Carolina Cyclone
Encyclopedia
The Carolina Cyclone is a roller coaster located at Carowinds in Charlotte, North Carolina
and Fort Mill, South Carolina
. The Carolina Cyclone, built in 1980 by world renowned coaster builders Arrow Dynamics
, was the first ride featuring 4 inversions, two loops and two corkscrews.The Carolina Cyclone is still running after 30 years. The coaster was repainted for the 2010 season.
The ride was originally painted with green track and black supports, and later blue track and gray supports. For the 2010 season, a new paint job was applied. The supports are light blue along the entire ride. The track in the final brake run, station, and from the station to the top of the first drop, is also painted light blue, but the inversions are painted yellow and the track on the first drop, turn between the corkscrews, and final helix are all painted yellow.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
and Fort Mill, South Carolina
Fort Mill, South Carolina
Fort Mill is a fast-growing suburban town in both York and Lancaster counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, and a suburb of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Rock Hill...
. The Carolina Cyclone, built in 1980 by world renowned coaster builders Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
, was the first ride featuring 4 inversions, two loops and two corkscrews.The Carolina Cyclone is still running after 30 years. The coaster was repainted for the 2010 season.
Ride layout
Riders exit the station and make a tight left turn before the lift begins pulling them to the top. A small drop, along with a turn, brings the train to the largest drop on the roller coaster. Directly after the drop, the two loops exist followed by a small hill with a banked turn. As the train makes its way over the walkway it flips riders twice in two corkscrews, one directly after the other. These make Carolina Cyclone the first ever coaster with four inversions. After the corkscrews riders are taken to a near-ground helix before hitting the brake run and returning to the station.The ride was originally painted with green track and black supports, and later blue track and gray supports. For the 2010 season, a new paint job was applied. The supports are light blue along the entire ride. The track in the final brake run, station, and from the station to the top of the first drop, is also painted light blue, but the inversions are painted yellow and the track on the first drop, turn between the corkscrews, and final helix are all painted yellow.
Ride elements
- Two loopsLoop (roller coaster)The generic roller coaster vertical loop is the most basic of roller coaster inversions. Specifically, the loop refers to a continuously upward-sloping section of track that eventually results in a complete 360 degree circle. At the top-most piece of the loop, riders are completely inverted.-...
- Two corkscrews (that go over the walkway like Corkscrew at Cedar PointCedar PointCedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
)