle Terry, Uncle Al and my dad and I went with my grandmother. My little sister went with my mom and Aunt Maureen. This was in 1966. My grandmother was a lot of fun and we went on the giant coaster a few times. I remember being scared and my grandmother said there was nothing to it that she had ridden lots of times and that I should just close my eyes. It was a fantastic place. I remember all the sights, sounds and smells.. especially the loff in the dark. and the magic carpet. That was always done on our way out of the park and I am sure we all slept soundly on the way home. Thanks for the opportunity to share. An excellent web site.
Bill Becker 15-Sep-2008 06:01
I remember the comet from when our family was lucky to have a rental house in the City of Crystal Beach in the late '40s. My sister Mary Ann and I went to Crystal Beach amusement park every day, and rode on the Comet several times a day. It was the most expensive ride in the park, but it was worth it (about 25 cents). What a great summer.
Linda Lanza Levey 26-Aug-2007 23:37
Growing up in South Buffalo, I was blessed that my family owned a summer "cottage" on the beach. We heard the the click, click of the Comet from park opening to closing. Growing up in the 5o's and 60's was the best time ever. Life was good, fun, safe and simple. The Comet now lives in Hershey Park, PA ( not far from my current home in West Chester) and I have visited it there- it is however not the same. Remember how it rode along the lake? You felt like at any moment it could dip you in - that could never be duplicated in its new home. My brother sent me this link, he and my Mom still live in Buffalo and I go back home as often as I am able. I left there 30 years ago but whenever some asks where I am from I proudly say Buffalo...there is no place like home! Thank you for this wonderful source of memories both bittersweet and thrilling.
Fred Domanski 09-Apr-2004 12:13
Wow- what memories. The biggest day of the year as a kid was "Crystal Beach Day" when our school (St Hyacinth's in Lackawanna) had its Crystal Beach outing. It was always in mid to late June just before school would let out for the summer. I saved for weeks so that I could buy 100 tickets @ 3 cents each ($3.00). The day was always magical and the park seemed so big to a third or fourth grader. Those days were in the late 50,s and later in life I took my own kids there many times before it closed. What a wonderful place, and the memories can never be replaced.
Len 09-Apr-2004 05:14
The "yellow" roller coaster *did* have a name. It was the "Giant Coaster". And it wasn't "tame" as some may have thought it looked.
Warren Walters 04-Apr-2004 02:02
Ahh, the Comet. Could have ridden it forever. It replaced the Cyclone because of a danger factor the Cyclone had. At one point in the ride, the Cyclone would come to a stop, back up, switch tracks and continue. It also had a a whilrpool configuration which swept the cars into an ever smaller pattern to finally spin out onto a level track at the bottom. There were at least two deaths because of passengers falling out of the cars. Cyclone was replaced late 40's?
Kim 01-Apr-2004 08:44
The Yellow Roller Coaster - I don't remember it having a name. I always referred to it as... The Yellow Roller Coaster. It will always have a place in my heart. Every summer when I was a child, my mom and dad would pack up us kids and head to Crystal Beach. I remember always thinking it was like 10 hours away (it was only about 30-40 minutes, but to a kid... that was an eternity!) I used to get so excited once the "Rodeo Cowboy" statue made his appearance at the front gate and you could catch a view of "The Yellow Roller Coaster". I don't know how many times my dad would try to get me to go for a ride on this coaster, but I was always too scared. Finally, one summer, I got up the courage to say "yes" when he asked if I wanted to go on this ride. I remember sitting in the car and my dad kept his arms around me so I wouldn't be scared. Once the train left the station... I think I may have started to cry. My dad was smiling, kept holding me and telling me everything would be alright. The car made it to the top of the hill and I almost died. My dad screamed and laughed all the way down the hill and throughout the rest of the ride. After that first hill, I started laughing, too, even though I was holding on for dear life. After the ride came to an end... I asked my dad if we could go on it again. He was all smiles and seemed very proud. That is one of the greatest memories I have of my dad. He had the best smile and laugh. He's gone now, but sometimes when I think of him and get a little sad that he's not here... the memory of him taking me on my very first REAL roller coaster makes me smile. I don't know how many times I've told my husband this story. He'll always say... "You're getting old." (meaning... "You've told me this before"). But he thinks it's great.
Scott 31-Mar-2004 00:35
These are really great pictures! I have fond memories of Crystal Beach throughout the 1980's when I was a child. I never rode the comet always being too small. I remember riding the coaster that was yellow, does anyone remember that! Thank you for the memories.
Leo Porebski 30-Mar-2004 03:46
I remember the great times at this park in the mid 1930's. Is this the Cyclone? It looks a lot smaller than I remember. My last visit to the park was after my return from WW-II about 1946. I enjoyed the pictures and brought back many memories of the big bands at the Crystal Ballroom. I left Buffalo in 1947 and only came back to visit family over the years so did not visit the park. My memories are mostly of the Canadiana, Cyclone, Ballroom, Fun house, beach swimming and all the good looking gals. THANKS FOR THE MEMORY