design Leap-The-Dips occupies a rectangular area measuring on the grounds of Lakemont Park. The track is arranged in a figure-eight layout and mounted on wooden trestles. The entry and exit station is an open, hipped-roof pavilion, and cars are stored in a nearby shed when not in use. The track's form has been altered very little since its original construction, with portions of the track – mostly wood – being replaced by steel in areas of exceptionally high wear, along with the conversion of the lift chain to steel. The lift mechanism includes a ratchet system to prevent cars from rolling backwards in the event of a chain failure. The ride cars resemble sleighs featuring four flanged wheels underneath and two unflanged wheels projecting to each side. The track traverses two and a half circuits of a figure-eight, passing through the trestle structure at different levels. Although the ride is quite tame by modern standards with a height of and speed of , it remains a popular attraction. Side friction roller coasters were an early innovation in roller coasters which enabled them to run at greater speeds and without a brakeman. Extra wheels were mounted on the sides of the cars to guide their movement on the track. This design became obsolete after World War I when side friction was supplanted by under-track mechanisms, which offered better vehicle security and support for greater speeds. There were other similar installations including an identical Leap the Dips at Mounds State Park in Anderson, Indiana, which closed in 1929. Very few side friction roller coasters survived into the 1980s, and Leap the Dips at Lakemont is believed to be the last remaining figure-eight model of its kind still in operation. See also List of National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places listings in Blair County, Pennsylvania References External links Homepage of the Leap-the-Dips Preservation Foundation Lakemont Park and Island Waterpark Leap The Dips front seat on-ride HD POV on YouTube CoasterForce channel. Circa 1908-1911 Picture of Leap the Dips at Mounds State Park Roller coasters in Pennsylvania National Historic Landmarks in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania state historical marker significations Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Blair County, Pennsylvania