In the coastering world, there are many cloned, formulaic coasters. With so many coasters that are just copies and rip-offs of an originally brilliant idea, sometimes a little uniqueness is nice. Something new, something fresh. In this blog series, I’m not talking about those new, fresh coasters. I’m talking about the coasters so far out in left field that they hit the grandstands. Every week I’m going to highlight one coaster or production model that is so original that I call it an odd or end.

Most people have gone to a fair when they were a kid. What do you remember? The food? The midway games? The ridiculously unsafe rides? Well, if you remembered the unsafe rides, then you probably remember a little coaster called the Toboggan. Made by Chance Rides (What kind of person would ride a coaster made by a company called Chance? Probably me.), it is only 45 feet high and only 450 ft. long, yet when you look at this ride, you wouldn’t mistake it for any other family coaster. It is definitely a unique ride.

When you board the car, you’ll notice it is enclosed completely with a window so you could view what you are about to traverse. This may cause problems for the claustrophobic, but in the greater scheme of things, it is probably for the best considering the close clearances on the ride. Then, after pulling the lap bar down, it attaches to the chain lift and you travel up a vertical tunnel to the top of the ride. Now, if the chain were to fail, the anti-rollbacks would probably catch you so you don’t fall down through the station. However, you would be stuck there, in a tiny tunnel, lying on your back, without much hope of getting out. I can’t imagine there are ladders to crawl down, and if there were, you could slip and fall 30+ feet to the ground, effectively ending your life or making it feel longer, depending on height. Another ride with a vertical lift, Fahrenheit at Hershypark, has two chains so the odds of both breaking are slim to none, but the Toboggan only has one chain. Just pray it doesn’t fail on you.

If you managed to exit the lift hill safely, then the ride ahead immediately consists of a helix. A long helix. As far as I can tell, at 1800 degrees, it is the longest helix on any coaster. In case you didn’t feel like doing the math, 1800 degrees is five times complete circles around the tiny little lift hill tunnel. Coming out of the helix, the banking immediately flattens out and you dive down about ten feet. But don’t underestimate it; the angle of descent is approximately 45 degrees. Many coasters with drops much larger than ten feet only pull a 45 degree angle. This little hill will eject you into the little lap bar stapling you to the floor. Following the drop is a turn that wouldn’t look out of place on a wild mouse, two more bunny hops, and you enter the station.

This coaster is not recommended for people with claustrophobia, motion sickness, or with a desire to get of the ride without a bruise. But if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, a Toboggan is a good bet. If you want to know where to look for one, then your best bet would be a local fair. If it fails to have one, as mine does, there are a few permanent ones at Little Americka and Lakemont Park. However, since the reviews for Toboggans are abysmal at best, there are other coasters that are more unique than this which may offer a slightly more comfortable experience.

For edition two of Odds and Ends, I will be covering another whacked out production model, the Vekoma Stingray. Stay tuned.