Behemoth (roller coaster)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Behemoth

---

caption= The front entrance for Behemoth
location=Canada's Wonderland
section=Action Zone
type=Steel
type2=Hypercoaster
status=Open
opened=May 4, 2008
manufacturer=Bolliger & Mabillard
model="Hypercoaster"
Lift= Chain Lift
height=230
Drop=215
length=5318
angle=75
speed=77
duration=3:10
Riders=1545 per hour
cost=C$26m est.
restriction=54
rcdb_number=4005

Behemoth is a steel roller coaster at Canada's Wonderland in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada. Modelled similarly to Goliath at La Ronde (but is taller and longer) and Nitro at Six Flags Great Adventure, Behemoth is Canada's tallest and fastest hyper roller coaster. [http://www.canoe.ca/Travel/Activities/Families/2008/07/13/6232771-sun.html] Behemoth is situated north-west of the Back Lot Stunt Coaster and south-west of Splash Works. Since Behemoth's debut in May, 2008, it has easily become the park's most popular attraction. The ride opened to season pass holders on April 25, 2008, and to the public on May 4, 2008. [http://parentcentral.ca/parent/article/418103]

Ride Experience

Behemoth begins with a right turn and an extended flat section before climbing the 230-foot lift hill at a moderate speed. From the top, the train continues down the first, 75-degree angled drop with a slight turn to the right. The train then travels over a massive hill that tilts the train towards the right, creating airtime or weightlessness. The coaster then swoops past the Splashworks' wave pool and through a hammerhead turn, which turns the riders 180 degrees to the left. Next, the coaster travels over three airtime hills and over a steep slope into the mid-course brake run. Then, the train does a 540-degree helix towards the right, passes through the camera section, then up a 270-degree helix to the left. Following this is a drop and a final airtime hill. The ride then rises one more time and comes to a stop on a downward brake run into the block brakes. The ride then slowly advances and turns back toward the station, where another block brake stops the train, and holds it there until the station has been cleared.

Behemoth includes features like trim brakes on the three airtime hills after the hammerhead turn, and magnetic brakes on the final brake run for smoothness. However, only one of the three trim brakes are used on the ride, the one on the steep slope upwards to the first airtime hill after the hammerhead.

If there is a reason to stop the ride, like lightning, then the three trains will stop running. One will sit in the station, one will sit on the block brake before the station, and one will sit on the block brake after the downward brake run until the ride is ready to start. Behemoth overlooks every ride at Canada's Wonderland.

Due to the way the seats are constructed, persons over a certain weight/waist size cannot be accommodated by Behemoth.

History

On August 27, 2007, "Behemoth" was announced and revealed to be a roller coaster from Swiss manufacturers Bolliger & Mabillard. The estimated C$26 million ride represents the single biggest investment in the 27 year history of Canada's Wonderland, becoming the 15th roller coaster at the park. [cite press release |publisher =Canada's Wonderland |date=August 27,2007 |title=Wonderland's Biggest Investment In History |url=http://attraction.canadaswonderland.com/public/news/ |accessdate = 2007-09-15]

Behemoth opened to the public on May 4, 2008.

Construction

Steel construction of the track and supports was completed on January 22, 2008 [http://attraction.canadaswonderland.com/public/latest/gallery/index.cfm?mode=image&chip=106] , almost one month behind schedule. The former line queue for the Back Lot Stunt Coaster (formerly Italian Job Stunt Track), was demolished in order to create a new line into the new midway, which services the existing Orbiter ride, the Back Lot Stunt Coaster, and "Behemoth". The ride was officially opened on April 24, 2008 for media day. It was also opened on April 25, 2008 for season pass holders from 5pm to 10pm, which was known as Season Pass Preview Night.

Trains

Behemoth's trains feature staggered seating [http://www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/forums/cgi/forum1.cgi?read=185222] , never before seen on a Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters. Each of the three trains comprise eight cars, seating four guests each for a total capacity of 32. Riders are restrained by lapbars with no interlocking seatbelts into the fibreglass and steel trains. They are named Red Train, Orange Train, and Yellow Train after their coloured fronts. Another coaster which will have the same type of trains as Behemoth will be Diamondback, opening in 2009 at Kings Island in Ohio.

Colours

Behemoth's track is orange and yellow in colour. The supports of the track are coloured blue. The trains of Behemoth are coloured orange, red, and yellow. However, the insides of Behemoth's trains are red and green. At night, red lights go up the left side of the chain lift, making the effect that the lights are going up the hill at the same speed of the train, ending just after the apex of the hill.

Photo Gallery

Behemoth

References

External links

* [http://Behemoth.canadaswonderland.com/ Behemoth's Official Website]
* [http://Behemoth.canadaswonderland.com/public/ride/stats.cfm Behemoth's Official Statistics]
* [http://www.rcdb.com/id4005.htm Behemoth on RCDB]