Vortex (California's Great America)

Vortex
California's Great America
Coordinates 37°23′48.11″N 121°58′23.61″W / 37.3966972°N 121.9732250°WCoordinates: 37°23′48.11″N 121°58′23.61″W / 37.3966972°N 121.9732250°W
Status Operating
Opening date March 9, 1991[1]
General statistics
Type Steel – Stand-up
Manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer Werner Stengel
Model Stand-up
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 91 ft (28 m)
Length 1,920 ft (590 m)
Speed 40 mph (64 km/h)
Inversions 2
Duration 2:14
Capacity 1200 riders per hour
Height restriction 54 in (137 cm)
Trains 2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Vortex at RCDB
Pictures of Vortex at RCDB

Vortex is a stand-up roller coaster at California's Great America. It has a different layout but is generally the same size as Vortex at Carowinds. It was Bolliger & Mabillard's second coaster after Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America and officially opened on March 9, 1991.[2] The coaster currently has a paint scheme of purple track with yellow rails and gray supports.

Ride elements

The coaster makes a left handed first drop into its first loop then executes a left turnaround. The train next travels in another left turnaround through its loop. The train then travels to the other far end of its layout into another turnaround after which it enters the corkscrew element and finally into the final brake run. The course used to cross over the park train's railroad tracks by the corkscrew. The coaster's lift hill stands parallel to the footers of the former Tidal Wave looping shuttle coaster.

References

  1. ↑ Myers, Laura (March 8, 1991). "Upstanding Citizens Test-Ride New Coaster". Los Angeles Daily News (Valley ed.). Associated Press. p. N11.
  2. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Vortex (California's Great America)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 5 April 2012.