The Tompkins Roller Coaster was a home-made roller coaster in the dump near the Tompkins School playground. It was constructed in 1915 by young boys using discarded rails and carts, and was about 200 feet long. It was constructed by Vincent Carvahlo and Raymond Antwiler, joined by Joey Gomez, Marione Cabral, Ben Viera, Joe Swartz, and Frank Dominguez. 1
The rails and carts had been used to transport concrete at a large construction site. The boys used a larger boiler to give some elevation, and built a wooden trestle from there.
Links and References
- Tompkins' Thriller Is Home-made Roller Coaster Oakland Tribune March 27, 1915