Thunderbolt
I rode the Thunderbolt at KW last year. I didn't think it was anything special. Maybe #1 for being the most overrated coaster. It has some good points. I love the old NAD cars and the big drops out of the station before the lift hill. The helix is on the dull side to me although it has strong lateral forces. Its an ok coaster to me.
I'm assuming you're talking about the Discovery channel special that aired last year. There's a very good reason why the KW Thunderbolt placed so high. That survey was carried out by NAPHA (National Amusement Park Historical Association). A fair number of its members are in the Pittsburgh area, and to those people KW is up there in their hearts like CP is with most of us (assuming that most of the posters here come from Jeff's GTTP). Therefore, the Steel Phantom and Thunderbolt get high marks.
I've ridden the Thunderbolt and I agree with coasterpunk on the most part. It's got some really good points: the trains have some character, the use of terrain is very nice, and the Steel Phantom slicing thru is cool.
Personally, I would rank it towards the bottom of my top ten.
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Scott W. Short
sshort@mediaone.net
http://welcome.to/midwestcoastercentral
I've ridden the Thunderbolt and I agree with coasterpunk on the most part. It's got some really good points: the trains have some character, the use of terrain is very nice, and the Steel Phantom slicing thru is cool.
Personally, I would rank it towards the bottom of my top ten.
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Scott W. Short
sshort@mediaone.net
http://welcome.to/midwestcoastercentral
Being that I live 15 minutes from Kennywood, I vistit there numerous times per year. I have to agree with the headbanging issue with Steel Phantom, it just plain hurts sometimes!
As far as the debate on the Thunderbolt, I tend to keep at arms lenght at that one! Now being that I'm so close to Kennywood, and have a long patronizing relationship with the park, I both agree and disagree with the Thunderbolt's rankings. Especially after taking a first ride on the Coney Island Cyclone last year, I feel that there are better coasters out there. But the terrain, definitly adds to the character of the Thunderbolt! On a side note, I tend to like the Jack Rabbit a little better though. Nothing beats the airtime you get from sitting in the back seat, going down over the double dip!!
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Neil
By popular vote, the official start
of the Millennium has been moved to
May 13, 2000
As far as the debate on the Thunderbolt, I tend to keep at arms lenght at that one! Now being that I'm so close to Kennywood, and have a long patronizing relationship with the park, I both agree and disagree with the Thunderbolt's rankings. Especially after taking a first ride on the Coney Island Cyclone last year, I feel that there are better coasters out there. But the terrain, definitly adds to the character of the Thunderbolt! On a side note, I tend to like the Jack Rabbit a little better though. Nothing beats the airtime you get from sitting in the back seat, going down over the double dip!!
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Neil
By popular vote, the official start
of the Millennium has been moved to
May 13, 2000
I thought the Thunderbolt was a great coaster - but I'd have to agree, it's not #1. But the lateral forces are really high on it which ranks it in my top 10.
As for Steel Phantom, if you ride the front of the back car, it's not any worse than any other Arrow coaster (and I know that's not saying much). But! The sheer thrill of going down the second drop, through the Thunderbolt... at what? 80 mph? is sure worth it. I LOVED it, and I've ranked it mid-to-low top 10.
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Julie's Coaster Pictures!
http://members.xoom.com/coasterlover
As for Steel Phantom, if you ride the front of the back car, it's not any worse than any other Arrow coaster (and I know that's not saying much). But! The sheer thrill of going down the second drop, through the Thunderbolt... at what? 80 mph? is sure worth it. I LOVED it, and I've ranked it mid-to-low top 10.
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Julie's Coaster Pictures!
http://members.xoom.com/coasterlover
Speaking of Kennywood I have noticed that this park has been getting alot of publicity lately. I was just curious what the overall rating is of this park. If its a kickass park I might just take a trip out that way. P.S. Of course not without visiting Cedar Point first. Havent been to either one of these parks but they make alot of news (and noise) for that matter. Give me some feedback.
Later coaster junkies
Later coaster junkies
I loved the Mean Streak! In no way does this rollercoaster suck! You can't have smooth Woodies! It's not right! Besides, the shaking is part of the lumber, and as a person said on a rollercoaster program, "... If it doesn't shake, it will break." This is true!!! Wood has that nature! It's nothing like steel. Steel is planted there and does not move. That's why it is smooth. That's what makes a steel coaster and the shaking on a woodie makes it a woodie! I rode Mean Streak over 7 times in a row and never got a headache! Look at the statistics of it. It has the highest drop on a wooden coaster (prior to Son Of Beast) and the fastest speed of any woodie, (also prior to Son Of Beast) Every coaster has its assets/fallbacks. That is what makes Mean Streak a one of a kind!!!!!! :)
I've been all over the US riding coasters lateley and I still have to rate Thunderbolt as my number 1 ride.
Overall I think Kennywood has the best wooden coasters that can be found anywhere. But the reason though don't get much publicity is because they are really short.
I say I like wooden coasters better than steel coasters. But I have never liked a wooden coaster that's not at Kennywood. I was at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (horrible park) at the beginning of april and I rode Gwazi. To me this ride had not thrill! I was bored the whole ride. Same with Kumba, I found that to be one of the most disapointing ride I ever rode. The only coaster I liked at that park was Montu.
And for the Steel Phantom, I like it better than Magnum for some reason. Yes it's short and it will give you a headache but he drop in the Ravine puts it right behind Thunderbolt on my list.
And Thunderbolt is not a coaster that you will ride and love on the first time. It's a coaster that will grow on you.
Overall I think Kennywood has the best wooden coasters that can be found anywhere. But the reason though don't get much publicity is because they are really short.
I say I like wooden coasters better than steel coasters. But I have never liked a wooden coaster that's not at Kennywood. I was at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (horrible park) at the beginning of april and I rode Gwazi. To me this ride had not thrill! I was bored the whole ride. Same with Kumba, I found that to be one of the most disapointing ride I ever rode. The only coaster I liked at that park was Montu.
And for the Steel Phantom, I like it better than Magnum for some reason. Yes it's short and it will give you a headache but he drop in the Ravine puts it right behind Thunderbolt on my list.
And Thunderbolt is not a coaster that you will ride and love on the first time. It's a coaster that will grow on you.
I love the Thunderbolt. What other ride has it's higherst drops at the end of the ride?? It just gets faster and more fun as the ride progresses. But i must also say that it's not my number one coaster; but it has to be in the top ten.
As for the Phantom, it gets worse every year. The second drop is amazing, but the ending HURTS! As long as the replacement is good i won't miss it to much.
As for the park i would have to say it's my number one non-home park. Sorry i am a Cedar Point junkie. How can you beat the selection? But i have always said that Kennywood is the only park that is worth paying full admition for. They don't pretend to be what they are not. They are a great old trolly park that has great history. It isn't very big, even small. But the woodies are the best collection around. And the prices are very reasonable for an amusesment park.
I just hope that not to many people find out about this gem and make it too crowded, because they don't have much room to expand.
As for the Phantom, it gets worse every year. The second drop is amazing, but the ending HURTS! As long as the replacement is good i won't miss it to much.
As for the park i would have to say it's my number one non-home park. Sorry i am a Cedar Point junkie. How can you beat the selection? But i have always said that Kennywood is the only park that is worth paying full admition for. They don't pretend to be what they are not. They are a great old trolly park that has great history. It isn't very big, even small. But the woodies are the best collection around. And the prices are very reasonable for an amusesment park.
I just hope that not to many people find out about this gem and make it too crowded, because they don't have much room to expand.
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