William L. Cobb | |
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Born | 1917
Talbotton, Georgia, U.S. |
Died | December 17, 1990
Dutch Island, Georgia, U.S. | (aged 72–73)
Occupation | Roller coaster designer |
Known for | William Cobb & Associates |
William L. Cobb (1917 – December 17, 1990) was an American designer and engineer of roller coasters, as the founder and head of William Cobb & Associates. He is particularly noted for his work on designing and relocating several major wooden roller coasters in the 1970s and 1980s. A number of these coasters were world-record holders at the time of their opening.
On the subject of roller coaster design, Cobb has been quoted as saying, "You have to be a little bit mean. Sometimes you have to be a little bit sneaky. You get them going on a nice straight track and they think 'This looks smooth,' and then you dip it down a little to give them a good jolt. Or you have it so that when they go over a hill it looks like they're going to get their heads chopped off at the bottom." [1]
William Cobb designed 11 roller coasters around the world. [2]
Name | Model | Park | Country | Opened | Status | Ref |
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Great American Scream Machine | Wood support structure | Six Flags Over Georgia |
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1973 | Operating | [3] |
Screamin' Eagle | Wood support structure | Six Flags St. Louis |
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1976 | Operating | [4] |
Texas Cyclone | Wood support structure | Six Flags AstroWorld |
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1976 | Removed | [5] |
Tornado | Wood support structure | Adventureland |
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1978 | Operating | [6] |
Rolling Thunder | Wood support structure | Six Flags Great Adventure |
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1979 | Removed | [7] |
Judge Roy Scream | Wood support structure | Six Flags Over Texas |
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1980 | Operating | [8] |
Cyclone Formerly Riverside Cyclone |
Wood support structure | Six Flags New England |
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1983 | Converted Now known as Wicked Cyclone |
[9] |
Monstre | Wood support structure | La Ronde |
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1985 | Operating | [10] |
Roller Coaster Formerly Tree Topper |
Wood support structure | Upper Clements Park |
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1989 | Removed | [11] |
Anaconda | Wood support structure | Walygator Parc |
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1989 | Operating | [12] |
Sierra Tonante | Wood support structure | Mirabilandia |
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1992 | Removed | [13] |