Vortex (Carowinds)

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Vortex

The vertical loop
Location Carowinds
Park section Carolina Showplace
Type Steel - Stand-up
Status Open
Opened March 14, 1992
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer Ingenieur Büro Stengel GmbH
Model Stand-Up Custom
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 90 ft (27 m)
Length 2,040 ft (620 m)
Max speed 50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions 2
Duration 2:19
Height restriction 4 ft 6 in (140 cm)
Vortex at RCDB
Pictures of Vortex at RCDB

Vortex is a steel stand-up roller coaster at Carowinds that was built during the last year before Paramount bought the park in the year 1992. This extraordinary ride (of its time) officially opened on March 14, 1992, on the former site of the Carolina Speedway miniature car ride. Vortex was Bolliger & Mabillard's 3rd coaster and contains a loop and a corkscrew in its small circuit.

Contents

[edit] Ride Layout

Riders depart from the station in a unique standing position ready to ascend a small 90-foot (27 m) lift. A small dip, characteristic of Bolliger & Mabillard rides, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved drop. A loop follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward and downward banked turn. A helix follows the downwards turn and is followed-up by a corkscrew. After a wide turn the brake run slows the train before it enters the station.

[edit] Construction Data

  • 109 columns and foundations
  • 411,000 pounds of steel
  • 931 cubic yards of concrete

[edit] Ride Elements

Vortex's drop

Vortex's loop

Vortex's drop directly before its corkscrew

Vortex's corkscrew

[edit] External links

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Roller coasters at Carowinds
Afterburn · Carolina Cyclone · Carolina Goldrusher · Fairly Odd Coaster · Flying Super Saturator · Hey Arnold's Taxi Chase · Hurler · Nighthawk · Ricochet · Rugrats Runaway Reptar · Thunder Road · Vortex
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