Monsters of the midway: Tracking the carnival industry's big coasters
AT: Ron Gustafson
Special to Amusement Today
Large steel roller coasters have made appearances at fairs and festivals across the nation for decades, providing their unique thrills once thought to be reserved only for amusement parks.
Amusement Today went on a coaster hunt, which revealed there are more than two dozen steel coasters currently on the carnival circuit that don't fall into the “kiddie ride” category. And for those in the modern-day mobile industry, it's apparent that moving these monsters of the midway requires logistical marvel coupled with teams of skilled personnel.
Among the most popular of these portable attractions are those that incorporate exhilarating drops in a figure-eight configuration along with spiraling tight turns before hitting the brake run. An original version of the ride, built by former Italian manufacturer Pinfari, is known as Zyklon.
Pinfari Zyklons were constructed in various sizes, with standard portable versions standing around 35 feet with a track length of more than 1,000 feet. They can run up to eight, four-seat cars and AT's search revealed two Zyklons (listed in the accompanying chart) are still on the road.
Interpark, another Italian firm, reportedly acquired the Pinfari brand and intellectual property in 2007 and has provided a number of its Super Cyclone coasters to the U.S. carnival market in recent years. Super Cyclones in the listing have Zyklon features, with some units running single, four-passenger cars, while other versions are operating two-car trains.
Wade's arsenal
Michigan-based Wade Shows currently has two Super Cyclones in its vast arsenal of attractions.
“These are new-generation rides,” owner Frank Zaitshik noted. “Both require four loads to move them as well as a specialized crew. We have to have fellows with different talents involved due to not only the mechanics, but also the electronics and safety sensors.
“They're not rides we move every single week because you either have to rent a crane or have one yourself, along with a certified operator,” he added.
The show also features a Zamperla spinning coaster, it calls Mighty Mouse. Seven tractor-trailers get the massive attraction over the road. Other carnivals in AT's survey also have a Zamperla mouse.
Zaitshik had two larger coasters, a Pinfari RC-48 and a Schwarzkopf Wildcat, which it called Comet II; both have been retired from the show. The RC-48, with its lift hill towering 70 feet, was touted as the largest traveling coaster in the nation during its time with the carnival.
“They were great coasters but required seven and eight trailers to move,” Zaitshik explained. “RC-48 needed new bolts every year and a manlift to torque them. It was a complicated and costly process. The rides we have now do a great job and are more efficient.”
You'll find Wade Shows at major events, including the state fairs of Florida, Delaware, New York, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oklahoma, as well as the Alabama National Fair.
King of the road
The largest coaster discovered on the road today is Raptor, built by former Italian manufacturer SDC, and is seen at locations with current owner Ray Cammack Shows, Laveen, Arizona.
Formerly known as Windstorm, Cammack purchased the ride in 2022 from an independent mobile operator and refurbished the attraction from the ground up. Prior to being a portable unit, the coaster was featured at two amusement parks.
Standing 50 feet tall, Raptor's track length is 1,445 feet and runs a train of three, four-passenger cars with a top speed of 35 mph. Cammack also has an Interpark Galaxy and two spinning coasters.
The carnival plays locations in Texas, Arizona and California.
From park to
themed attraction
Kissel Entertainment, Okeana, Ohio, seized the opportunity to acquire a large coaster for its operations when Cincinnati's Coney Island amusement park closed in 2019.
Python, a Zyklon-style coaster from D.P.V. Rides of Italy, went through an extensive refurbishment at Kissel's maintenance facility before the ride was featured on its route in 2021.
“Our team dedicated eight months of intensive refurbishment to bring the ride back to life,” asserted Nick Seibert, Kissel's operations manager. “In addition to this work, we engineered it to be fully portable.”
The coaster tops off at 40 feet with 1,100 feet of track and a ride cycle lasting nearly a minute and a half. Three eight-passenger themed trains run the ride's circuit.
“We wanted this coaster to go beyond our guests’ expectations,” Seibert pointed out. “Instead of just repainting, we created a fully immersive experience to surround the ride. Guests encounter theming before they even board, with photo ops with a giant python, stone Buddhas framing the entrance, fog effects, dramatic lighting, jungle foliage, and even a vintage Toyota Land Cruiser that sets the stage.”
He continued, emphasizing, “This ride is a major production, and because of its scale, it’s reserved for our larger events. It requires four semi-trailers, a large mobile crane, and an expert crew with specialized training to assemble and operate it. Setup takes longer than a typical attraction, which means we arrive on-site well ahead of our usual timeline. For many guests, this may be the first big coaster they've ridden. In 2025, we further invested in the ride by installing a brand-new operating and electrical system, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to ensure the coaster will continue thrilling guests for generations.“
The show is featured at major events mainly in Southern states, including the Kentucky State Fair.
Five coasters
Reithoffer Shows, founded in 1896, is a Florida-based carnival with two units playing locations in the East, South and as far west as New Mexico.
The family-owned show is no stranger to big coasters, having five in its current lineup. Among them are a pair of Zierer Flitzers named Racing Coaster and Indy 500, built in 1976 and 1980, respectively. The German-made rides are known for their speed and tight turns incorporated in an 80-by-100 footprint. The coasters run two-passenger cars.
Two Interpark coasters, Galaxy (2015) and Banshee (2017), are identical and from the Cyclone platform, with each featuring three, eight-passenger trains. A Zamperla spinning Wild Mouse rounds out Reithoffer's big coaster collection.
“The presence of a large roller coaster — and sometimes two — on the midway creates a remarkable impact. Roller coasters are high-capacity attractions that require ample space, yet they add a stunning visual element to the midway,” said show spokesperson Sharon Popovich. “We frequently receive emails from coaster enthusiasts across the country inquiring about where and when our coasters will be set up.”
West Coast thrills
Helm and Sons Amusements, Fontana, California, presents a Zierer Flitzer it calls Grand Prix, a Pinfari Zyklon themed as Olympic Bobsled, and PLUR, Zamperla's spinning mouse.
“We have a dedicated team of eight employees that go to each location one to two weeks ahead of the rest of the company, to lay out and set up one, two or all three of these thrilling rides,” explained Davey Helm, owner and CEO of Helm and Sons Amusements. “We're committed to providing our patrons with the unique fun that a roller coaster provides, from spinning adventures to bobsled curves and vintage thrills. Our coasters are designed to create lasting memories for riders of all ages.”
May the force be with you
The most unusual ride AT is including in this listing is G-Force, owned and operated by Eric Bates of Bates Brothers Amusement Co., and ride manufacturer ARM, Wintersville, Ohio.
Consider it a roller coaster running on a half-pipe configuration — if you will — as the eight-passenger carriage is pulled to the top by a cable lift, then released for an exhilarating plunge.
“People think they are going off the other side,” Bates said of the one-off ride developed in 2017 and built at ARM. “The ride tops out at 85 feet and drops 35 to 40 mph before rocking back and forth and coming to a stop.”
The carnival plays its home state of Ohio.
Mouse is popular
The popularity of mouse coasters on carnival midways is nothing new, as defunct Royal American Shows had such a coaster built by the late Carl Miler, Miler Manufacturing, Portland, Oregon, in the early 1960s.
The Allan Herschell Co. of North Tonawanda and Buffalo, New York, also made a series of mouse coasters during the same era. AT tracked down what was believed to be the last touring Herschell coaster of size in 2009: a Mite Mouse owned by independent ride operator Dan McCullough, Medford, New York. No record was found of that ride currently operating.
The newest generation of touring mouse coasters runs on modernized tubular track, incorporates spinning cars for added thrills and has advanced electronic safety technology. Italy's Zamperla model is among the most popular among U.S. carnivals, as five of its rides were tracked as being on the road. Reverchon of France delivered a new version of its spinning coaster to Ray Cammack Shows last year, and there are two other Reverchon units on the road with other operators.
“The Twister 325 (spinning mouse) has become a real workhorse as a portable roller coaster in the United States,” noted Adam Sandy, Zamperla's roller coaster sales and marketing director. “Despite the challenge of more restrictive over-the-road limits in the U.S. than in Europe, the Twister 325 can work in every state. The built-in station makes moving a challenging coaster quite easy. We are thrilled to see all these units still crisscrossing the country.”
Be enthused
“Carnivals bring the fun and excitement of discovery for coaster enthusiasts with their own unique style of fun,” said Elizabeth Ringas, president of American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE). “I continue to be in awe of the engineering and labor required to bring these thrills to life in different locations. For some, this may be where they become an enthusiast or the only experience with some of these coaster models. Traveling thrills, but a coaster treasure nonetheless.”
