As Coney Prepares For Spring, Cyclone Gets Revamped

As Coney Island prepares for this year’s season, the world famous Cyclone roller coaster is undergoing some much-needed maintenance.

Central Amusement International, a subsidiary of Italian thrill ride manufacturer Zamperla, has contracted out the work to Pennsylvania-based Great Coasters International, Inc., writes Amusement Today.

From Amusement Today:

Amusement Today spoke with Valerio Ferrari, president of CAI, about the work taking place on the grand old ride and why GCII was selected for the project. “We are very excited for the improvements that have been and will be made to The Cyclone. This ride is rich in history, and being able to preserve it for future generations to enjoy is something that CAI is very proud to be part of,” said Ferrari. “CAI chose GCII to renovate the Cyclone mainly for two reasons. First and most importantly, they are an industry leader with a proven track record on renovating existing coasters while maintaining each coasters’ ‘identity’. Second, they demonstrated a very strong desire to put their thumbprint on such a prestigious and iconic ride.

Some roller coaster enthusiasts were less than pleased to discover that one of the more controversial “improvements” expected will be the replacement of the original coaster cars with new ones. While the ride is land-marked by the city, its notoriously turbulent cars are not.

The Cyclone is expected to be ready for riders on Palm Sunday, April 1, 2012.