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Staff pboto by Bfll Wo*The Rainbow, at the Great Frederick Fair, is one of the most popular fair rides In the nation.'Rainbow' ride big thrill at fairBy BECKY BRASHEAR News-Eost Agriculture EditorIt’s the latest thrill to hit fair midways across the country, and if you don’t mind heights and circular motion, it’s one ride you won’t want to miss at the Great Frederick Fair,It’s called the Rainbow, or in many cases, “themillion dollar ride.”' “People just love this thing,’ said Rainbow ride Manager Wayne Berra, who has been overseeing 1‘spectacular rides” for Amusements of America at the Great Frederick Fair for 20 years.“It’s the most talked about ride in the U.S.,” he continued.“This is,the kind of ride that anyone can ride,” continued Berra. “I’ve had everyone from a little kid to an 80-year-old man on this thing. This ride has been to about 18 fairs this year and it’s one of two or three in the country.”The new Amusements of America feature standing 110-feet tall, can easily be spied on the Frederick midway with all its glitter and lights and Hawaiian theme. A large lighted sun face is cleverly positioned in the center.“It really is a beautiful ride when it’s all lit up,” said Berra.The Rainbow is actually a boat-like ride, that unlike most, makes a complete oval swing.But the boat itself does not swing,” said Berra. “The boat, with a capacity of 40 people, sits on a platform and that’s what does the moving. It goes around at about 12 rpms.”SaiBerra: “People call this ride the million dollar ride — not because that’s what it costs to buy, but because of the enjoyment they get out of it. It’s an all family ride.”The Rainbow, one of many rides featured along the Frederick Fair’s midway, is expected to be open to patrons by today, a day ahead of the fair’s official opening.Irving Been, fair board member, said the rides should be open by 3 p.m. Monday.All of the rides must meet state inspection requirements before they can be operated.“Maryland has one of the best inspections in the U.S. for ride safety,” said Berra. “I’m all for inspections because they could catch something that I could miss.”Since last week, rides have been goingup. “We have a lot man who com* ahead of the rides and lays out whei everything is supposed to go. For t! rainbow, that meant securing a site th; was 100-feet-wide and 80-feet-deep.“It takes about IS hours and eig. trained men to put up the Rainbow said Rerra. “This thing weighs betwe*6b and 70 tons and it takes five tract trailers to transport all its parts. -“It’s hard to believe that something lt;portable is so big when it gets pi together.”Berra’s crew is trained to jus assemble, operate and disassemble th Rainbow.“I spent two weeks alone in German where this ride was manufacture learning about how it was made, how t assemble it, and all of its inner actions, said Berra, a nephew of baseball gres Yogi Berra.“My crew is trained to only work Us: ride — they’re all experienced and the know what to do.”The Rainbow is runs by compute operation. At the push of a button tfc ride begins,“But if anything at all is wrong wit the ride, it won’t go,” said Berra.
Newspaper Details
Frederick News Post Leader
Frederick, Maryland, US
Wed, Sep 16, 1987
Page 10
Full Page
Clipped by
Free L.
PA, USA 22 May 2023
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