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Vortex (Carowinds)
Encyclopedia
Vortex is a steel
stand-up
roller coaster
at Carowinds that was built during the last year before Paramount bought the park in the year 1992. This ride, which was unusual at its time, officially opened on March 14, 1992, on the former site of the Carolina Speedway miniature car ride. Vortex was Bolliger & Mabillard's
3rd coaster and contains a loop
and a corkscrew element in its small circuit. Vortex is repainted for the 2011 season with red track and gray supports, quite similar to the park's Intimidator coaster. Debuting with Iron Wolf at Six Great America and Vortex at California's Great America in the 1990s Vortex was one of the first of a new generation of more developed stand up coasters than what had been introduced in the 1980s.
rides, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved right drop. A loop
follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward right and downward banked turn. An upward helix follows the downward turn and is followed by a right corkscrew. After another upward helix and a wide turnaround, the train ends the finale brake run before entering the station.
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...
stand-up
Stand-up roller coaster
A stand-up roller coaster is a roller coaster designed to have the passengers stand through the course of the ride. These roller coasters are very intense, and generally carry taller height restrictions than other rides.-History:...
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...
at Carowinds that was built during the last year before Paramount bought the park in the year 1992. This ride, which was unusual at its time, officially opened on March 14, 1992, on the former site of the Carolina Speedway miniature car ride. Vortex was Bolliger & Mabillard's
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...
3rd coaster and contains a 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.-...
and a corkscrew element in its small circuit. Vortex is repainted for the 2011 season with red track and gray supports, quite similar to the park's Intimidator coaster. Debuting with Iron Wolf at Six Great America and Vortex at California's Great America in the 1990s Vortex was one of the first of a new generation of more developed stand up coasters than what had been introduced in the 1980s.
Ride Layout
Riders depart from the station in a standing position, then ascend a small 90 feet (27.4 m) lift. A small dip, characteristic of Bolliger & MabillardBolliger & 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...
rides, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved right drop. A 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.-...
follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward right and downward banked turn. An upward helix follows the downward turn and is followed by a right corkscrew. After another upward helix and a wide turnaround, the train ends the finale brake run before entering the station.
Construction Data
- 109 columns and foundations
- 411,000 pounds of steel
- 931 cubic yards of concrete