Chance Rides


Chance Rides Manufacturing is a roller coaster and amusement ride manufacturer. The company was formed on May 16, 2002, when the former Chance Industries Inc. emerged from bankruptcy. The main office and manufacturing facility are located in Wichita, Kansas.

History

Chance Manufacturing was incorporated in 1961 by Richard H. Chance. Harold Chance had been involved in the amusement business since 1946 building small trains for the Ottaway Amusement Company. He designed a 24-inch gauge replica of the C. P. Huntington, a well-known steam locomotive built in 1863. Titled by the same name, Chance's C. P. Huntington is the company's most successful product line. In 1967, Chance began producing Starliner Trams under the subsidiary Chance Coach. In 1970, Chance acquired the assets of the Allan Herschell Company. Richard G. Chance assumed control of the company and formed Chance Industries, Inc. in 1985 to oversee the various divisions – Chance Rides, Chance Coach, and Chance Operations. In December 1986, Chance then acquired Bradley & Kaye, a ride manufacturer specialized in children's rides and carousel figures.

Modern era

For several years, Chance Rides Manufacturing products were sold under the brand Chance Morgan. In 2011, the company reintroduced the Chance Rides brand which encompasses Chance Morgan Coasters, Inc. and Chance Rides Manufacturing. On September 17, 2011, trade publication Amusement Today presented Chance Rides with the Golden Ticket Award for Supplier of the Year, in honor of the company's 50th anniversary.

Trains

Chance Rides began to fabricate their narrow gauge C.P. Huntington locomotive in 1960. These locomotives are powered by a gasoline, diesel, propane or electric engine. The engine is powered to an automatic transmission, which controls a 90* drop down gearbox that powers drive shafts to the front and rear power trucks. Its drive wheels are not powered, but roll on the rails while fake side rods reciprocate in and out of fake cylinders. The false drive wheels have been removed by some owners for ease of maintenance. This has been the most popular park train since The Allan Herschell Company merged into Chance Industries and production of the S-24 Iron Horse train ceased. Many amusement parks are replacing their steam locomotives with these locomotives since they are easier to maintain and operate.
The first C. P. Huntington locomotive was delivered to the now-defunct Joyland Amusement Park in Wichita, Kansas. This replaced the original miniature train that has operated since 1933. As the first locomotive, it carries the serial number 1 from the factory.
The Lincoln Children's Zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska, operates a narrow gauge C. P. Huntington locomotive on its ZO&O Railroad train ride around the park. The locomotive itself is built by Chance Rides. Established in 1963 as the Iron Horse Railroad, the first C. P. Huntington locomotive was delivered to the Lincoln Children's Zoo founder, Arnot R. Folsom, by Richard H. Chance, President of Chance Rides in Wichita, Kansas. The first engineer hired by Folsom in 1963 was a local high school student, J. D. Ayres, who worked as a seasonal employee building the railroad track prior to the Zoo's opening. In October 1963, the city of Lincoln staged a Golden Spike Ceremony attended by the Mayor, City Council, and other local dignitaries. The ceremonial Golden Spike was an actual track spike of a type used extensively in building the railroad, but which had been gold plated for the event. The Iron Horse Railroad operated successfully as the primary revenue generator for the Lincoln Children's Zoo prior to the grand opening in 1965.
There are three C.P. Huntington replicas operating the perimeter track at the Santa Barbara Zoo.
Story Land in Glen, NH operates four C.P. Huntington locomotives.
The Baton Rouge Zoo also runs a C.P. Huntington locomotive around the perimeter of its zoo. It was donated by the local Coca-Cola plant.
The Downtown Aquarium in Houston became the first operator of an electric version of the locomotive.
Storyland & Playland located in the SW corner of Roeding Park in Fresno, CA. operates a CP Huntington. It replaced a Super Chief train that first transited between the two parks in 1978. It pulls 6 cars over a loop track that is six tenths of a mile. The locomotive motor is a Ford 801 gasoline powered tractor motor. The "false" drive wheels were removed because they were binding up on the track. It is the most popular ride in the parks!
As of 2018, Chance Rides has built over 400 different C. P. Huntington locomotives and coaches for customers around the world. Prices for locomotives run just under $200,000 and coaches run about $60,000 each. Locomotives and coaches can be customized in a variety of ways.

Carousels

Chance Carrousels were introduced in 1971 following the acquisition of the Allan Herschell Company the previous year. Chance modified the Herschell design giving it a more ornate style. After Chance purchased Bradley & Kaye in December 1986, Chance was able to use the molds and manufacturing rights to 62 carousel figures produced by Bradley & Kaye owner, David Bradley. He had carefully reproduced prized carousel animals from famous carvers over the previous 20 years and new molds were cast at the Chance facility under his direction, until Bradley died in 1988. These famous reproductions with spectacular detail have been included on Chance carrousels since the late 1980s. With the merger of the D. H. Morgan line of carousels, some of the unique Morgan figures have been added to the collection as well. Although fiberglass, the magnificent detail and menagerie of different styles of horses and other figures have become a trademark of Chance Rides carrousels.

Ferris wheels

The first Ferris wheel from Chance, the Astro Wheel, was sold to showman Don Franklin and debuted at the 1967 Iowa State Fair. It featured 16 cars with two passengers per car. The first park model, an 80-foot Giant Wheel, was built in 1975 at Valleyfair amusement park in Minnesota. It features 18 cars holding four passengers per car and is still in operation. The Giant Wheel/Century Wheel was introduced in various sizes in both park and portable models in 1988.
In 2006, Chance worked with Ronald Bussink Professional Rides of Switzerland and Dutch Wheels BV, a division of Vekoma Rides, to produce larger wheels such as the Niagara SkyWheel which stands tall. It features 42 air-conditioned cars seating eight passengers per car. According to Chance Rides director Angus Jenkins, the larger wheels are known as observation wheels as opposed to Ferris wheels, since they carry riders in enclosed cars rather than in open seats.
On October 19, 2012, Chance Rides announced a long term license agreement with Bussink Design GmbH for the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell the R80XL Giant Wheel in North America. Chance Rides will market the R80XL, which is over tall, under an affiliate company, Chance American Wheels. The first R80XL wheel was manufactured by Maurer German Wheels in Munich, Germany, and was delivered to the city early in 2013. The first U.S. version built by Chance was the Capital Wheel at the National Harbor, Md. It opened May 23, 2014. Chance Rides/Chance American Wheels will continue to manufacturer and sell R60 wheels in North America under an exclusive license from Dutch Wheels BV.
Notable wheels include:
Chance Manufacturing's first coaster was the Toboggan, a portable ride in which a small vehicle climbed vertically up a tower then spiraled back down around the same tower. The ride was invented by Walter House of Amarillo, Texas, and Chance acquired the manufacturing rights and started producing it in 1969. It was designed to be a carnival ride, fitting on two trailers, but several units were purchased by amusement parks where they were set up as permanent attractions. Chance manufactured 32 of these units, two of which still operate at a permanent park. In 1998 Chance introduced the Big Dipper children's coaster. With the integration of the D. H. Morgan line into Chance Rides in 2001, the company acquired track manufacturing technology and the ability to offer a variety of coaster designs. D. H. Morgan was an offshoot of Arrow Development, original developer of tubular steel track, first used on Disney's Matterhorn Bobsleds attraction. In 2006, Chance formed an alliance with Vekoma. Chance Rides represented Vekoma in North America and manufactured the steel track for select projects. On October 17, 2012 Chance Rides and Vekoma discontinued their agreement to produce rides together for the North American market.

List of roller coasters

As of 2019, Chance Rides has built 36 roller coasters around the world.
NameModelParkCountryOpenedStatusRef
TobogganTobogganTrimper's Rides United States
TobogganTobogganAdventureland United States
TobogganTobogganJenkinson's Boardwalk United States
TobogganTobogganGreat Adventure Amusement Park United States
Star WarsTobogganParc Avenue France
TobogganTobogganPlayland Park United States
TobogganTobogganOld Chicago United States
Swiss TobogganTobogganBoblo Island Canada
TobogganTobogganShaheen's Fun-O-Rama Park United States
TobogganTobogganCentral Pier Arcade & Speedway United States
TobogganTobogganFuntown Pier United States
TobogganTobogganFamily Kingdom Amusement Park United States
TobogganTobogganSportland Pier United States1966
Swamp BuggyTobogganSix Flags AstroWorld United States1970
TobogganTobogganParc Belmont Canada1970
TobogganTobogganCasino Pier United States1970
TobogganTobogganLakemont Park United States1971
Swiss TobogganTobogganSanta's Village AZoosment Park United States1971
TobogganTobogganHersheypark United States1972&
Arctic CatTobogganCrystal Beach Park Canada1974
TobogganCal Expo Amusement Park United States1975
TobogganTobogganStewart Beach Park United States1980
TobogganTobogganGhost Town Village United States1980
Wild & Wooly Toboggan
Formerly Toboggan
Formerly Earthquake McGoon's Brain Rattler		TobogganLittle Amerricka
Seven Peaks Water Park Duneland
Dogpatch USA		 United States1993
1989 to 1990
1969 to 1988

JoustBig DipperDutch Wonderland United States1998
Big DipperBig DipperMichigan's Adventure United States1999
Gold RushBig DipperWild Adventures United States1999
TobogganTobogganGrand Prix Amusements
Arnolds Park		 Canada1999
1998
Wile E. Coyote's Grand Canyon BlasterBig DipperSix Flags Over Texas United States2001
TobogganTobogganConneaut Lake Park United States2002
The Joker Funhouse Coaster
Formerly Wile E. Coyote Canyon Blaster		Big Dipper CustomSix Flags Over Georgia United States2004
TobogganTobogganClacton Pier
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach		 United Kingdom2009
1993 to 2000
Lightning RunHyper GT-X CoasterKentucky Kingdom United States2014
Family Roller CoasterBig Dipper CustomWildlife World United States2016
Nickelodeon Slime StreakFamilyNickelodeon Universe Theme Park inside the American Dream Meadowlands United States2019

Current models