Coal Cracker
Encyclopedia
Coal Cracker is a classic hydroflume ride located at Hersheypark
in Hershey, Pennsylvania
. The ride was installed by Arrow Dynamics
in 1973, making it the oldest water ride at Hersheypark still in daily operation. It has a unique layout, due to the terrain features of this part of the park.
Riders are seated in 12 feet (3.7 m) boats for the three and a half minute ride along a water channel over 2000 feet (609.6 m) long. Once the fiberglass
boat has ascended the first lift hill, riders are only 55 feet (16.8 m) off the ground. A second lift carries riders above the Twin Turnpike ride, preparing them for the final 35-degree, 49 feet (14.9 m) drop. Riders' photograph
s are taken midway through the drop. The Coal Cracker shares space with several newer rides, including the SooperDooperLooper
(built in 1977) and the Great Bear
(1998).
The water supply for the ride is pumped through pipes connected to a 14000 square feet (1,300.6 m²) man-made lake. This lake has the capacity to store 100000 gal of water, and the pump system can handle approximately 25000 gal a minute. Guests are loaded into the boats from a revolving turntable; as the boats are always in motion this permits a higher ride capacity while providing more stability during loading and unloading.
Coal Cracker ride photos are produced and sold by Get The Picture Corporation.
The Coal Cracker ride is not in operation during fall and winter events at Hersheypark, such as Hersheypark in the Dark and Christmas Candylane.
Also, "Coal Cracker" is an endearing name natives of the Pennylvania Coal Mining Region have given themselves and they proudly display it on T-shirts and bumper stickers.
Hersheypark
Hersheypark is an amusement park located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, near the Hershey Chocolate Factory.Hersheypark was opened on April 24, 1907 as a leisure park for the employees of the Hershey Chocolate Company, an American confectionery company. Later, the company decided to open the park to the...
in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey, Pennsylvania
Hershey is a census-designated place in Derry Township, Dauphin County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The community is located 14 miles east of Harrisburg and is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area. Hershey has no legal status as an incorporated municipality...
. The ride was installed by 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...
in 1973, making it the oldest water ride at Hersheypark still in daily operation. It has a unique layout, due to the terrain features of this part of the park.
Riders are seated in 12 feet (3.7 m) boats for the three and a half minute ride along a water channel over 2000 feet (609.6 m) long. Once the fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
boat has ascended the first lift hill, riders are only 55 feet (16.8 m) off the ground. A second lift carries riders above the Twin Turnpike ride, preparing them for the final 35-degree, 49 feet (14.9 m) drop. Riders' photograph
Photograph
A photograph is an image created by light falling on a light-sensitive surface, usually photographic film or an electronic imager such as a CCD or a CMOS chip. Most photographs are created using a camera, which uses a lens to focus the scene's visible wavelengths of light into a reproduction of...
s are taken midway through the drop. The Coal Cracker shares space with several newer rides, including the SooperDooperLooper
SooperDooperLooper
The SooperDooperLooper is a ride at Hersheypark, and the first looping coaster on the East Coast. It was designed as a terrain coaster by Werner Stengel, and built by Anton Schwarzkopf.-Rider Experience:...
(built in 1977) and the Great Bear
Great Bear (roller coaster)
Great Bear is a roller coaster located at Hersheypark, Hershey, Pennsylvania. It was built by Bolliger & Mabillard during the winter of 1997 and opened for the 1998 season...
(1998).
The water supply for the ride is pumped through pipes connected to a 14000 square feet (1,300.6 m²) man-made lake. This lake has the capacity to store 100000 gal of water, and the pump system can handle approximately 25000 gal a minute. Guests are loaded into the boats from a revolving turntable; as the boats are always in motion this permits a higher ride capacity while providing more stability during loading and unloading.
Coal Cracker ride photos are produced and sold by Get The Picture Corporation.
The Coal Cracker ride is not in operation during fall and winter events at Hersheypark, such as Hersheypark in the Dark and Christmas Candylane.
Also, "Coal Cracker" is an endearing name natives of the Pennylvania Coal Mining Region have given themselves and they proudly display it on T-shirts and bumper stickers.