Thunderbolt Savin Rock

Located entirely on a pier located over the Long Island Sound, the Savin Rock Thunderbolt was one of several Prior & Church coasters that were built in the early 1920s with similar layouts that included a large fan curve followed by a second drop that came back up alongside the first drop. The Savin Rock Thunderbolt was very similar to the Cyclone at Revere Beach in nearby Massachusetts.

The Thunderbolt lift hill rose to a height of 77 feet above the pier or 90 feet above the water. The first drop of 65 feet led up to a fan curve that dropped 45 feet before a third drop plunged 50 feet alongside the lift hill. In 1938 a hurricane completely destroyed the coaster. The ride was rebuilt that same year but with less exciting flat turns that took away the artistry of original designer Frederick Church.