thunderbolt85
Friday, October 12, 2018 7:07:08 AM
A major ride that I really like a lot, we just see to many of them around here anymore. I always thought this was a really good family ride that was one load and easy to set up/tear down, but I never worked on one, so fill me in for those of you that have owned one or moved one.

Deggeller had one for a long time, green and yellow with some white I believe, had the banjo lights and always fun to ride. Reithoffer had two at one time, one with a back wall which looked sharp. Strates had a nice one but that was sold along with the YoYo at the end of the 88 season, also Crown, Pugh, J&J (booked), AofA had a "Hot Pot" themed model, and Drew did as well I believe.

Now of course the King of these rides were the Custard/Holiday Bounce ride, last seen by me on Conklin before they merged into NAME.

The sound was just part of the midway, always like hearing that air sound as I entered a midway.

Any good stories or issues with that ride?
ridejocky
Friday, October 12, 2018 9:24:04 AM
Might not be around much anymore because it was heavy and did not win a lot of money. I imagine parts got pricy for it as well.

Strates’ Tip-Top loaded on the train, and it had a heavy dolly under the front with a thick ring. One year at Erie, John Bell was pulling it from the lot to the train and it popped out of the hitch (we pulled with all r-model Macks) and ran off into the ditch in front of the fair ground. That same year & spot I was pulling the slide from the train in Horseheads to the lot and sheared off the top of a telephone pole with the front overhang on the slide….

I had a good climber (Mark Duez) working on the boat that threatened to quit every week if I didn’t get him more money. In Bridgeport one year he said he was going to work on the Tip-Top. I’d finally had enough and told him to go-ahead-on. Every time I walked by him on the Tip-Top I’d laugh. Going from a big piece with a good crew to being stuck on a punk ride by yourself waiting for your 30 minute twice-a-day break. Even funnier was when we were pulling off the lot and he was still gang-bangin’ all the punks.

That boat center was a sweet load. Light, low, nothing to fall off and it looked good, I loved pulling it…

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thunderbolt85
Friday, October 12, 2018 10:45:46 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

Might not be around much anymore because it was heavy and did not win a lot of money. I imagine parts got pricy for it as well.

Strates’ Tip-Top loaded on the train, and it had a heavy dolly under the front with a thick ring. One year at Erie, John Bell was pulling it from the lot to the train and it popped out of the hitch (we pulled with all r-model Macks) and ran off into the ditch in front of the fair ground. That same year & spot I was pulling the slide from the train in Horseheads to the lot and sheared off the top of a telephone pole with the front overhang on the slide….

I had a good climber (Mark Duez) working on the boat that threatened to quit every week if I didn’t get him more money. In Bridgeport one year he said he was going to work on the Tip-Top. I’d finally had enough and told him to go-ahead-on. Every time I walked by him on the Tip-Top I’d laugh. Going from a big piece with a good crew to being stuck on a punk ride by yourself waiting for your 30 minute twice-a-day break. Even funnier was when we were pulling off the lot and he was still gang-bangin’ all the punks.

That boat center was a sweet load. Light, low, nothing to fall off and it looked good, I loved pulling it…




That was interesting on both topics, I remember a guy driving in one load of four for a coaster here in Greenville one year and took out some low hanging lines at the entrance to the fair. Our boat load (Mulligan) tore up the smoke stack on one of the trucks(cab over) one time, from that point on we had a Brockway(conventional) pulling it.

And yes, we had those same type of guys, wanted to quit every day and griped about everything. I liked the major rides, but however nothing like working with a good crew if you all get along and work in sync on a big ride.

One thing about Strates Tip Top those last years he had it, although very well kept, didn't like the brown colors I remember on a good bit of it. Loved the yellow/black YoYo.

That Pirate, I know you pulled the back wall on the night before tear down, how long did it take you on the wall. Did he rent a crane, or where those Army cranes good enough to get the job done?
IndianaTED
Sunday, October 14, 2018 11:53:20 AM
I've seen about three different ways this ride has been done.

First, the most recent way, an eight-tub ride where the tubs stay attached when the platforms are folded up. I think this version first came out in the 70s. This is what I see most when I do see them these days, which isn't very often.

Second, a ten-tub model, still on a single trailer, but a non-folding version. Shortline Amusements in Indiana still moves and maintains a very nice one. Only one of these I ever see anymore.

Lastly, similiar to the ten-tub just mentioned, but maybe with a second trailer, and a back wall. I've seen this used in the past as a backend piece, or a makeshift "spectacular" music ride. Never see this example anymore, though pretty sure there is probably one out there somewhere.

I've never been "with it", just been an interested observer of carnivals for more than 50 years.
Johnny's United Shows..."A Family Tradition" and "All for Fun, Fun for All".
The carnival of my youth, which had roots that originated in my hometown.
ridejocky
Sunday, October 14, 2018 4:07:58 PM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

That was interesting on both topics, I remember a guy driving in one load of four for a coaster here in Greenville one year and took out some low hanging lines at the entrance to the fair. Our boat load (Mulligan) tore up the smoke stack on one of the trucks(cab over) one time, from that point on we had a Brockway(conventional) pulling it.

And yes, we had those same type of guys, wanted to quit every day and griped about everything. I liked the major rides, but however nothing like working with a good crew if you all get along and work in sync on a big ride.

One thing about Strates Tip Top those last years he had it, although very well kept, didn't like the brown colors I remember on a good bit of it. Loved the yellow/black YoYo.

That Pirate, I know you pulled the back wall on the night before tear down, how long did it take you on the wall. Did he rent a crane, or where those Army cranes good enough to get the job done?



We almost never took it down the day before, we either left it up until an hour or two before we closed or after we closed depending on the spot.

The Pirate wall was pretty easy, kinda heavy, but not too many pieces. With six good guys (one up, one in and four toating) you could have it down in twenty pretty easy. That said, you had to have the load before you could start.

At that time we had a Grove hydraulic crane we moved it with, and it was perfect.


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bigjlh
Sunday, October 14, 2018 5:59:19 PM
ridejocky,the hydraulic rams on left tower legs ever used to hoist up the axle,was that a self erection feature?just wondering always seen a rig lift up the one side,and the hoists on top would pick other legs to mate up.ok then thx bigjlh
mgr man
Sunday, October 14, 2018 8:06:12 PM
Kissel Amusement has one, and lisko had been using one.
ridejocky
Sunday, October 14, 2018 8:59:03 PM
Originally Posted by: bigjlh 

ridejocky,the hydraulic rams on left tower legs ever used to hoist up the axle,was that a self erection feature?just wondering always seen a rig lift up the one side,and the hoists on top would pick other legs to mate up.ok then thx bigjlh



When I moved it the hydraulic rams raised the axle all the way up, then you raised the other two towers up with the hoists, and then let the axle down on them with the hydraulics. I don’t know why anyone would do it any other way. It was a simple system, completely separate from the main drive system.

The Huss Pirate was a great piece, went together nice, and (almost) never had to use a hammer on anything. The only bummer was the lack of shade (if you weren’t in that air-conditioned dog-house!)




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thunderbolt85
Monday, October 15, 2018 6:38:35 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

When I moved it the hydraulic rams raised the axle all the way up, then you raised the other two towers up with the hoists, and then let the axle down on them with the hydraulics. I don’t know why anyone would do it any other way. It was a simple system, completely separate from the main drive system.

The Huss Pirate was a great piece, went together nice, and (almost) never had to use a hammer on anything. The only bummer was the lack of shade (if you weren’t in that air-conditioned dog-house!)






Yeah, remember he used one of his ticket boxes for the dog house......one of the round ones. Thanks for the information, thought they did the wall the night before, couldn't remember, but I do remember the TriStar and Enterprise walls coming down the night before, or maybe that was just Anderson.
ridejocky
Monday, October 15, 2018 7:05:44 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

Yeah, remember he used one of his ticket boxes for the dog house......one of the round ones. Thanks for the information, thought they did the wall the night before, couldn't remember, but I do remember the TriStar and Enterprise walls coming down the night before, or maybe that was just Anderson.



Not so much back then, it was a pretty easy route, most all 10+ day spots.

TriStar and Enterprise walls were tougher that the boat wall.


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thunderbolt85
Tuesday, October 16, 2018 7:34:07 AM
Originally Posted by: ridejocky 

Not so much back then, it was a pretty easy route, most all 10+ day spots.

TriStar and Enterprise walls were tougher that the boat wall.



Yeah, I remember comparing them to the Huss Breakdance that Deggeller had for one year and looked the same, they had those big *&^% poles, we had about 10 guys lifting those things up in the air (if not more), then you had to lift all the scenery panels and stuff up to the platform which sat high in the back. When I helped out at that time he didn't have any forklifts or cranes (at least not helping on that ride).
BeauceCarnavalMan
Thursday, October 18, 2018 9:55:39 PM
What ever happen to the one Conklin owned? I remember the scenery that covered the decking around the trailer had the cities of the spots Conklin played in the 80's and 90's. Homeniuk rides from Ontario Canada still moves a Tip Top
BeauceCarnavalMan
thunderbolt85
Friday, October 19, 2018 7:08:14 AM
Originally Posted by: BeauceCarnavalMan 

What ever happen to the one Conklin owned? I remember the scenery that covered the decking around the trailer had the cities of the spots Conklin played in the 80's and 90's. Homeniuk rides from Ontario Canada still moves a Tip Top




If you are talking about the Holiday Bounce/Custard/Defender not sure what happened, my fear is that it is sitting in a yard somewhere rotting away, or worse that its already been scrapped. Would love to see that ride back on the road, would love to own it. I would like to theme it back to Holiday Bounce with a lot of 70s Disco stuff, that and a Cortina Bobs.
Tornado
Friday, October 19, 2018 9:51:20 AM
Originally Posted by: thunderbolt85 

If you are talking about the Holiday Bounce/Custard/Defender not sure what happened, my fear is that it is sitting in a yard somewhere rotting away, or worse that its already been scrapped. Would love to see that ride back on the road, would love to own it. I would like to theme it back to Holiday Bounce with a lot of 70s Disco stuff, that and a Cortina Bobs.





Wasn't the Holiday Bounce owned by Truax, who booked pretty much only with Conklin? After the NAME merger it seemed to have disappeared as a lot on the independents that booked with Conklin lost their routes.
ridejocky
Friday, October 19, 2018 11:20:27 AM
Originally Posted by: Tornado 

Wasn't the Holiday Bounce owned by Truax, who booked pretty much only with Conklin? After the NAME merger it seemed to have disappeared as a lot on the independents that booked with Conklin lost their routes.




Was that Billy Truax?


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