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Racer (Kennywood)
Encyclopedia
The Racer is a wooden
roller coaster
located at Kennywood Park
, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
, near Pittsburgh
. It is a racing
, moebius loop
coaster; one of only three in the world.
Racer was first built in 1910 as a side friction roller coaster
by Ingersoll Brothers. It was a twin-track racing coaster designed by John Miller
that cost nearly $50,000. When it was built, it was the largest racing coaster
in the world. The original Racer had two trains racing side by side on two separate tracks, but it didn't have wheels under the track, so dips and curves were gentle. The trains consisted of three-seat cars with a seating capacity
of 18. The Racer was torn down in 1926 and replaced by Kiddieland.
The second Racer was designed by John Miller
in 1927 and built by Charile Mach. Because they liked John Miller
's previous work, Kennywood
hired him to build a new twin or racing coaster. Brady McSwigan wanted a "snappy ride that wasn't too much for mothers and children to ride." It cost more than $75,000, because Miller didn't use the topography
as effectively as he had with the Jack Rabbit
and Pippin
. The highest hill of the Racer was built in a ravine and much more lumber was required. The moebius layout is caused by the setup of the station, where the trains turn away from each other upon dispatch. When the trains meet again at the lift hill, they are already on opposite sides than they were in the station, and the tracks do not split for the remainder of the ride. The new Racer's trains were locked onto the tracks
, which permitted banked curves as well as curves on the dips. Andy Vettel took the final hill out of the coaster in 1949. The loading platform's facade
was redesigned in 1946 by Hindenach and in 1960 by architect Bernard Liff of Liff, Justh and Chetlin. The original front was restored in 1990.
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
located at Kennywood Park
Kennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin, Pennsylvania
West Mifflin is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, located southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. The population was 20,313 at the 2010 census....
, near Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It is a racing
Racing roller coaster
A racing roller coaster, sometimes referred to as a dual track coaster, consists of one whole track or two separate coasters that travels along parallel or mirrored tracks to simulate a race between the trains. The coaster trains travel along tracks just a few feet apart of one another...
, moebius loop
Moebius Loop roller coaster
A Möbius loop roller coaster can be either a racing roller coaster or a dueling roller coaster. Its unique feature is that there is one continuous track instead of two separate ones. As a result, the station that a train leaves is not the same one to which it will return.Only three of this type of...
coaster; one of only three in the world.
Beginnings
The first KennywoodKennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
Racer was first built in 1910 as a side friction roller coaster
Side friction roller coaster
A side friction roller coaster is an early roller coaster design that does not have an extra set of wheels under the track to prevent cars from becoming airborne. Before the invention of up-stop wheels, coaster cars were built to run in a trough, with wheels under the car and side plates to help...
by Ingersoll Brothers. It was a twin-track racing coaster designed by John Miller
John Miller
-Politics:* John Miller , Governor of North Dakota, 1889–1891* John Miller , Governor of Missouri, 1826–1832; U.S. Representative from Missouri, 1837–1843...
that cost nearly $50,000. When it was built, it was the largest racing coaster
Racing roller coaster
A racing roller coaster, sometimes referred to as a dual track coaster, consists of one whole track or two separate coasters that travels along parallel or mirrored tracks to simulate a race between the trains. The coaster trains travel along tracks just a few feet apart of one another...
in the world. The original Racer had two trains racing side by side on two separate tracks, but it didn't have wheels under the track, so dips and curves were gentle. The trains consisted of three-seat cars with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 18. The Racer was torn down in 1926 and replaced by Kiddieland.
Rebirth
John Miller (entrepreneur)
John A. Miller was a roller coaster designer and builder. He held over 100 patents, many of which were for roller coaster safety devices , that remain key components of present-day roller coasters...
in 1927 and built by Charile Mach. Because they liked John Miller
John Miller (entrepreneur)
John A. Miller was a roller coaster designer and builder. He held over 100 patents, many of which were for roller coaster safety devices , that remain key components of present-day roller coasters...
's previous work, Kennywood
Kennywood
Kennywood is an amusement park located in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh. The park first opened in 1898 as a "trolley park" at the end of the Monongahela Street Railway. The park was purchased in 1906 by F. W. Henninger and Andrew McSwigan and thus began the Kennywood...
hired him to build a new twin or racing coaster. Brady McSwigan wanted a "snappy ride that wasn't too much for mothers and children to ride." It cost more than $75,000, because Miller didn't use the topography
Topography
Topography is the study of Earth's surface shape and features or those ofplanets, moons, and asteroids...
as effectively as he had with the Jack Rabbit
Jack Rabbit (Kennywood)
Jack Rabbit is a wooden roller coaster located at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh.Designed and built by John Miller in 1920, it is one of the oldest still-running roller coasters in the world, opening on June 18, 1920. The ride's three trains were manufactured by...
and Pippin
Thunderbolt (Kennywood)
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...
. The highest hill of the Racer was built in a ravine and much more lumber was required. The moebius layout is caused by the setup of the station, where the trains turn away from each other upon dispatch. When the trains meet again at the lift hill, they are already on opposite sides than they were in the station, and the tracks do not split for the remainder of the ride. The new Racer's trains were locked onto the tracks
Rail tracks
The track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
, which permitted banked curves as well as curves on the dips. Andy Vettel took the final hill out of the coaster in 1949. The loading platform's facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
was redesigned in 1946 by Hindenach and in 1960 by architect Bernard Liff of Liff, Justh and Chetlin. The original front was restored in 1990.
See also
- Grand NationalGrand National (roller coaster)The Grand National is a wooden roller coaster at Pleasure Beach, Blackpool. It was designed and constructed by Charles Paige in 1935 and is now one of only three surviving Möbius Loop roller coasters in the world and the only one in Eurasia. It is themed and named after the Grand National; with...
at Blackpool Pleasure Beach