Airtime- When a rollercoaster goes backwards or goes up/down a hill at high speeds passengers often times rise from their seats and get a butterfly type feeling in their stomach.
Anti rollback device- The clicking noise you hear when climbing the lift hill of a rollercoaster is caused by catch dogs under the cars that go into place on the lift which prevents the car from rolling back down the hill.
Bank- When the track makes the car lean in a certain direction. It is more gentle than a curve being as though it doesn't throw riders to the sides of the car.
Barrel roll- A complete sideways twist like an airplane maneuver.
Block- A series of brakes which allows more than 1 rollercoaster train to operate at the same time.
Brake run- A section of the track strictly made for brakes and is right before re-entering the station.
Bunny hops/Camelback- A series of short hills which often time are used for airtime.
Catapault- A launch mechanism used in place of the original chain used on a lift hill.
Chain lift- Basically self descriptive!
Corkscrew- An upside down element.
Floorless coaster- A coaster where the train of the rollercoaster has no floor and riders legs dangle mere inches above the track.
G-Forces- The element that pushes riders out or into their seats.
Giga coaster- A rollercoaster that has a hill within the range of 300-399ft.
Headchopper- An element used where a track runs underneath another track making it feel as though your head is going to go into the other track. (Ex. The Phantom's Revenge has a headchopper on the 2nd drop when it runs under the Thunderbolt.)
Zero G Roll- An element where the train twists but riders hearts stay in line with the center of the curve.
Helix- A spiral like curve which takes the place of an ascending or descending hill.
Inversion- An element where riders are turned upside down.
Out and Back- A coaster that travels out to a certain point and has a turn around point which brings it back to the station.
Strata coaster- Any rollercoaster with a hill acheiving a height of 400-499ft.
Train- The rollercoaster cars which connect and form a train like shape.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Kennywood expansion info
http://www.kennywoodinsider.com/expansion.html
Kennywood's Future Expansion
Please remember this is a LONG TERM plan, which will take Kennywood through the year 2015.Also...In order for this "Blue Sky" wish list to go forth, two major hurdles must be cleared. First, they need to significantly reduce and or eliminate the taxes Kennywood has to pay to West Mifflin Township. The Township thinks of Kennywood and there diamond in the rough, or their golden goose. The taxes Kennywood pays right now makes up about 10 - 12% of the Townships entire annual budget. They should consider themselves lucky to have such a great institution in their community. If the park does expand, it will bring in more tourists to spend more money in the valley. Second, is the completion of the northern, and final portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway (Toll 43). When completed the expressway will have an interchange within about 800 yards of the third level parking lot. This will make it much easier for out of towners to get to the park, because as us Pittsburghers know most of the time you can't get here from there. Estimated completion of the expressway is, best case, 2015, with construction to hopefully to begin in 2009-2010. As of right now the expressway runs from West Virginia to only about 7 miled south of the park, where it stops. The expressway will not only benefit Kennywood but will also spur much more economic development throughout the Mon Valley.
Here are a few facts that are included in the expansion plans...1. Kennywood now owns the 25 acre K-mart plaza above and to the right of the park.2. Kennywood has first dibs on the 20+ acres of brown field below the park in Duquesne. 3. Kennywood officials do not yet know how they want to use the new valley, either to add flat rides, food outlets, and other things or to just use it to drop coasters into.4. The old K-mart plaza will most likely become a Hotel with an Indoor Water Park.5. The vertical drop of the valley is about 110 feet from Kennywood to the bottem of the valley.6. In the picture below you will notice a large steel building on the brown field acreage, park officials are looking into keeping that building and using it for an indoor ride or maybe to drop a coaster through. The building is a bit larger than a football field but it isn't in the best shape and will need some work, but that would be cool if they can utilize it in the way they are talking.7. Kennywood officials have said they would like two new coasters one steel one wood. 8. Currently Kennywood has hired the design firm of Bruce D. Robinson Architecture-Design, Inc. to do some designs of what the valley area could look like, along with devising ways to get people down into the 110 foot valley. Robinson is the same firm that designed Lost Kennywood.Please remember these plans are not set and many things can and will change between now and the completion of the project.
Kennywood's Future Expansion
Please remember this is a LONG TERM plan, which will take Kennywood through the year 2015.Also...In order for this "Blue Sky" wish list to go forth, two major hurdles must be cleared. First, they need to significantly reduce and or eliminate the taxes Kennywood has to pay to West Mifflin Township. The Township thinks of Kennywood and there diamond in the rough, or their golden goose. The taxes Kennywood pays right now makes up about 10 - 12% of the Townships entire annual budget. They should consider themselves lucky to have such a great institution in their community. If the park does expand, it will bring in more tourists to spend more money in the valley. Second, is the completion of the northern, and final portion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway (Toll 43). When completed the expressway will have an interchange within about 800 yards of the third level parking lot. This will make it much easier for out of towners to get to the park, because as us Pittsburghers know most of the time you can't get here from there. Estimated completion of the expressway is, best case, 2015, with construction to hopefully to begin in 2009-2010. As of right now the expressway runs from West Virginia to only about 7 miled south of the park, where it stops. The expressway will not only benefit Kennywood but will also spur much more economic development throughout the Mon Valley.
Here are a few facts that are included in the expansion plans...1. Kennywood now owns the 25 acre K-mart plaza above and to the right of the park.2. Kennywood has first dibs on the 20+ acres of brown field below the park in Duquesne. 3. Kennywood officials do not yet know how they want to use the new valley, either to add flat rides, food outlets, and other things or to just use it to drop coasters into.4. The old K-mart plaza will most likely become a Hotel with an Indoor Water Park.5. The vertical drop of the valley is about 110 feet from Kennywood to the bottem of the valley.6. In the picture below you will notice a large steel building on the brown field acreage, park officials are looking into keeping that building and using it for an indoor ride or maybe to drop a coaster through. The building is a bit larger than a football field but it isn't in the best shape and will need some work, but that would be cool if they can utilize it in the way they are talking.7. Kennywood officials have said they would like two new coasters one steel one wood. 8. Currently Kennywood has hired the design firm of Bruce D. Robinson Architecture-Design, Inc. to do some designs of what the valley area could look like, along with devising ways to get people down into the 110 foot valley. Robinson is the same firm that designed Lost Kennywood.Please remember these plans are not set and many things can and will change between now and the completion of the project.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Why not a Strata/Accelorater/Giga?
The new extremely intense strata coasters are very popular. These are launched rollercoasters that go over 400ft high. They are very short in length. They simply consist of a launch track and a large top hat which is the hill and then it goes into the brake run and back into the station. There are only two of these coasters in existence. One at Cedar Point and one at Six Flags Great Adventure. Both of these parks have well of ten rollercoasters. Kennywood I felt didn't have a good enough supply of coasters to incorporate something with such a high cost and such a quick, and short duration. People love this coaster but it is simply too quick. The parks that have this coaster had room with their numerous supply of rollercoasters to simply just through this into the park which would offer riders a brief glimpse of an extreme adrenaline rush. Kennywood I felt needed something longer with more drops and perhaps loops. This wouldn't supply the demand of a new rollercoaster. To me the strata coaster is simply a ride. Up and down one hill I do not believe is a rollercoaster. The ride is less than 1 minute. It costs about $25 million and takes up lots of room do to the long stretch of the main launch section which has to be completely straight. There would be long lines and of course records broken but people wouldn't be satisfied. I believe this rollercoaster was made just to simply break a new record. I rhode this ride for the first time this past summer and was not impressed. It's simply just a speed thing. You don't feel anything throughout the ride but just speed. The ride is over within the blink of an eye. It's great because before you get on you get butterflies in your stomach because of the constant bragging of how high and how fast the ride is but once on the ride you don't get to truely witness the intensity of the height due to the extreme amount of speed. Also this ride has lots of mechanical problems. Alot of maintenance have to be done to these rides everyday. They also have to operate in very descent weather. Tons of money would have to be spent on safety features throughout the years. And it definately will need alot more precaution due to the height. Kennywood just overall doesn't seem ready for a ride of this nature regardless of popularity or not. Another very popular rollercoaster is the Giga coaster which is a steel rollercoaster without loops that goes over 300ft high and travels over 90 mph. Kennywood I felt definately could have added this ride but it requires alot of space. The hills besides the lift tend to be very high which would require lots of space. Also another major reason is because I felt the park has enough rollercoasters with just hills. And being as though the park has the phantom a giga coaster would just be like implementing another Phantom's Revenge ride just with a little more height. I felt it was definately time to implement a rollercoaster with loops and elements of going upside down. A more intense ride was needed but nothing too far over the edge at this point in time. I feel with the floorless coaster you get a variety of everything. You get a hills, loops, and curves. You get a little bit of height as well as speed. Although it's not higher than the Phantom's Revenge it is still set at a high height. The ride is still more intense than the Phantom even though it's not higher or faster. The ride has a good length and takes up just the right amount of space. It doesn't require too much maintenance. And overall people still love it.
Foundation Questions
1.) How will this ride benefit Kennywood?
I believe this ride will benefit Kennywood in a very positive way. People are always looking for something new and being as though Kennywood has a small supply of rollercoasters I believe people definately would like to see something new. The newest coaster Kennywood has is the Phantom's Revenge which isn't even completely new. It has changed from loops to dips. It has been 7 years since the opening of the Phantom's Revenge. And if you want to go even deeper it has been 18 years since the Phantom idea even arose at all.
2.) How much will this ride cost?
$15,000,000-$25,000,000
3.) How tall will this ride be?
I'm going for around 160-170ft high.
4.) How fast will this ride be?
65-70mph
5.) How much land will this ride take?
I'm guessing roughly around 4,000 ft.
6.) What area will the ride be located?
It will extend from the small section on the left of the bridge onto part of the big section that way it doesn't completely take up all of the available land in the new expansion area.
7.) What are the positives and negatives of this ride?
A huge thing about this ride is it will be a looping coaster and also floorless, something which Kennywood has never seen before. This will be way more intense than the original Steel Phantom was and will be way more comfortable. People are begging for Kennywood to build a coaster with loops. Floorless coaster are amongst the top 3 favorite types of rollercoasters. They are a new style. The intensity people travel to other parks to find will be available locally. The negative aspect is although lots of guests tend to fit into floorless rollercoaster style seating larger guests may run into slight difficulty. The ride will be probably the most intense ride at the park. Everyone may not be up for a ride with loops, however the park still has other milder coasters to offer. The ride is going to be expensive but will bring alot of attention to the park.
8.) What kind of rollercoaster will it be?
A floorless rollercoaster.
9.) Will this break any records?
It will possibly be the tallest and fastest of its kind with a slight chance of perhaps being the longest.
10.) What manufacturers will I need to work with to make this ride?
Preferrably Bolliger and Mabillard who now specialize in floorless rollercoasters.
11.) How long will it take to build this ride?
It will take the usual complete off-season with perhaps an early start which would involve the cleaning and clearing of the new land.
12.) What information can you gather to make this ride possible?
I need lots of information about the environment of that area. I need exact architectural layouts of the area. I will need to ensure there is enough space and that everything can fit properly. I will also need information on the safety procautions of a ride of this size.
13.) How will this ride be landscaped? Since this is the newest and biggest expansion the park has seen in a long time and the newest coaster the park has had in nearly a decade the theming and landscaping will probably base around something huge. Theming will definately play a big role in this rollercoaster to bring it to life. Although an exact theme has yet to be decided.
14.) How can you tell people will be interested in this ride?
Floorless rollercoasters are definately a fan favorite. It's a relatively new idea. It gives guest a big thrill. It has plenty of inversions, speed, and height. There is no other ride of this nature for hours and hours from Kennywood. No rollercoaster of this nature or intensity has yet to be seen by Kennywood.
15.) What is the origin of this type of rollercoaster?
This rollercoaster was first released to Six Flags Great Adventure back in 1999. The first of its kind was Medusa. Medusa has seven inversions and is approximately 142ft high at 61mph fast. It has a duration of 2 minutes and 20 seconds and cost a total of $15,000,000. The height requirement is 54 inches.
How can I design a rollercoaster for Kennywood?
I believe this ride will benefit Kennywood in a very positive way. People are always looking for something new and being as though Kennywood has a small supply of rollercoasters I believe people definately would like to see something new. The newest coaster Kennywood has is the Phantom's Revenge which isn't even completely new. It has changed from loops to dips. It has been 7 years since the opening of the Phantom's Revenge. And if you want to go even deeper it has been 18 years since the Phantom idea even arose at all.
2.) How much will this ride cost?
$15,000,000-$25,000,000
3.) How tall will this ride be?
I'm going for around 160-170ft high.
4.) How fast will this ride be?
65-70mph
5.) How much land will this ride take?
I'm guessing roughly around 4,000 ft.
6.) What area will the ride be located?
It will extend from the small section on the left of the bridge onto part of the big section that way it doesn't completely take up all of the available land in the new expansion area.
7.) What are the positives and negatives of this ride?
A huge thing about this ride is it will be a looping coaster and also floorless, something which Kennywood has never seen before. This will be way more intense than the original Steel Phantom was and will be way more comfortable. People are begging for Kennywood to build a coaster with loops. Floorless coaster are amongst the top 3 favorite types of rollercoasters. They are a new style. The intensity people travel to other parks to find will be available locally. The negative aspect is although lots of guests tend to fit into floorless rollercoaster style seating larger guests may run into slight difficulty. The ride will be probably the most intense ride at the park. Everyone may not be up for a ride with loops, however the park still has other milder coasters to offer. The ride is going to be expensive but will bring alot of attention to the park.
8.) What kind of rollercoaster will it be?
A floorless rollercoaster.
9.) Will this break any records?
It will possibly be the tallest and fastest of its kind with a slight chance of perhaps being the longest.
10.) What manufacturers will I need to work with to make this ride?
Preferrably Bolliger and Mabillard who now specialize in floorless rollercoasters.
11.) How long will it take to build this ride?
It will take the usual complete off-season with perhaps an early start which would involve the cleaning and clearing of the new land.
12.) What information can you gather to make this ride possible?
I need lots of information about the environment of that area. I need exact architectural layouts of the area. I will need to ensure there is enough space and that everything can fit properly. I will also need information on the safety procautions of a ride of this size.
13.) How will this ride be landscaped? Since this is the newest and biggest expansion the park has seen in a long time and the newest coaster the park has had in nearly a decade the theming and landscaping will probably base around something huge. Theming will definately play a big role in this rollercoaster to bring it to life. Although an exact theme has yet to be decided.
14.) How can you tell people will be interested in this ride?
Floorless rollercoasters are definately a fan favorite. It's a relatively new idea. It gives guest a big thrill. It has plenty of inversions, speed, and height. There is no other ride of this nature for hours and hours from Kennywood. No rollercoaster of this nature or intensity has yet to be seen by Kennywood.
15.) What is the origin of this type of rollercoaster?
This rollercoaster was first released to Six Flags Great Adventure back in 1999. The first of its kind was Medusa. Medusa has seven inversions and is approximately 142ft high at 61mph fast. It has a duration of 2 minutes and 20 seconds and cost a total of $15,000,000. The height requirement is 54 inches.
How can I design a rollercoaster for Kennywood?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Design
Now that I have the Rollercoaster Tycoon 3 software on my computer I have done alot of different design sets. I'm considering one of my latest designs. I've been going around having people look at the virtual design and see if they like it. The majority of the responses i've been receiving is that it may slightly be too long. All I have to do next is place the rollercoaster into place with the open land space.
Friday, January 4, 2008
How Far Have I Come
Over the break i worked on my grad project alot. I started doing random designs. I researched safety features as well as in depth designs. I know alot about the different designing aspects. I also know alot about the different types. I narrowed my designs down to the top 5. All I have to do is redo my survey and pass it out to pick a final rollercoaster type to design. From the surveys that I have done I know people like curves, hills, and speed. I plan to design a tall rollercoaster reaching greater speed and height than the phantom's revenge.
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