Hypersonic getting vertical at Kings Dominion, photos released
Posted Tuesday, December 12, 2000 12:27 PM | Contributed by Jeff
Looking like a fragment from the recent Roller Coaster Tycoon expansion pack on the PC, vertical construction on Hypersonic XLC, the new S&S air-launched coaster at Paramount's Kings Dominion, has begun. If you weren't planning a trip to Virginia this year, change your plans!
the fact that those 2 towers will have VERTICAL track on either side of them boggles the mind... at 80 MPH to 165 feet, that has to be one heck of an apex!!!
To tell yo uthe truth, IMO this ride doesn't look all that good. The concept art shows that the downwards vertical will start earlier to curve back to horizontal, and will not even go to the ground!
Oh well....
I guess I still have got to make a trip down there next year!
Everybody's talking about how this ride won't be thrilling and whatnot...
Well dear god, if that doesn't thrill you, what will?
And yes, I'd ride that sucker even without the added bunny hop. (Basically, yes, I would wait in line for an hour or more for a ride on the prototype.)
As for it not going completely to the ground, I don't think it has anything to do with the amount of positive G's. If they did want to take it all the way down, they could. Just extend the drop a bit, and lengthen the pullout a tad.
------------- How dare you vanquish the Steel Phantom without his consent? Fear the Phantom's Revenge.
Looks great. I thought it was cool how you could see a train on the Thunderbolt while going down the hill. ------------- Thank you for riding America's Roller Coast
*** This post was edited by loriu on 12/13/2000. ***
I want my XLC! (Play on that song "I want my MTV") Seriously how much are these things? I think every park should get one. ESPECIALLY CF:LP PARKS hint hint Phil Bender. ;)
Actually I'm holding out for a B&M inverted to land at the Worlds.
Dustijn ------------WILDFIRE------------ Today, Tomorrow, and FOREVER SDC ---------------------------------
The more I look at it the more I cant wait till spring. Thank god I am so close to PKD..I am going to be there the first day it opens! Im still having trouble grasping exactly how fast 0-80 mph in 1.8 seconds is. It is absolutely no comparison to Flight of Fear or Volcano!
This definitely looks awesome! An S&S Air coaster? I thought that the Premier LIM coasters (The Chiller, Mr. Freeze)were impressive, 0-70 in 4 seconds! But 0-80 in less than 2! That must be such an adrenaline rush! I can't wait to ride that monster!
I was just disapointed after seeing the prototype, and then this. Even with the addition of a bunny hop, which makes it a more "Complete" coaster, I still think the extra vertical drop would make up for not having it.
Jephry- If those "extreme" postive g's are so bad, then why did they design them into the prototype? Not the best way to sell a coaster....
I agree. Even the prototype turned me on. 
This is going to be one fantastic ride!