Hercules (roller coaster)
| Hercules | |
|---|---|
| Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | |
| Coordinates | 40°34′52″N 75°31′56″W / 40.58111°N 75.53222°WCoordinates: 40°34′52″N 75°31′56″W / 40.58111°N 75.53222°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | May 6, 1989 |
| Closing date | September 1, 2003 |
| Cost | US$6,000,000 |
| Replaced by | Hydra the Revenge |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Dinn Corporation |
| Designer | Curtis D. Summers |
| Model | Terrain |
| Track layout | Double out-and-back |
| Height | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Drop | 151 ft (46 m) |
| Length | 4,000 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:15 |
| Max vertical angle | 47° |
| G-force | 2.9 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
|
Hercules at RCDB Pictures of Hercules at RCDB | |
Hercules was a wooden roller coaster located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Manufactured by the Dinn Corporation, Hercules opened on May 6, 1989, setting a world record for having the longest drop on a wooden coaster at 151 feet (46 m), surpassing the previous record of 147 feet (45 m) held by American Eagle since 1981. Hercules had a relatively short life, permanently closing 14 years later in 2003.[1] During its life of operation, the ride was re-tracked by Martin & Vleminckx.[2] Following its demise, the roller coaster was replaced by Hydra the Revenge in 2005.
Many riders claimed that Hercules was an extremely rough ride (especially the sharp turn at the bottom of the main drop) which was most likely the reason for the coaster's low ridership and subsequent closing and dismantlement in 2003. It was so rough, it was given the name, "Hurt's your knees."
References
- ↑ "Hercules". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- ↑ "Retracking". Martin & Vleminckx. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.