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Thunderbolt (Kennywood)
Encyclopedia
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 track headed up by Andy Vettel. The all-wood coaster
follows the surrounding terrain with a track length of 2,887 feet (880 m). Its maximum height is 70 feet (21 m), but because of the track layout and the natural ravines on which the ride is set, the maximum drop is 95 feet (29 m). Reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph (88.5 km/h), the ride takes 108 seconds to complete its circuit.
An interesting feature of the Thunderbolt is that after departing from the station, the train
does not immediately go up the lift hill
as on most other coasters. Instead, the lift hill is in the middle of the ride.
Most of the ride was left intact except for the double dip, station, and station turn-around to the first hill which were removed in 1968 for the addition of the new front helix hills necessary for the transformation of The Pippin into the new Thunderbolt roller coaster. The four drops down a ravine were incorporated in the Andy Vettel-designed Thunderbolt coaster. The Thunderbolt was rated the #1 roller coaster by the New York Times in 1974, and it still is the most popular ride at Kennywood. The Thunderbolt still uses the 1958 Pippin trains manufactured by the National Amusement Device Company, known as "Century Flyers."
In 1958, the Pippin's open-front trains were replaced with Century Flyer trains made by the National Amusement Device company. These are the trains used on the Thunderbolt today.
In 1968, the Pippin roller coaster was rebuilt and the Thunderbolt was born
In 1969, a small hill was removed from the inner helix of the front of the coaster near the loading station.
In 1991, the tunnel located at the end of the first dip was removed, and allowed the Phantom's Revenge
to go through Thunderbolt.
In 1998, for Kennywood's 100th anniversary, the headlights on the front of the trains were restored when the trains themselves were refurbished.
In 1999, there was an accident on the Thunderbolt when the operators failed to brake the train coming into the station and it collided with the train being loaded. Thirty people were injured in the crash. http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#jul8 After the accident the headlights on the cars were removed partially because the electrical system did not hold up well to the vibration of the cars.
In 2001, installation of Phantom's Revenge
resulted in the ride being closed for a few weeks so that the new ride could be built through the structure near the Turtle's Ride. Phantom's Revenge still however retains Steel Phantom's drop through the Thunderbolt. The ride was still being rebuilt even a few weeks after the new ride opened.
In 2006, the trains could be seen sporting the famous T-bolt logo on the fronts of the cars where the center headlights formerly were.
In 2008, Thunderbolt celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Thunderbolt is an ACE
Coaster Classic.
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...
. 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 track headed up by Andy Vettel. The all-wood coaster
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...
follows the surrounding terrain with a track length of 2,887 feet (880 m). Its maximum height is 70 feet (21 m), but because of the track layout and the natural ravines on which the ride is set, the maximum drop is 95 feet (29 m). Reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph (88.5 km/h), the ride takes 108 seconds to complete its circuit.
An interesting feature of the Thunderbolt is that after departing from the station, the train
Train (roller coaster)
A roller coaster train or car describes the vehicle which transports passengers around a roller coaster's circuit. More specifically, a roller coaster train is made up of two or more "cars" which are connected by some sort of specialized joint. It is called a "train" because the cars follow one...
does not immediately go up the lift hill
Lift hill
A lift hill, or chain hill, is often the initial upward-sloping section of track on a typical roller coaster that initially transports the roller coaster train to an elevated point or peak in the roller coaster ride...
as on most other coasters. Instead, the lift hill is in the middle of the ride.
Most of the ride was left intact except for the double dip, station, and station turn-around to the first hill which were removed in 1968 for the addition of the new front helix hills necessary for the transformation of The Pippin into the new Thunderbolt roller coaster. The four drops down a ravine were incorporated in the Andy Vettel-designed Thunderbolt coaster. The Thunderbolt was rated the #1 roller coaster by the New York Times in 1974, and it still is the most popular ride at Kennywood. The Thunderbolt still uses the 1958 Pippin trains manufactured by the National Amusement Device Company, known as "Century Flyers."
Timeline
In 1924, the Pippin roller coaster was built.In 1958, the Pippin's open-front trains were replaced with Century Flyer trains made by the National Amusement Device company. These are the trains used on the Thunderbolt today.
In 1968, the Pippin roller coaster was rebuilt and the Thunderbolt was born
In 1969, a small hill was removed from the inner helix of the front of the coaster near the loading station.
In 1991, the tunnel located at the end of the first dip was removed, and allowed the Phantom's Revenge
Phantom's Revenge
The Phantom's Revenge is a steel roller coaster at Kennywood Park, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Ride layout:Although the first hill is only 160 feet high, the second hill drops riders 232 feet into a ravine and through the support structure for Thunderbolt...
to go through Thunderbolt.
In 1998, for Kennywood's 100th anniversary, the headlights on the front of the trains were restored when the trains themselves were refurbished.
In 1999, there was an accident on the Thunderbolt when the operators failed to brake the train coming into the station and it collided with the train being loaded. Thirty people were injured in the crash. http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#jul8 After the accident the headlights on the cars were removed partially because the electrical system did not hold up well to the vibration of the cars.
In 2001, installation of Phantom's Revenge
Phantom's Revenge
The Phantom's Revenge is a steel roller coaster at Kennywood Park, in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh.-Ride layout:Although the first hill is only 160 feet high, the second hill drops riders 232 feet into a ravine and through the support structure for Thunderbolt...
resulted in the ride being closed for a few weeks so that the new ride could be built through the structure near the Turtle's Ride. Phantom's Revenge still however retains Steel Phantom's drop through the Thunderbolt. The ride was still being rebuilt even a few weeks after the new ride opened.
In 2006, the trains could be seen sporting the famous T-bolt logo on the fronts of the cars where the center headlights formerly were.
In 2008, Thunderbolt celebrates its 40th anniversary.
Awards and rankings
American Coaster Enthusiasts
The American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
Coaster Classic.
| Golden Ticket Awards: Top Wooden Roller Coasters | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
| Ranking | |||||||||||||
| Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best Wooden-Tracked Roller Coaster | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| Ranking | |||||||||||
| NAPHA National Amusement Park Historical Association The National Amusement Park Historical Association was founded in 1978 by a former employee of Chicago's Riverview Amusement Park, and NAPHA has grown throughout a long period of time to include amusement parks from all over the world. NAPHA preserves amusement park history and historic rides. ... Survey: Favorite Wood Roller Coaster |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Year | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Ranking | |||