Shockwave (Kings Dominion)
| Shockwave | |
|---|---|
The vertical loop element and station building
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| Kings Dominion | |
| Park section | Candy Apple Grove |
| Coordinates | 37°50′19″N 77°26′41″W / 37.83861°N 77.44472°WCoordinates: 37°50′19″N 77°26′41″W / 37.83861°N 77.44472°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | 1986 |
| Closing date | August 9, 2015 |
| Replaced | Galaxie |
| Replaced by | Delirium |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Stand-up |
| Manufacturer | TOGO |
| Designer | TOGO |
| Model | Stand-up |
| Track layout | Custom |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Length | 2,231 ft (680 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Inversions | 1 |
| Duration | 2:00 |
| Max vertical angle | 52° |
| Capacity | 960 riders per hour |
| Trains | 2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Height restriction | Must be able to straddle seat with feet on floor. |
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Shockwave at RCDB Pictures of Shockwave at RCDB |
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Shockwave was a stand-up roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. Opened in 1986, it was the third stand-up roller coaster installation built and designed by Japanese company TOGO. Following closures of the previous two, it became the oldest of its kind still in operation. After nearly thirty years in operation, Shockwave closed permanently on August 9, 2015. It was replaced by Delirium, a Mondial Revolution flat ride, which opened in 2016.
The site on which Shockwave stood was formerly home to the Galaxie roller coaster, a small steel coaster of the S.D.C. Galaxi model. However, on September 11, 1983, an incident on the coaster resulted in the fatal injury of 13-year-old Daniel Watkins. The incident was used as the primary example of unsafe rides in local press coverage of the concurrent U.S. Senate hearings on amusement ride safety and regulation. Rather than reopen the attraction, Kings Dominion dismantled and sold it, to the Myrtle Beach Pavilion where it operated until 1997 as the Galaxi.
To replace the Galaxie, Kings Dominion recruited Japanese manufacturer TOGO to build a stand-up roller coaster. It opened in 1986 as Shockwave. The station design is known for having a station floor that is not level, which tilts down toward the front where the train exits. This eliminates the need to propel trains as they dispatch from the station, instead relying on gravity to roll out of the station.
After operating for nearly 30 years and accommodating over 22 million riders, Kings Dominion announced on July 9, 2015, that Shockwave will be closing permanently on August 9, 2015. Kings Dominion Vice President Pat Jones released a statement saying, "While it’s bittersweet to say goodbye to one of our older coasters, we’re excited for what the future holds...We’re happy that Shockwave was able to provide close to three decades of memories.”
The trains were painted blue with yellow restraints, and the station with natural-toned stain and paint. For the park's 25th anniversary in 2000, the entire ride was painted in non-standard scheme, neon colors. The superstructure and main rail were painted periwinkle, with the running rails alternating patches of aquamarine and orange. The trains were repainted orange, and the station in the same neon colors as the track. In 2011, Shockwave was repainted green for the tracks and teal for the supports.
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Wikipedia