What was the first roller coaster to have a corkscrew?

The first roller coaster to feature a corkscrew element was the Corkscrew at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California, which opened on May 21, 1975. Designed by Ron Toomer of Arrow Development, this ride was the first inverting roller coaster of the modern steel era, reviving the concept of turning riders upside down in a safe and thrilling way.

🏗️ A Breakthrough in Design

After several years of development, a prototype was tested in Mountain View, California before being moved to Knott’s Berry Farm. Key design innovations included:

• Double Corkscrew Inversions: Instead of a single loop, riders were turned upside down twice in succession as the train navigated its 1,250-foot (about 380-meter) steel track.
• First Modern Shoulder Restraints: The unique forces of the corkscrew element led to the introduction of over-the-shoulder harnesses, a new safety standard for rides with inversions.
• Designed by “The Sovereign of Steel”: The coaster was created by Ron Toomer, an engineer who started his career working on heat shields for NASA’s Apollo spacecraft and went on to design over 80 steel coasters.

🎢 A Lasting Legacy

After 14 successful years at Knott’s Berry Farm, the original Corkscrew coaster was purchased in 1989 and moved to its current home at Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho, where it continues to operate. In 2011, the American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) officially designated it as a Roller Coaster Landmark, recognizing the ride as the “world’s first modern roller coaster to feature upside down inversions”. You can still ride this piece of history on the “Corkscrew” at Silverwood Theme Park today.

💎 Summary

Beyond simply creating a new element, the 1975 Corkscrew proved that safe, repeated inversions were possible, sparking a wave of innovation that directly led to the floorless coasters, inverted coasters, and multi-looping thrill machines that fill amusement parks today.