Thunderbolt (Kennywood)
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| Thunderbolt | |
 Kennywood's Thunderbolt |
|
| Location | Kennywood |
|---|---|
| Type | Wood |
| Status | Open |
| Opened | 1924 |
| Manufacturer | Andy Vettel |
| Designer | Joseph E. Drambour |
| Model | Out and Back roller coaster |
| Height | 70 feet (21.3 m) |
| Drop | 95 feet (29 m) |
| Length | 2,887 feet (880 m) |
| Max speed | 55 mile per hour (88.5 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:30 |
| Thunderbolt at RCDB | |
| Pictures of Thunderbolt at RCDB | |
The Thunderbolt is a wooden roller coaster located at Kennywood Park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Originally built by John A. Miller in 1924, the ride's name was Pippin until 1967, when it changed to Thunderbolt beginning with the 1968 season, coinciding with an expansion of the track headed up by Andy Vettel. The all-wood coaster follows the surrounding terrain with a track length of 2,887 feet (880 m). Its maximum height is 70 feet (21 m), but because of the track layout the maximum drop is 95 feet (29 m). Reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph (88.5 km/h), the ride takes 90 seconds to complete its circuit.
The Thunderbolt's three trains were built by the National Amusement Device Company, and carry 24 riders in four cars.
An interesting feature of the Thunderbolt is that after departing from the station, the train does not immediately go up the lift hill as on most other coasters. Instead, the lift hill is in the middle of the ride.
In 1999 there was an accident on the Thunderbolt when the operators failed to brake the car coming into the station and it collided with the car being loaded. Thirty people were injured in the crash. [1]
| Roller coasters at Kennywood |
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Exterminator - Jack Rabbit - Racer - Phantom's Revenge - Thunderbolt |
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This article about an amusement park, amusement ride, or roller coaster is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
