John C. Allen
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John C. Allen (May 21, 1907 - August 17, 1979) was a roller coaster designer who was responsible for the revival of wooden roller coasters which began in the 1970s. He attended Temple University. He started working for the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1934 as a coaster operator and rose to become president of the company by 1954. He has designed over 25 coasters and has made significant contributions to roller coaster technology. He once said, "You don't need a degree in engineering to design roller coasters, you need a degree in psychology."
[edit] Surviving John Allen Coasters
| Name | Location | Built |
|---|---|---|
| Jet Flyer/Sea Dragon | Gooding Zoo Park/Wyandot Lake/Zoombezi Bay | 1956 |
| Skyliner | Lakemont Park | 1960 |
| Starliner | Cypress Gardens | 1963 |
| Giant Coaster/The Wild One | Six Flags America | 1963 |
| Blue Streak | Cedar Point | 1964 |
| Swamp Fox | Grand Strand Park/Family Kingdom | 1966 |
| Cannonball | Lake Winnepesaukah | 1967 |
| Shooting Star | Lakeside Park | 1968 |
| Zingo | Bell's Amusement Park | 1968 |
| Racer | Kings Island | 1972 |
| Scooby Doo/Beastie/Fairly Odd Coaster | Kings Island | 1972 |
| Great American Scream Machine | Six Flags Over Georgia | 1973 |
| Rebel Yell | Kings Dominion | 1975 |
| Scooby Doo/Scooby Doo Ghoster Coaster | Kings Dominion | 1975 |
| Screamin' Eagle | Six Flags St. Louis | 1976 |
