Montezooma's Revenge

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Montezooma's Revenge
Location Knott's Berry Farm
Park Section Fiesta Village
Type Steel - Launched
Status Open
Opened May 21, 1978
Manufacturer Schwarzkopf
Designer Ingenieur Büro Stengel GmbH
Model Flywheel Launch Shuttle Coaster
Track layout Shuttle Loop
Lift/launch system Flywheel launch
Height 148 feet (45.1 m)
Length 800 feet (243.8 m)
Max speed 55 mile per hour (88.5 km/h)
Inversions 1
Duration 36 seconds
Capacity 1344 riders per hour
Acceleration 0 − 55 mph in 4.5 seconds
Montezooma's Revenge at RCDB
Pictures of Montezooma's Revenge at RCDB


Contents

[edit] The Ride

Montezooma's Revenge is a shuttle roller coaster at Knott's Berry Farm, opened May 21, 1978. It was designed by Anton Schwarzkopf and is one of the first flywheel shuttle roller coasters. Of the shuttle loopers, this is one of the few left in the world.

[edit] The Mechanism

The ride uses a flywheel mechanism to push the train to 55 mph in 4.5 seconds. The train goes through a loop, then ascends a spike and reverses direction. It passes through the station in reverse and ascends another spike behind the station. The flywheel is attacthed to a clutch system, which runs a small catch car known as a "BOB" back and forth on the track. BOB is a small four wheeled weighted launch pin that connected to the back of the train. Once connected, the clutch system engages, and the flywheel spins, pulling the cable BOB is connected to forwards. The train is released from BOB and continues on its way.

[edit] History

The flywheel launch shuttle is a processor of the drop-tower launch shuttle. The drop tower models had a large silo with a weight inside connected to a similar launch system. The weight would drop, thus pulling the cable and BOB, launching the train. Drawbacks included no adjustments for inclement weather. Also, the launch was nowhere as intense as the flywheel model. Not many drop tower models exist today.

[edit] Fun Facts

One of the attractions of the ride is the fact that only a lap bar holds the rider in the seat while the ride zooms along the upside down loop of the track, with only 'g' forces to keep you from falling. Following Cedar Fair LP's takeover of Knott's Berry Farm, fabric seat belts were also added as a secondary restraint system.

[edit] Other Notes

  • In 2002, the Montezooma's Revenge was repainted with teal track and yellow supports.
  • The ride has 66 sets of brakes, 33 in the station and 33 to the rear of the station.
  • Seat belts were added to Zoom following the acquisition of the park by Cedar Fair LLC in 1997.
Roller coasters at Knott's Berry Farm

Boomerang - GhostRider - Jaguar! - Montezooma's Revenge - Silver Bullet - Timberline TwisterXcelerator