Thunderbolt (Kennywood)

Infobox roller coaster
name = Thunderbolt


caption = Kennywood's Thunderbolt
location = Kennywood
type = Wood
manufacturer = Andy Vettel & John A. Miller
designer = Joseph E. Drambour
model =
track = Out and Back Roller Coaster
status = Open
opened = 1924
height = 70
drop = 95
length = 2887
speed = 55
duration = 1:30
inversions = 0
capacity =
restriction = 52
rcdb_number= 122

The Thunderbolt is a wooden roller coaster located at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Originally built by John A. Miller in 1924, the ride's name was Pippin until 1967, when it changed to Thunderbolt beginning with the 1968 season, coinciding with an expansion of the track headed up by Andy Vettel. The all-wood coaster follows the surrounding terrain with a track length of 2,887 feet (880 m). Its maximum height is 70 feet (21 m), but because of the track layout and the natural ravines on which the ride is set, the maximum drop is 95 feet (29 m). Reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph (88.5 km/h), the ride takes 90 seconds to complete its circuit.

The Thunderbolt's three "Century Flyer" trains were built by the National Amusement Device Company, carry 24 riders in four cars, are red, blue, or green with aluminum paneling, and have been operating since the Thunderbolt was known as the Pippin.

An interesting feature of the Thunderbolt is that after departing from the station, the train does not immediately go up the lift hill as on most other coasters. Instead, the lift hill is in the middle of the ride.

Most of the ride was left intact except for the double dip, station, and station turn-around to the first hill which were removed in 1968 for the addition of the new front helix hills necessary for the transformation of The Pippin into the new Thunderbolt roller coaster. The four drops down a ravine were incorporated in the Andy Vettel-designed Thunderbolt coaster. The Thunderbolt was rated the #1 roller coaster by the New York Times in 1974, and it still is the most popular ride at Kennywood. The Thunderbolt still uses the 1958 Pippin trains manufactured by the National Amusement Device Company, known as "Century Flyers."

Timeline

In 1924, the Pippin roller coaster was built.

In 1958, the Pippin's open-front trains were replaced with Century Flyer trains made by the National Amusement Device company. These are the trains used on the Thunderbolt today.

In 1968, the Pippin roller coaster was rebuilt and the Thunderbolt was born.

In 1969, a small hill was removed from the inner helix of the front of the coaster near the loading station.

In 1991, the tunnel located at the end of the first dip was removed to make way for the Steel Phantom which ran under the first two drops

In 1998, for Kennywood's 100th anniversary, the headlights on the front of the trains were restored when the trains themselves were refurbished.

In 1999, there was an accident on the Thunderbolt when the operators failed to brake the car coming into the station and it collided with the car being loaded. Thirty people were injured in the crash. [http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#jul8] After the accident the headlights on the cars were removed partially due to the fact that the electrical system did not hold up well to the vibration of the cars.

In 2006, the trains could be seen sporting the famous T-bolt logo on the fronts of the cars where the center headlights formerly were.

Awards and rankings

Thunderbolt is an ACE Coaster Classic. [ [http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=1 ACE Coaster Classic Awards] ]

References