Rita - Queen of Speed

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Rita - Queen of Speed
Location	Alton Towers
Park Section	Ug Land
Type	Steel - Launched
Status	Open
Opened	April 1, 2005
Manufacturer	Intamin AG
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Accelerator Coaster
Lift/launch system	Hydraulic Launch
Height	69 feet (21 m)
Length	2,100 feet (640.1 m)
Max speed	62.1 mile per hour (99.9 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	0:25
Capacity	1,100 riders per hour
Acceleration	0 − 62.1 mph in 2.5 seconds, maximum 1.5 g
Max G force	4.7
Rita - Queen of Speed at Theme Park Junkies
Rita - Queen of Speed at RCDB
Pictures of Rita - Queen of Speed at RCDB

Rita - Queen of Speed is an Intamin AG Accelerator Coaster and one of the newer roller coasters to be built at Alton Towers in Staffordshire, England. It accelerates to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in approximately 2.5 seconds. The ride is located in the Ug Land area of the park and was opened on 1 April 2005. The ride is based on drag racing.

[edit] The Ride

This European first is Alton Towers first Launched coaster since the Thunderlooper was removed back in 1997. Rita launches you from 0 to 100 kph in 2.5 seconds from the station pulling 4.7g's straight into a banked turn and then around Ug land via air time hills and steep turns. Rita takes part in the Thunder Rock Rally around Ug land and much of the old Ug Land theme still remains adding that pre historic twist to Rita's theme. Rita is arguably a more intense, enjoyable and unique ride than the similarly designed stealth at thorpe park. Stealth, also a launch coaster, accelerates in two seperate launches, creating the sensation of a gradual build up of speed, while Rita reaches full speed with a single stronger launch, creating a more intense experience. Rita also has much more air-time due to it's long track, along which the cars remain at an intense speed as they race up and over the steep stomach wrenching drops and round the sleek, sweeping twists and turns, while stealth contains just the single tophat and drop after the launch, up which the cars lose considerable speed due to it being straight up a vertical track. Rita is therefore a winner for coaster fans, while stealth is prefered by those who love "dive machines" such as oblivion.