*** Welcome to piglix ***

Sidewinder (Elitch Gardens)

Sidewinder
SidewinderSFEG.jpg
Sidewinder's Loop
Previously known as Roaring Tornado at Magic Springs & Crystal Falls
Elitch Gardens
Coordinates 39°44′55″N 105°00′45″W / 39.748614°N 105.012612°W / 39.748614; -105.012612Coordinates: 39°44′55″N 105°00′45″W / 39.748614°N 105.012612°W / 39.748614; -105.012612
Status Operating
Opening date May 27, 1995
Magic Springs & Crystal Falls
Status Relocated to Elitch Gardens
Opening date 1980
Closing date 1989
General statistics
Type Steel – Launched
Manufacturer Arrow Dynamics
Designer Arrow Dynamics
Model Launched Loop
Track layout Shuttle Loop
Lift/launch system Launch
Height 56 ft (17 m)
Drop 47 ft (14 m)
Length 635 ft (194 m)
Speed 45 mph (72 km/h)
Inversions 1
Duration 1:06
Max vertical angle 47°
Capacity 400 riders per hour
Acceleration 45 miles per hour
G-force 4.0
Height restriction 48 in (122 cm)
Trains Single train with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Sidewinder at RCDB
Pictures of Sidewinder at RCDB

Sidewinder is a steel roller coaster located at Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado.

This is a fairly simple coaster that takes rides through one loop. Instead of starting from the ground, riders have to ascend stairs fifty feet up to the loading station. The train is launched down a hill, goes into the loop, then ascends a slope opposite of the station with a braking section. The train repeats the layout backwards, and returns to the station.

Before being operated at Elitch Gardens this roller coaster was at the Magic Springs & Crystal Falls amusement park as the Roaring Tornado.

It is one of only three Arrow Dynamics launched loop coasters to be operating around the world. While mild compared to today's roller coasters, airtime is produced when the Sidewinder shuttles backwards or forwards over the drops. It is a good start for younger children who have never been on a looping roller coaster.

The ride has received new paint for the 2010 season, and is now more of a lime green than the darker shade it has been since being repainted from its original white.

The ride is also identical to Revolution (Pleasure Beach Blackpool) at Blackpool Pleasure Beach except that the cars in the train have 4, instead of 6.


...
Wikipedia

...