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Although excited to be ACE's newest preservation manager, I wish to turn our preservation attention to the distressing number of coasters that have been lost in recent developments. Three woodies ceased operation in 2025 (Roar and Wild One at Six Flags America and Switchback at ZDT).

Roar may be a casualty because of Six Flags America closing.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

Can Wild One (formerly the Paragon Park Giant Coaster) at the now-closed Six Flags America be saved and preserved one more time?
Photo: Richard Koppelman. View full-sized image.

ZDT's unique Switchback shuttle woodie remains for sale.
Photo: courtesy ZDT's. View full-sized image.

In 2026, Dreamland Park in Margate, England, announced that the 108-year-old Scenic Railway, which has been standing but not operating (SBNO) since 2024, “has completed its journey as a roller coaster and will now take well-earned retirement from operation as a ride.” Oh dear.

Scenic Railway, Dreamland, Margate, England, may never operate again.
Photo: Dan Brewer. View full-sized image.

And it was just announced that Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World in Grand Island, New York, will not open this year, so the park’s Silver Comet woodie and Serpent Zyklon will be lost unless someone can find a way to reopen the park or buy and move those coasters elsewhere, if Niagara will not open again.

The Silver Comet woodie at Niagara Amusement Park and Splashworld will not open this year, or perhaps ever again.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

ACE helped to save Leap The Dips in the past, but the future of the world's oldest still-standing coaster is uncertain.
Photo: Bill Linkenheimer III. View full-sized image.

Twenty wooden coasters are currently SBNO, as listed by Roller Coaster DataBase (https://www.rcdb.com):

What can be done about any of these, to save any of them, or even just one of them?

In temporary closure news, Dragon Coaster at Playland Park in Rye, New York, was listed as SBNO, but the woodie has just (happily) reopened when the park began its season on May 23.

Rampage at Alabama's Adventure looks likely to reopen later this summer — perhaps in some small part because of help from ACE's preservation efforts and funds.
Photo: Robert Forto. View full-sized image.

Rampage at Alabama Adventure (Bessemer, Alabama) is finishing track work, and the woodie is expected to reopen by Memorial Day or early June, so stay tuned. The Hala Madrid woodie at Real Madrid World in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is temporarily closed owing to security concerns for the Middle Eastern region.

Lakeside Cyclone's station house is an art deco masterpiece.
Photo: Mark Rosenzweig. View full-sized image.

Lakeside Park's (Denver, Colorado) Cyclone wooden roller coaster remains SBNO, but the park just opened for 2026 (on May 15). There is hope that the woodie might be running again later this summer, as the beloved coaster was seen in the off-season undergoing some track work and test runs. Coaster and park enthusiasts will be hoping for the best for Lakeside and should support this marvelous park.

For steel coaster fans, according to RCDB, 108 steel coasters closed in 2025, perhaps most famously and recently the six steelies at Six Flags America (Upper Marlboro, Maryland; which included Superman Ride of Steel). Are there any of these 108, or any one in particular, that ACE might be able to — or should — do something about saving? RCDB, lists 347 steel coasters in the world that are SBNO — a lot of steel coasters — that could still be moved to another park and saved.

The future of the Arrow hypercoaster Desperado is looking even grimmer.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

And 32 more steel coasters have closed in 2026 (so far). These include Desperado, the Arrow hypercoaster at Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino (Primm, Nevada). Following years of the coaster being closed (since 2019) and SBNO, it was recently announced that the entire casino and resort property is shutting down, with reports indicating a permanent closure of operations by early July 2026. Any chance left of saving this famous steel megaride?

The Kōmbo Zierer Tivoli steel coaster at the Indianapolis Zoo was removed in early 2026, but not to worry because the ride is being moved to Lake Winnepesaukah in Rossville, Georgia, where it will be renamed Lookout Safari. An act of preservation of a kind — thank you, Lake Winnie.

The Magic Flyer (by Bradley and Kaye) Little-Dipper-style steelie at Six Flags Magic Mountain (Valencia, California) was removed on January 11, 2026. This 79-year-old coaster, which originally opened at Beverly Park in Anaheim and was moved to Magic Mountain in 1971, is notable as the last remaining model by Bradley and Kaye. It appears this ride has been dismantled and scrapped (allegedly because of its extreme age and deterioration, rather than being preserved and/or relocated). However, the only good news out of this is that Magic Flyer's lead car and a few pieces of trackage for it to rest on have been donated to the National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives (NRCMA).

Shock Wave is currently standing but not operating at Six Flags Over Texas.
Photo: Tim Baldwin. View full-sized image.

And in breaking news, a beloved steel coaster appears to be in a concerning situation. Shock Wave (Schwarzkopf/Stengel, debuting in 1978) double looper at Six Flags Over Texas is currently not operating and is closed. Apparently, there are erosion issues around the footers, and some are fearful the ride will remain closed or may not open for the rest of this year, or maybe ever again So, stay tuned — but we as enthusiasts should reconfirm to the park the importance of this iconic attraction and express our wish that this cherished and significant coaster be valued and maintained, as it has for 48 years, so far.

2026 will mark the last season of operation for the woodie Timberhawk: Ride of Prey.
Photo: Eric Minton. View full-sized image.

News is already circulating about coasters that will close later in 2026, such as Timberhawk: Ride of Prey woodie at Wild Waves in Federal Way, Washington, along with its three steel coasters, as the park has announced that 2026 is its last season. Silver Dollar City (Branson, Missouri) has announced it will be closing its 1993 Thunderation Arrow mine ride (as of January 2, 2027) to make way for another attraction. Any chance of saving any of these coasters?

And speaking of coaster preservation, one crucial way of preserving coasters is to ensure that they (and their host parks) remain successful and don’t have to close in the first place.

ACE looks for ways to support parks and their coasters that might be struggling without some help. In the past few years, Preservation Fund dollars have been allocated to help these particular parks' coasters survive and not be closed down. In 2024 ACE’s preservation team funded four projects:

1. $20,000 to Camden Park for work on Big Dipper
2. $20,000 to Kirby Family Farm for work on Flitzer
3. $2,500 to Playland Fresno for welding on Dragon Coaster
4. $600 to Bartlesville Kiddie Park for sprockets on Little Fire Ball

The Preservation Committee has sent two requests for funding help in 2025:

1. $20,000 grant to Alabama Adventure for Rampage refurbishment
2. $5,000 grant to Happy Hollow San Jose Zoo toward the Danny the Dragon Train Campaign

In 2026, ACE approved $3,000 for Bartlesville Kiddie Park, in this case for sponsoring Little Fire Ball coaster. ACE has granted funds to another amusement park to support its coaster, but the identity of the park is a secret for now, as an announcement will be made later.

What other parks and coasters should be considered for ACE's Preservation Fund to assist in 2026? And remember, it doesn’t need to be the big parks or the big coasters that might appreciate ACE’s help; the smaller parks and smaller coasters might need assistance as well.

If you have any suggestions as to which parks and their coasters should be supported, please let us know. Offer your thoughts in the comments for this article, or, if you’d like, email me with your thoughts, insights and concerns to rgeisler@aceonline.org.

If you would like to contribute to ACE’s Preservation Fund, use this link to donate: https://www.aceonline.org/donations/donate.asp?id=5729. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

— Randy Geisler, ACE Preservation Manager

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