- Anton Scwartzkopf
- Credit:
- Roller Coasters by David Bennett
|
Anton Schwarzkopf, born in Behlingen, Germany, took over his father's caravan
and amusement ride business in 1960. He built his first steel coaster in 1964
and continued to grow his business with innovative designs. Anton's chief
structural engineer, Werner Stengel, assisted with many designs and developed
hot and cold steel bending machines.
Scwartzkopf designed several compact roller coasters, mostly in Europe that
are popular at fairs. He also created 2 famous traveling coasters, Eurostar and
Thriller, both of which continue to be shown at Oktoberfest. In addition,
Schwartzkopf designed and built the first successful roller coaster with a 360
degree vertical loop, Revolution, at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia,
California.
The company went bankrupt in the late 80's due to contract cancellations,
labor costs, and slow production. The Texas Tornado, completed by BHS and
located in Six Flags Astroworld, was the last Schwarzkopf coaster produced.
Schwarzkopf retired in 1995 but still serves as a consultant to coaster
designers. Anton Schwarzkopf died in 2001.
Schwarzkopf's many inventions and innovations in roller coasters
deserve the honor of being designated as one of the great minds in roller
coasters. |
