Located at Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, Star Jet was a sit-down roller coaster manufactured by E&F Miler Industries. It was opened in 2002.
This Jet Star roller coaster had a length of 1,765.1 ft, was 44.3 ft high, and operated with a speed of 31.1 mph.
Its drops and twists were far more extreme than those of a standard Wild Mouse roller coaster. In 1991, it would cost you five tickets (about $2.50) to take one ride on the roller coaster. It was considered the scariest rollercoaster at Casino Pier back in 1997.
It it was later destroyed when Hurricane Sandy struck on October 29, 2012, destroying a section of the boardwalk and washing the Star Jet out to sea.
Perhaps the most well-known and memorable image of Superstorm Sandy is that of the Jet Star sitting in the water. It was featured in countless news articles and on merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, and vehicle magnets sold to benefit those affected by the disaster.
A month later, the mayor of Seaside Heights revealed that he had discussed permanently stationing the roller coaster at its current location with coast guards because of its potential to attract tourists. But soon after, the mayor says, “was not the brightest comment.” Realizing his decision to preserve the roller coaster was a mistake.
Soon the company contracted with the seasoned maritime contractor Weeks Marine to bring a barge equipped with a massive crane with a grasping claw, similar to the ones found in miniature at so many Seaside Heights arcades, where players attempt to capture a stuffed animal or sports jersey by manipulating the device.
Even though the ride had been taken down by May 2014, the hearts of roller coaster fans were still longing for a new ride to fill the vacuum left by Sandy.
There was a lot of public grieving over the demise of this one-of-a-kind rollercoaster.
“I couldn’t tell you the amount of time I rode that growing up. The amount of damage at Seaside Heights was heartbreaking to me.”
“Years before Sandy, that was the first rollercoaster I ever went on as a kid.”\
Some even praised the engineers after looking at the destroyed Jet Star still intact.
“I’m impressed by how well it held together. All that damage, and it still retained its shape! That’s some impressive engineering.”
When the pier was renovated, a Gerstlauer Euro-Fighter called Hydrus took its place.
