Storm Chaser (roller coaster)

Storm Chaser

Ride entrance
Previously known as Twisted Sisters (1998-2001) and Twisted Twins (2002-2007)
Kentucky Kingdom
Status Operating
Soft opening date April 28, 2016 (2016-04-28)
Opening date April 30, 2016 (2016-04-30)
Cost $15 million
Replaced Twisted Twins
General statistics
Type Steel
Manufacturer Rocky Mountain Construction
Designer Alan Schilke
Model I-Box – Custom
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 100 ft (30 m)
Length 2,744 ft (836 m)
Speed 52 mph (84 km/h)
Inversions 3
Duration 1:40
Max vertical angle 78°
Capacity 960 riders per hour
G-force 3.8
Trains 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Storm Chaser at RCDB
Pictures of Storm Chaser at RCDB

Storm Chaser is a steel roller coaster at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky. Designed by Alan Schilke and built by Rocky Mountain Construction at an estimated cost of $15 million, the ride opened to the public on April 30, 2016. It features three inversions utilizing Rocky Mountain Construction's patented iBox track technology, a 78-degree drop, and a maximum speed of 52 mph (84 km/h).

Storm Chaser replaced Twisted Twins, a dueling roller coaster that opened in 1998 originally as Twisted Sisters.[1] As a budgetary measure, some of the track and supports from Twisted Twins were reused during construction. Storm Chaser was the second new coaster, following T3, to open at Kentucky Kingdom since the park reopened to the public in 2014. It was nominated for "Best New Ride For 2016" – an Amusement Today Golden Ticket Award – and placed second behind Dollywood's Lightning Rod.[2]

History

In September 1997, operation rights for Kentucky Kingdom were sold by Themeparks LLC to Premier Parks for $64 million.[3] Weeks after the deal was finalized in November 1997, the new operators announced plans to build a $5-million dueling roller coaster, called Double Trouble, in time to open during the 1998 season.[4] The name was later changed to Twisted Sisters prior to the ride's opening.[1][5] Following the purchase of Six Flags by Premier Parks in June 1998, the park was rebranded as Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.[3][6]

In 2002, the heavy metal band Twisted Sister threatened the park with legal action regarding the name of the roller coaster. To avoid a lawsuit, the park changed the ride's name to Twisted Twins.[1][7] It operated under that name until the end of the 2007 season when the park closed the ride indefinitely.[1] Although standing but not operating,[1] the Gerstlauer trains were relocated to Six Flags St. Louis to be used as spare parts for The Boss, another Custom Coasters International ride with Gerstlauer trains.[8]

Amid corporate bankruptcy on February 4, 2010, Six Flags announced that the park would cease operations immediately following the rejection of an amended lease by the Kentucky State Fair Board.[9] Former operator of Kentucky Kingdom, Ed Hart, along with several other investors formed the Kentucky Kingdom Redevelopment Company with the aim of reopening the park quickly.[10][11][12] However, plans were abandoned after sixteen months of negotiations.[13][14][15][16] On February 23, 2012, the Kentucky Fair Board approved a lease agreement which would see the park operate as Bluegrass Boardwalk. The plans called for the removal of Twisted Twins and T2 as a result of safety concerns.[17][18]

On June 27, 2013, Ed Hart's group negotiated an agreement to spend $36 million to reopen the park in May 2014. They also announced plans to transform Twisted Twins into "a much superior ride" and hoped to reopen it in 2016.[19][20] Rocky Mountain Construction was eventually hired to refurbish the roller coaster with their patented IBox track design. Kentucky Kingdom plans to rename the ride Storm Chaser, and open it in 2016.[21]

Characteristics

Twisted Twins

Twisted Twins, prior to reconfiguration into Storm Chaser

In its original form, Twisted Twins was a dueling roller coaster, which featured two roller coaster tracks that would depart from opposite ends of a single station. The two tracks would follow different paths, passing by each other four times.[22] Despite this, both tracks measure 3,000 feet (910 m) in length, stand 80 feet (24 m) tall, and feature top speeds of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h).[1] The ride was the only dueling roller coaster manufactured by Custom Coasters International, and was one of only two dual-tracked roller coasters manufactured by the company (Stampida at PortAventura is a racing roller coaster).[23][24] The ride was designed by Dennis McNulty and Larry Bill, a duo responsible for many of the company's roller coasters.[1][25][26] Construction of Twisted Twins was completed by Martin & Vleminckx.[1]

A single train, manufactured by Gerstlauer, would run on each of the tracks. These two trains were named Stella and Lola, respectively.[27] Each train would seat 28 riders across seven cars configured in two rows of two.[1] These trains required riders to be of a minimum height of 48 inches (120 cm).[28]

Storm Chaser

According to park officials, Storm Chaser will utilize some components of Twisted Twins' structure as a budgetary feature, but will otherwise be a completely new experience.[21] Storm Chaser will use Rocky Mountain's "iBox" steel track system to create a ride experience that has the smoothness of a steel coaster with the faster pace of a wooden coaster.[21] The new track will also permit the train to perform inversions, something not normally seen on wooden roller coasters.[21]

The table below illustrates the differences between Twisted Twins and Storm Chaser. Statistics shown for Twisted Twins are for a single track and are identical for both sides:

Statistic Twisted Twins[29] Storm Chaser[30]
Years 1998-2007 2016–
Manufacturer Custom Coasters International Rocky Mountain Construction
Designer Dennis McNulty, Larry Bill Alan Schilke
Track Type Wood Steel
Track Layout Dueling Out and back
Height 80 ft or 24 m 100 ft or 30 m
Drop Unknown TBD
Length 3,000 ft or 910 m 2,744 ft or 836 m
Speed 55 mph or 89 km/h 52 mph or 84 km/h
Max vertical angle Unknown 78°
G-force 3.2 3.8
Capacity Unknown 960 riders per hour
Duration 2:12 1:40
Inversions 0 3
Trains Gerstlauer Rocky Mountain Construction

Ride experience

Storm Chaser's corkscrew inversion

Storm Chaser departs the station and makes a U-turn to the right to start up its lift hill. After cresting the top of the lift, the train banks left and enters a barrel-roll drop back down to ground level, followed by an airtime hill and an overbanked left-hand turn that leaves the train partially upside down for a short time. Storm Chaser then climbs another hill and banks right before turning to the left and heading back in the opposite direction and rounding an overbanked turn to the right.

The train crests another airtime hill before banking right and entering the final inversion, a corkscrew. Exiting the corkscrew and banking to the left, Storm Chaser passes over a series of camelback hills where the banking varies from side to side. The train then enters a 270-degree banked helix to the right, then rises to the left before entering the final brake run and returning to the station.

Reception

1998–2013: Wood

In Mitch Hawker's worldwide Best Roller Coaster Poll, the two tracks of Twisted Twins were rated separately. Both rides peaked in their debut year at positions 41 and 37, respectively. Despite the rides having different rankings throughout their lifetime, they both have an average ranking of 107.[31]

Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best wood-Tracked Roller Coaster[31]
Year1998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Stella 415465828496115112124126132155148137138128
Lola 375366778399110109128125131151143143144134

2017–present: Steel

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2016
Ranking
2[32]
Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year2016
Ranking 28[33]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Marden, Duane. "Twisted Twins  (Kentucky Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Cedar Point welcomes 2016 Golden Ticket Awards" (PDF). Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Kleber, John E. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Louisville. University Press of Kentucky. p. 32. ISBN 0-8131-2100-0.
  4. ↑ "Whew! What a wild ride for Kentucky Kingdom". Louisville Morning Call. Advance Publications. November 24, 1997. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  5. ↑ Guido, Anna (February 28, 1998). "Dueling coasters offer a twist". The Enquirer. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (November 2, 1998). "Premier Converts More To Six Flags". Amusement Business. 110 (44): 3, 44.
  7. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (March 11, 2016). "Kentucky Kingdom plans to turn a defunct coaster into a jaw-dropping marvel". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
  8. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Boss  (Six Flags St. Louis)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Kentucky Kingdom Rejects Lease Park to Close". RCDB. February 4, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Kentucky Kingdom will not re-open until 2012". WDRB. October 28, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Kentucky Kingdom gets a new boss". Fox 41. May 28, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  12. ↑ "New Owner Approved For Kentucky Kingdom". News Channel 5. Associated Press. May 28, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  13. ↑ Karman, John R. (July 26, 2010). "Fair board strikes deal for Kentucky Kingdom property". Business First. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  14. ↑ Shafer, Sheldon S. (July 25, 2010). "Kentucky fair board OKs deal to get Six Flags land, rides". Courier Journal. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
  15. ↑ Shafer, Sheldon (August 24, 2011). "Kentucky Kingdom gets boost". Courier-Journal. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  16. ↑ Karman, John (November 4, 2011). "Company sues state to recoup Kentucky Kingdom investment". Business First. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
  17. ↑ Brown, Joey (February 23, 2012). "Kentucky Kingdom reopening as Bluegrass Boardwalk in May 2013". Wave 3 News. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  18. ↑ Gazaway, Charles. "Tentative opening date for Bluegrass Boardwalk". Wave3.com. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  19. ↑ "Kentucky Kingdom operators announce expansion plans for amusement park reopening in 2014". Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Associated Press. June 28, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2013.
  20. ↑ Shafer, Sheldon S. (June 27, 2013). "Kentucky Kingdom operator promises 'bigger, better, wetter' park in 2014". The Courier-Journal. Gannett Company. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Roberto Roldan (July 20, 2015). "Ky. Kingdom unveils steel-wood hybrid coaster". courier-journal.com. Gannett Newspapers. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  22. ↑ O'Brien, Tim (May 4, 1998). "Park preview '98". Amusement Business. 110 (18): 17–18, 20.
  23. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  24. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Stampida  (PortAventura)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  25. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Dennis McNulty)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  26. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Larry Bill)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Twisted Twins". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Twisted Twins". Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom. Archived from the original on November 18, 2007. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  29. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Twisted Twins  (Kentucky Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  30. ↑ Marden, Duane. "Storm Chaser  (Kentucky Kingdom)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  31. 1 2 Hawker, Mitch. "Wooden Roller Coaster Poll 20 Year Results Table (1994–2013)". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Retrieved August 23, 2013.
  32. ↑ "Amusement Today – Golden Ticket Awards 2016" (PDF). Amusement Today. 20 (6.2): 8. September 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  33. ↑ "2016 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 20 (6.2): 50–50. September 2016. Retrieved July 16, 2017.

Coordinates: 38°11′45″N 85°45′01″W / 38.1958°N 85.7503°W / 38.1958; -85.7503

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