Father of Gravity
Thompson is best known for his early work developing roller coasters, and is sometimes called the "Father of the Gravity Ride". He did not invent the roller coaster; that credit goes to John G. Taylor who patented it under the name "Inclined Railway". However, over his lifetime, Thompson accumulated nearly thirty patents related to roller coaster technologies. An example is the patent granted 22 Dec. 1885 for the Gravity Switch-back Railway.
Thompson's Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway opened at Coney Island in 1884. A (6 mph) ride cost 5 cents. Eventually he built many more, both in the U.S. and in Europe. In 1887, along with designer James A. Griffiths, he opened the Scenic Railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, N.J.
He was managing director of the L. A. Thompson Scenic Railway Company, 220 West 42nd St., incorporated in 1895.
He died at his home, Thompson Park, Glen Cove, Long Island, on May 8, 1919 aged 71.
Read more about this topic: LaMarcus Adna Thompson
Famous quotes containing the words father and/or gravity:
“My father did enough of it in his lifetime to answer for both of us.”
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
“Here I sit down to form characters. One I intend to be all goodness; All goodness he is. Another I intend to be all gravity; All gravity he is. Another Lady Gish; All Lady Gish she is. I am all the while absorbed in the character. It is not fair to say—I, identically I, am anywhere, while I keep within the character.”
—Samuel Richardson (1689–1761)