Thunderbird (Holiday World)
| Thunderbird | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Holiday World & Splashin' Safari | |
| Park section | Thanksgiving |
| Coordinates | 38°07′27″N 86°54′32″W / 38.124246°N 86.908957°WCoordinates: 38°07′27″N 86°54′32″W / 38.124246°N 86.908957°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | April 24, 2015 |
| Opening date | April 25, 2015 |
| Cost | $22 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Wing Coaster – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
| Model | Wing Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | LSM |
| Height | 140 ft (43 m) |
| Length | 3,035 ft (925 m) |
| Speed | 60 mph (97 km/h) |
| Inversions | 4 |
| Duration | 1:18 |
| Capacity | 1,140 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds |
| Height restriction | 52 in (132 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 20 riders per train. |
|
Thunderbird at RCDB Pictures of Thunderbird at RCDB |
|
Thunderbird is a steel roller coaster in the Thanksgiving section of Holiday World & Splashin' Safari. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, the ride opened in 2015 as the eighth Wing Coaster in the world and the fourth in the United States.
Thunderbird is the manufacturer's first launching coaster in sixteen years and the first B&M launch built in-house (The Incredible Hulk Coaster at Islands of Adventure uses a launch system supplied by the park). The Wing Coaster reaches a speed of 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds and features the tallest vertical loop on a Wing Coaster. Thunderbird had its first test run on 8 March 2015 and opened to the public on the 24 April 2015.
After loading in the station, the train moves forward and stops. Mist blows in front of the train and thunder sounds as the train launches to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds by linear synchronous motors. The train immediately goes into a 140 feet (43 m) Immelmann loop. After the first element, the train then goes down its first drop into a 125 feet (38 m) vertical loop, the tallest vertical loop on a Wing Coaster, surpassing Wild Eagle at Dollywood. After the vertical loop, the train crosses over the exit from The Voyage's second drop, goes through an overbanked turn, and then an overbanked elevated spiral. The train then goes through a zero-g-roll parallel to The Voyage. After several curves next to The Voyage's triple-down drop and spaghetti bowl, the train dips down into a barn (which is the keyhole) where it then curves left back into the barn by doing an inline twist, crossing over The Voyage's underground tunnels. Once the inline twist ends the train enters the brake run to a right turn to another set of brakes before entering the station. One cycle of the ride lasts about 1 minute and 18 seconds.
...
Wikipedia