Sky Rocket topped off at Kennywood
Posted
[Ed. note: The following is an unedited press release from Premier Rides. -J]
Premier Rides’ newest multi-million dollar installation, the Sky Rocket at Kennywood Park, was successfully topped off by ironworkers this week. The final 70 foot track section weighing over 8 tons was carefully installed ten stories up in the air at the highest point of the ride.
Jim Seay, President of Premier Rides commented, “We are extremely proud to reach this milestone and extra proud that we are providing an attraction that has generated hundreds of manufacturing and ironworker jobs right here in the United States.”
Sky Rocket’s magnetic launch technology makes this coaster one of Kennywood’s most exciting attractions in the park. Kennywood’s new launch coaster will feature many exciting and unique elements including three inversions and a 0-80km/hr (50mph) launch in two seconds. After the high-speed launch, riders will experience a vertical ascent to 95 feet before a brief cliffhanger pause at the top and a 90-degree drop into a maximum G-force pullout. The riders will then enjoy extended airtime as the train races into an inverted top hat element, passes into a barrel roll, and goes vertical again through a twist up leading to another pause. Riders experience a second vertical free fall followed by another maximum G-force pullout on the way into a highly banked fan curve. After a twisted corkscrew, a curve to a zero gravity hill, and a series of wave turns, riders finally return to the station.
See also: Sky Rocket at Kennywood in the CoasterBuzz database.
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^Exactly, on both counts. Wicked rocked...compact steel can be VERY good (all those Anton Wildcats can't be wrong!)... ;)
You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)
They just posted photos of the trains on their FB page.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/album.php?aid=171369&id=123450319864
Just lap bars. :)
Before you can be older and wiser you first have to be young and stupid.
The train almost seems like a developmental model. Very little of the mechanics are covered up. Which might not be noticeable from the station platform. But, it would from everywhere else. The seats appear to be very accommodating (wide). I'll be interested to see how comfortable they are. I love that it's just a lap bar.
884 Coasters, 34 States, 7 Countries
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Love the train, very utilitarian. IMO Premier makes the best inverting seat/restraint combo of any coaster I've currently been on with a possible exception of MS (granted Rockit doesn't invert, so I can't be 100% there).
^Drayton's G-Force does invert, is M-S, and has fantastic trains...but Premier builds some fantastic rides...and they learned to build/retrofit restraint systems that don't have OTSR's (Lord I miss Chiller!).
You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)
It's interesting that Premier is still using the shin bar. I would think that with as deep as the seats are, it wouldn't be necessary. Then again, those also mean you probably can accommodate larger riders.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Shin bars are cool, they are nice and snug and force your legs into the correct position. They are overkill on something like The Mummy, but on this ride they seem appropriate to me.
Yeah, Mummy could have gotten by with just the lap restraint (Man I love the Florida version, and Hollywood's is fun too!). But still, for an inverting coaster, these are my favorite restraints.
Gator, I'd love to see what the MS restraints do whilst inverting. Rockit was very comfortable. I just wish it'd been more fun, but meh.
What I noticed on Opening Day was how ridiculously short the launch track appears to be. I'm looking forward to this thing.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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Not sure if it's because it's a KW, or because it's Premier, or the launch thing....I sure did THINK this thread would get a lot more action.
Just goes to show I don't understand enthusiasts any better than anoyone else.... ;)
P.S. to Clint - the MS lappy-style inversions are fun...not Chiller, but very fun. The inverting on the lift I could do without, though...
The trains kind of look like the new trains for the cliffhanger coaster at ghost town in the sky...
what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard.
Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it.
I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
It just may beat Shoot the Rapids. Anyone want to put money on it? ;)
My author website: mgrantroberts.com
A win for "buy American?" Does Premier fab their stuff here? That would be a first in a long time.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
All the steel, design, controls, etc. are American made. The LSM system itself was subcontracted to a German company.
Hi
In all honesty, though, I don't understand why more parks don't 'buy American', at least with premier. Premier has a decent range of coasters, and even though their specialty is LIM Launched coasters, they can do traditional lifts, and I'm sure they would if a park wanted to pay them to do one. Not only that, but they have solid products now. I know originally there were issues with getting rides open on time, but that's been over a decade.
I live only an hour or so away, therefore, I graciously offer myself up to be a test dummy. :)
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