What amusement park ride can you enjoy any day for free?

In 1896, engineer Jesse W. Reno brought his patented “Endless Conveyor Elevator” (he called it the “inclined elevator”) to the Old Iron Pier at Coney Island. Reno’s invention stretched a mere seven feet angled at 25-degrees, and instead of steps, it used a conveyor-like belt. The Coney Island installation is said to have carried more than 75,000 patrons over its two-week residency. There are over 105 billion escalator rides each year in the United States.