inducting Walt Disney Imagineer Lanny Smoot, the National Inventors Hall of Fame has honored the theme park industry again.
One year afterThis year, the Hall has inducted Karl Bacon and Ed Morgan for the invention of the tubular steel track roller coaster. Disneyland's Matterhorn Bobsleds was the world's first roller coaster to use this revolutionary technology, which enabled a new era of coaster development beyond the limitations of wooden track.
"Bacon and Morgan's tubular steel track design offered a smoother, quieter ride compared to wooden roller coasters and paved the way for ride designers to create spiral tracks, longer drops, loops and other features that would previously have been too dangerous or even impossible to create," the Hall said in its induction announcement.
Bacon and Morgan were founders along with Bill Hardiman and Angus Anderson of Arrow Development, the path-setting design and manufacturing company that innovated so many of the great attractions that theme park fans enjoy still enjoy, including many of the original rides at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Karl Bacon passed away in 2008, followed by Ed Morgan one year later. For more on the National Inventors Hall of Fame, visit invent.org.
* * *
To keep up to date with more theme park news, please sign up for Theme Park Insider's weekly newsletter.
Okay, that's a good one. Pick up your imaginary Internet award at the imaginary prize desk, please.
This article has been archived and is no longer accepting comments.
The OG B&M!