John A. Miller


John A. Miller was an American roller coaster designer and builder, inventor, and businessman. Having patented over 100 key roller coaster components, he is widely considered the "father of the modern high-speed roller coaster." During his lifetime, he participated in the design of approximately 150 coasters and was a key business partner and mentor to other well-known roller coaster designers, Harry C. Baker and John C. Allen.

Biography

Early life

Miller was born in Homewood, Illinois and worked as a coaster builder at a very early age. At the age of 19, he started working with La Marcus Thompson and went on to serve as Thompson's chief engineer. By 1911, he was working as a consultant to the Philadelphia Toboggan Company He also worked with noted designers Frederick Ingersoll and Fred and Josiah Pearce.
Miller in 1910 designed a device that prevented cars from rolling backward down the lift hill in the event of pull chain breakage. It attached to the track and clicked onto the rungs of the chain. Known as the safety chain dog, or safety ratchet, it evolved into the device on the underside of cars that makes that distinctive clinkety-clank sound of wooden coasters.
Miller's most important contribution to roller coaster technology, though, was the underfriction wheel. In 1919, he patented the "Miller Under Friction Wheel," also called the "upstop wheel," which consisted of a wheel that ran under the track to keep the coaster cars from flying off. This allowed the designers to use very steep drops, sharp horizontal and vertical curves and high speeds. These are found on nearly every roller coaster in operation.

Miller & Baker

Besides patenting ingenious inventions for coasters—including several types of brakes and car bar locks—Miller built his share of unusual "scream machines." In 1920 Miller went into business with Harry C. Baker as "Miller & Baker, Inc." and over the next three years, they built popular coasters all over North America. Characteristics of their roller coasters are camelback hills and large, flat turns.
Miller & Baker built other types of amusement rides and structures as well. In addition to coasters, the firm constructed mill chutes, and domed roof buildings for carousels and dance pavilions.

The John Miller Company

After 1923, Miller continued to design and build coasters for his own company, "The John Miller Company." The Dip-Lo-Docus, billed as "The Jazz Ride," featured revolving three-seater cars, whereas the Flying Turns consisted of cars with swiveling rubber wheels tearing through a half-cylindrical chute like a toboggan. The legendary Cyclone at Puritas Springs near Cleveland, Ohio was honored with a place on the Smithsonian Institution's list of Great Lost Roller Coasters. It was hidden so much by foliage that only the boarding platform was visible to riders before they began to race through the ravine. This 1928 ride was considered one of the golden-age classics of the period.

Later life and death

Although many of his most famous roller coasters were built during the 1920s, Miller never stopped building roller coasters. He continued to travel to supervise site installations and consult on roller coaster design until his death. He died on June 24, 1941, while working on a roller coaster project at Playland Park in Houston, Texas, at the age of 69. He is interred in the Homewood Memorial Gardens in Homewood, IL.

Roller coasters

During his lifetime, Miller designed or contributed to the design of approximately 150 roller coasters.
NameParkLocationOpenedClosedRef
GreyhoundLakewood FairgroundsAtlanta, GA19151974
Jack RabbitRiverview ParkDes Moines, IA19151919
Dip-Lo-DocusOlympic ParkIrvington, NJ1923?
CyclonePuritas SpringsCleveland, OH19281958
GreyhoundCeloron ParkJamestown, NY19241959
Flying TurnsEuclid Beach ParkCleveland, OH19291969
Ravine FlyerWaldameer ParkErie, PA19221938
ThunderboltRevere BeachRevere, MA19211930
ThunderboltConey IslandNew York, NY19251982
Beach CoasterOcean View Pavilion Amusement ParkJacksonville, FL19281949
Screechin' EagleLeSourdsville Lake Amusement ParkMiddletown, OH19282002
LegendArnolds ParkArnolds Park, IA1930
RacerKennywoodPittsburgh, PA1927
Jack RabbitKennywoodPittsburgh, PA1920
ThunderboltKennywoodPittsburgh, PA1924
Big DipperBlackpool Pleasure BeachBlackpool, England1923
Big DipperGeauga LakeAurora, OH19252007
Classic CoasterWashington State FairPuyallup, WA1935
Jack RabbitSeabreeze Amusement ParkRochester, NY1920
Roller CoasterLagoon Amusement ParkFarmington, UT1921
Zippin PippinBay Beach Amusement ParkGreen Bay, WI1912
The Wild OneSix Flags AmericaLargo, MD1917
Jack RabbitClementon ParkClementon, NJ19192002
DipsBuckroe Beach ParkHampton, VA19201985
Screem MachineSplash Zone Water ParkWildwood, NJ19191984
The Big BeastEdgewater ParkDetroit, MI19271981
Speed HoundDon Hanson's Amusement ParkHarveys Lake, PA19311980
Roller CoasterRiverview ParkDes Moines, IA19201978
AlpsWillow Grove ParkWillow Grove, PA19051975
CometSilver Beach Amusement ParkSt. Joseph, MI19241971
ThrillerRiverside ParkIndianapolis, IN19241970
Derby RacerEuclid Beach ParkCleveland, OH19131969
Flying DragonWalled Lake ParkWalled Lake, MI19291968
Jack RabbitNatatorium ParkSpokane, WA19201968
Big DipperRiverview ParkChicago, IL19201967
FireballRiverview ParkChicago, IL19231967
Flying TurnsRiverview ParkChicago, IL19351967
Humming BirdRiverview Beach ParkPennsville, NJ19231967
PippinRiverview ParkChicago, IL19211967
Sea SerpentPacific Ocean ParkSanta Monica, CA19251967
DipsBuckeye Lake Amusement ParkBuckeye Lake, OH19241958
GiantWinnipeg BeachManitoba, Canada19191964
SkyrocketFairyland ParkKansas City, MO19231966
Aero DipsEuclid Beach ParkCleveland, OH19091965
Jet StarOlympic ParkIrvington, NJ19251965
Deep Dip CoasterFair ParkNashville, TN19241964
Gee WizRiverview ParkChicago, IL19121963
Crystal FlyerCrystal Beach ParkVermilion, OH19261962
Big DipperJefferson BeachSt. Clair Shores, MI19271959
CometChain of Rocks Amusement ParkSt. Louis, MO19261958
CycloneLake Ariel Amusement Park19281955
Derby RacerCentral Park19121951
RocketLakeworth Park19301951
Sky RocketSteeplechase Island-19211951
Velvet RacerGhost Town on the River19361951
Pippin CoasterRocky Glen ParkMoosic, PA19241950
Mountain Dips CoasterRocky Glen ParkMoosic, PA19201939
CycloneDandiLion Park19291949
Deep DipperCarlin's Park19191949
Racer DipBay Shore Park19201947
SkyrocketMeyer's Lake Park19241946
Triple Racing CoasterState Fair of Texas19361946
SkyrocketPalisades Amusement ParkFort Lee, NJ19261944
Giant CoasterCentral Park19211942
Jack RabbitKeansburg Amusement Park19311941
WildcatEnna Jettick Park19211941
Flying TurnsSteeplechase Park19341939
GreyhoundHazle Park19231939
ThunderboltMoxahala Amusement Park19281939
Whoopee Baby ScenicNeptune Beach19271939
Whoopee CoasterNeptune Beach19291939
WildcatMerrimack Park19211938
Derby RacerLakeside Amusement Park19111937
Jack RabbitCapital Beach Park19181936
Racing DerbyGhost Town on the River19101936
Gorge RideCascade ParkNew Castle, PA19221935
Flying TurnsCentury of Progress19331934
CycloneChester Park19271935
Some KickVenice Amusement Pier19231934
Big DipperRoton Point19141933
CometPacific City19231933
FlashRiverside ParkIndianapolis, IN19241970
FlashWhite CityChicago, IL19281933
GreyhoundRiverside Amusement ParkAgawam, MA19151933
LightningRiverside Amusement ParkAgawam, MA19201933
Racing CoasterWhite CityChicago, IL19101933
DevilLiberty Pier19251932
Jack RabbitRiverview ParkChicago, IL19141932
Derby RacerRiverview ParkChicago, IL19101931
Big DipperKrug Park19181930
Jack Rabbit RacerQueens Park19151930
Jack RabbitPaxtang ParkHarrisburg, PA19231929
PippinLuna ParkCleveland, OH19231929
Roller CoasterArnolds Park19221929
Big DipperIdora ParkOakland, CA19221928
Giant CoasterHarlem Park19121928
GreyhoundIsland Beach Park19221928
Jack RabbitPlayland Park19281928
SkyrocketIdora ParkOakland, CA19271928
ThrillerExposition Park19261928
Big DipperGordon Gardens19221927
Jack RabbitRocky Springs Park19181927
RacerKennywoodPittsburgh, PA19101926
Cannon BallRiverview ParkChicago, IL19191925
CometPalisades Amusement ParkFort Lee, NJ19211925
Jack RabbitRevere BeachRevere, MA19161924
ZipLick Pier19221924
Blue StreakRiverview ParkChicago, IL19111923
Chase through the CloudsSilver Beach Amusement Park19051923
Speed-O-PlaneKennywoodPittsburgh, PA19111923
Deep DipperFrederick Road Park19201922
Giant Coaster DipsEast End Park19131922
Leap the DipsForest Park19071922
Great Mountain RideForest Park Highlands19121921
The GorgeCascade ParkNew Castle, PA19031921
Royal Gorge Scenic RailwayRiverview ParkChicago, IL19081920
Jack RabbitRiverview ParkChicago, IL19151919
Velvet CoasterRiverview ParkChicago, IL19091919
Scenic RailwayWhite CityChicago, IL19051916
Figure EightSeabreeze19031915
Royal Dip CoasterPlayland Park19151915
Dip The DipsClyffside Park19091913
Pikes Peak Scenic RailwayRiverview ParkChicago, IL19071911
Scenic RailwayKennywoodPittsburgh, PA19041910
Scenic RailwayErie Beach Park19101930
Deep DipsOlympic Park1920?
Derby RacerElectric Park??
DipsLiberty Park??
Figure 8Hague Park??
Giant CoasterLakewood Park19231982
GreyhoundStanley Park?
L.A. Thompson Scenic RailwayLake Erie Park & Casino??
PippinWildwood Park??
Racer DipsForest Park Highlands19201940
Roller CoasterWoodlawn Park1922?
Scenic RailwayGhost Town on the River1905?
SidewinderLegend City19681983
Sky RocketConey IslandCincinnati, OH19211944
Skyline TwisterRolling Green Park19281972
Velvet CoasterWoodside Park1925?
Velvet CoasterLakeside Amusement Park1908?
SkyrocketPlayland ParkHouston, TX19241963

Patents