Vortex (Carowinds)

Vortex
The vertical loop
Carowinds
Park section	Carolina Showplace
Coordinates	35°06′13″N 80°56′30″W / 35.1036°N 80.9416°W / 35.1036; -80.9416Coordinates: 35°06′13″N 80°56′30″W / 35.1036°N 80.9416°W / 35.1036; -80.9416
Status	Operating
Opening date	March 14, 1992
General statistics
Type	Steel – Stand-up
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Stand-Up Custom
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	90 ft (27 m)
Length	2,040 ft (620 m)
Speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions	2 (Vertical Loop, Corkscrew)
Duration	2:19
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Fast Lane available
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 ride, which was unusual at 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 element in its small circuit. Vortex is repainted for the 2011 season with red track and gray supports, quite similar to the park's Intimidator coaster. Debuting with Iron Wolf at Six Great America and Vortex at California's Great America in the 1990s Vortex was one of the first of a new generation of more developed stand up coasters than what had been introduced in the 1980s.

Ride Layout

Riders depart from the station in a standing position, then ascend a small 90-foot (27 m) lift. A small dip, characteristic of Bolliger & Mabillard rides, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved right drop. A loop follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward right and downward banked turn. An upward helix follows the downward turn and is followed by a right corkscrew. After another upward helix and a wide turnaround, the train ends the finale brake run before entering the station. The ride is a near-perfect replica of Bolliger & Mabillard's first coaster, Apocalypse (Six Flags America), minus the theming and the direction of the first drop is changed.

Construction Data

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

Ride Elements

• Loop
• Corkscrew
• Banked Turn

• 

  Vortex's drop

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  Vortex's loop

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  Vortex's drop directly before the corkscrew

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  Vortex's corkscrew

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vortex (Carowinds).

• Official Page