Orient Express (roller coaster)
Encyclopedia
The Orient Express
was a steel roller coaster
at Worlds of Fun
amusement park
in Kansas City, Missouri
. The Orient Express was introduced to Worlds of Fun in 1980. The red-orange track was in between the two entrances of the park. The station house is still visible, and contains the park's haunted attraction Lore of the Vampire and Club Blood.
The Orient Express was the first coaster ever to have a "Kamikaze Curve" element, which was later termed a "boomerang" by Arrow Dynamics
and a "batwing" by Bolliger & Mabillard
. This element consists of a 90-degree dive to the right or left (similar to half a corkscrew), followed by half of a traditional loop
element, then a rising half loop, then a final 90-degree dive sending the track in the same direction it entered the element. This element was later often used on Arrow's larger looping coasters, as well as on the Vekoma designed Goudurix
at Parc Astérix
, where it was known as a "Double Sidewinder", and on B&M's inverted roller coaster
s. The Orient Express also featured a tunnel prior to the lift hill that housed the Orient Express Dragon, a wooden sign that had the ride's logo illuminated.
The queue house had a "chicken exit" that guests could take if they chickened out at the last minute. The sign for the chicken exit now resides in the station house for Timber Wolf
.
The Orient Express was also the second full circuit roller coaster to have interlocking loops, the Loch Ness Monster
being the first. Lightnin' Loops
at Six Flags Great Adventure, which opened in 1978, was the first roller coaster to have interlocking loops, but the coaster was made up of two separate shuttle tracks. With the retirement of the Orient Express, the Loch Ness Monster is again the only coaster with this feature.
The ride started out running three trains at once but over time only two would run at a time due to the ride's blocking system. If there was a backup in the station it caused a train to stop just outside the station and another train would stop half way through the ride on the C-Brake. This caused the ride to shut down and the only way to get the train out of the trim brakes half way through the ride was to have an employee climb up the C-Brake stairs and manually release the brakes.
The Orient Express suffered several malfunctions within the last seasons of its life. It broke down often and in 1999 the last two cars derailed just before the final brake, leaving riders stranded for a couple of hours. Contrary to some rumors, no one ever died on the roller coaster, and it also was never stuck upside-down. The site Orient Express was located on also remains empty, contrary to the belief that Spinning Dragons and Patriot replaced the roller coaster. Behind Spinning Dragons, the ride's old station still remains.
Number of cars per train: 7
Passengers per car: 4
The ride was broken into 5 blocks. Block A was the house. Block B was the lift. Block C was from the first drop to through the first loop to the C break. Block D was the second loop, the Kamikaze Curve to the breaks outside the house. When running three trains, one would be in the house loading passengers while the second would be climbing the lift and the third was out on the track. As the lift train cleared the lift, the house train was released for the lift. This was a fast paced operation since the car had to enter the house, unload and load all in the span of time it took a train to climb the lift. Shutdowns would happen when the house train did not clear the house by the time the train behind it reached the C break. This was mainly caused by riders taking too long to exit or load in the train.
To restart after a shutdown took two people. One person would go to the manual break release under the C brake while the other ran the control panel breaks in the house. One train would be taken to the top of the lift and stopped. The second train would be stopped at the C brake before the second inverted loop. The third train would be in the house. To start the process, the C break was pulled to release the train for the second loop. The lift train would be released as soon as the C block train was clear of the break. Once the lift train cleared the house train was released. This was done several times during the first year of operation until the ride was reduced to two trains.
If the track was wet it would occasionally not make it through the second loop. This was called a "roll back" and shut down the ride. The car would be winched up to the C break to complete the run.
Orient Express
The Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train service originally operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. It ran from 1883 to 2009 and is not to be confused with the Venice-Simplon Orient Express train service, which continues to run.The route and rolling stock...
was a steel roller coaster
Steel roller coaster
A steel roller coaster is a roller coaster that is defined by having a track made of steel. Steel coasters have earned immense popularity in the past 50 years throughout the world...
at Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun
Worlds of Fun is an amusement park in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. The park opened in 1973 and was originally built by Lamar Hunt and Jack Steadman . In 1995 Hunt-Midwest sold Worlds of Fun to Cedar Fair Entertainment Co., which currently owns the park...
amusement park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. The Orient Express was introduced to Worlds of Fun in 1980. The red-orange track was in between the two entrances of the park. The station house is still visible, and contains the park's haunted attraction Lore of the Vampire and Club Blood.
The Orient Express was the first coaster ever to have a "Kamikaze Curve" element, which was later termed a "boomerang" 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...
and a "batwing" by Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice-president...
. This element consists of a 90-degree dive to the right or left (similar to half a corkscrew), followed by half of a traditional loop
Loop (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.-...
element, then a rising half loop, then a final 90-degree dive sending the track in the same direction it entered the element. This element was later often used on Arrow's larger looping coasters, as well as on the Vekoma designed Goudurix
Goudurix
Goudurix is a steel roller coaster located Parc Astérix in France. The Vekoma built ride jointly held the world record for the greatest number of inversions upon its opening in 1989. The record was lost in 1995 to Dragon Khan in Spain. It is one of only two coasters in the world to feature a...
at Parc Astérix
Parc Astérix
Parc Astérix is a theme amusement park in France, based on the stories of Asterix . Situated approximately north of Paris and from Disneyland Resort Paris, in Plailly in the département of Oise, it opened in 1989...
, where it was known as a "Double Sidewinder", and on B&M's inverted roller coaster
Inverted roller coaster
An inverted roller coaster is a roller coaster in which the train runs under the track with the seats directly attached to the wheel carriage. This latter attribute is what sets it apart from the older suspended coaster, which runs under the track, but "swings" via a pivoting bar attached to the...
s. The Orient Express also featured a tunnel prior to the lift hill that housed the Orient Express Dragon, a wooden sign that had the ride's logo illuminated.
The queue house had a "chicken exit" that guests could take if they chickened out at the last minute. The sign for the chicken exit now resides in the station house for Timber Wolf
Timber Wolf (roller coaster)
Timber Wolf is a wooden roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. Timber Wolf was designed by Curtis D. Summers and was built by the Dinn Corporation and opened in 1989.- The ride :...
.
The Orient Express was also the second full circuit roller coaster to have interlocking loops, the Loch Ness Monster
Loch Ness Monster (roller coaster)
The Loch Ness Monster is a roller coaster located of Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Designed by Ron Toomer of Arrow Dynamics, the Loch Ness Monster was the world's tallest roller coaster when it opened in 1978. It was the first continuous circuit coaster and is a coaster to contain interlocking loops...
being the first. Lightnin' Loops
Lightnin' Loops
The Lightnin' Loops were two interlocking track Arrow Dynamics Shuttle Loop roller coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure.-History:Lightnin' Loops was built in 1977 and opened in 1978 at Six Flags Great Adventure. Six Flags had acquired the park in 1977 and Lightnin' Loops was planned by the prior...
at Six Flags Great Adventure, which opened in 1978, was the first roller coaster to have interlocking loops, but the coaster was made up of two separate shuttle tracks. With the retirement of the Orient Express, the Loch Ness Monster is again the only coaster with this feature.
The ride started out running three trains at once but over time only two would run at a time due to the ride's blocking system. If there was a backup in the station it caused a train to stop just outside the station and another train would stop half way through the ride on the C-Brake. This caused the ride to shut down and the only way to get the train out of the trim brakes half way through the ride was to have an employee climb up the C-Brake stairs and manually release the brakes.
The Orient Express suffered several malfunctions within the last seasons of its life. It broke down often and in 1999 the last two cars derailed just before the final brake, leaving riders stranded for a couple of hours. Contrary to some rumors, no one ever died on the roller coaster, and it also was never stuck upside-down. The site Orient Express was located on also remains empty, contrary to the belief that Spinning Dragons and Patriot replaced the roller coaster. Behind Spinning Dragons, the ride's old station still remains.
Other information
Number of trains: 3Number of cars per train: 7
Passengers per car: 4
The ride was broken into 5 blocks. Block A was the house. Block B was the lift. Block C was from the first drop to through the first loop to the C break. Block D was the second loop, the Kamikaze Curve to the breaks outside the house. When running three trains, one would be in the house loading passengers while the second would be climbing the lift and the third was out on the track. As the lift train cleared the lift, the house train was released for the lift. This was a fast paced operation since the car had to enter the house, unload and load all in the span of time it took a train to climb the lift. Shutdowns would happen when the house train did not clear the house by the time the train behind it reached the C break. This was mainly caused by riders taking too long to exit or load in the train.
To restart after a shutdown took two people. One person would go to the manual break release under the C brake while the other ran the control panel breaks in the house. One train would be taken to the top of the lift and stopped. The second train would be stopped at the C brake before the second inverted loop. The third train would be in the house. To start the process, the C break was pulled to release the train for the second loop. The lift train would be released as soon as the C block train was clear of the break. Once the lift train cleared the house train was released. This was done several times during the first year of operation until the ride was reduced to two trains.
If the track was wet it would occasionally not make it through the second loop. This was called a "roll back" and shut down the ride. The car would be winched up to the C break to complete the run.