Lightning Rod (roller coaster)
| Lightning Rod | |
|---|---|
Lightning Rod main entrance
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| Dollywood | |
| Park section | Jukebox Junction |
| Coordinates | 35°48′21″N 83°31′44″W / 35.805702°N 83.528838°WCoordinates: 35°48′21″N 83°31′44″W / 35.805702°N 83.528838°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | June 13, 2016 |
| Cost | $22 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | Alan Schilke |
| Model | Topper Track - Custom |
| Track layout | Terrain |
| Lift/launch system | Linear Synchronous Motor |
| Drop | 165 ft (50 m) |
| Length | 3,800 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 73 mph (117 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 3:12 |
| Max vertical angle | 73° |
| G-force | 3.5 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
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Lightning Rod at RCDB Pictures of Lightning Rod at RCDB |
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Lightning Rod is a wooden roller coaster located at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Marketed as the world's first launched wooden roller coaster, the ride is themed to hot rod cars from the 1950s and was manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction. It was originally planned to open with the park on March 15, 2016, but a problem with the ride's unique launch system forced a delay of the opening until June 13, 2016. A slight mechanical mishap occurred a week later, resulting in a temporary closure that caused Lightning Rod to miss most of its debut season.
Lightning Rod was first unveiled by Dolly Parton at a presentation at the Dollywood amusement park on August 7, 2015. Lightning Rod is the first wooden roller coaster in the world to use a launch system instead of a traditional chain lift hill. The ride's peak speed of 73 miles per hour also makes it the world's fastest wooden roller coaster. The ride, estimated to cost $22 million, represents the largest single investment in the history of the park, and it is another component of a multi-year, $300 million expansion that began in 2013.
Lightning Rod was scheduled to open on the park's opening day in 2016, but on March 15, 2016, the opening was postponed to an unknown date. On March 24, 2016, Fred Grubb of RMC stated that the roller coaster's magnetic launch system, which was being developed by an outside contractor, "would not be able to perform at the level required for proper operation". Grubb did not elaborate on the exact problem with the launch system, nor did he estimate when the attraction would be ready to open to the public, although park officials did tell a USA Today reporter that they were hoping for an opening by the end of April 2016. Lightning Rod did open occasionally for "technical rehearsals", where select guests could experience the ride, but it was not until June 13, 2016 that the park declared the ride officially open to the public.
On June 20, 2016, Dollywood announced that Lightning Rod would be closed while a recalled mechanical part was being replaced on the roller coaster, by request of Rocky Mountain Construction. Park officials re-opened the ride, again as a "technical rehearsal", on June 29, 2016. On September 5, 2016, Dollywood announced that the ride was once again fully operational.
Mayfield Dairy released a co-branded ice cream flavor called "Smoky Mountain Fudge" advertising Lightning Rod.
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Wikipedia