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|caption=Invertigo at King's Island before 2012
|caption=Invertigo at King's Island before 2012
|previousnames=
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|status=In production<ref name=RCDB>{{RCDB|coaster_name=Invertigo|rcdb_number=8196|accessdate=March 11, 2012}}</ref>
|status=Operating<ref name=RCDB>{{RCDB|coaster_name=Invertigo|rcdb_number=8196|accessdate=March 11, 2012}}</ref>
|cost=
|cost=
|type=Steel
|type=Steel

Revision as of 07:00, 8 June 2012

Invertigo
Invertigo at King's Island before 2012
StatusOperating
General statistics
TypSteel – Inverted – Shuttle
ManufacturerVekoma
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height131.25 ft (40.01 m)
Length1,013.75 ft (308.99 m)
Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions3
Duration1:30
Capacity840 riders per hour
G-force5
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
TrainsSingle train with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.

Invertigo is a type of shuttle roller coaster manufactured by Dutch company, Vekoma. It is a variation on their traditional Boomerang design.[2]

History

Stinger when it was California's Great America as Invertigo

The first installation of an Invertigo roller coaster occurred at Liseburg in 1997. HangOver was originally scheduled to open in 1996 as a launched roller coaster, however, the technology at the time prevented this from occurring and forced the opening back by a year.[3] On March 21, 1998, California's Great America opened a ride known simply as Invertigo.[4] On April 17, 1999, Face/Off opened at Kings Island. It was originally themed after the 1997 Paramount Pictures film of the same name.[5] On May 8, 1999, Two Face: The Flip Side opened at Six Flags America.[6] It was themed after D.C. Comics' Batman rival, Harvey Dent A.K.A. Two Face.[7]

In 2002, HangOver at Liseburg closed and was relocated to Allou Fun Park the following year.[8][3] The ride, however, was never set up there and was relocated to Sommerland Syd where it operated under the name Tornado from July 2, 2005.[9][8]

In 2008, Face/Off at Kings Island was renamed to Invertigo following the park's initiative to remove Paramount themes from the park after being sold to Cedar Fair two years prior.[10]

On January 27, 2011, California's Great America announced that Invertigo would be removed from the theme park and relocated to a different amusement park. Cedar Fair stated that a new attraction would be placed at the former location of Invertigo. California's Great America also announced Invertigo will be going to a new home in a different Cedar Fair park.[11][12] Invertigo was removed and moved into storage in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While in storage, the track received a new teal paint scheme, with the supports remaining in royal blue.[13] On August 30, 2011, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom announced that they would be opening Stinger for the park's 2012 season.[14] In November 2011, Dorney Park has completed construction for the coaster and in December they are building the station and queue.[15][16] In early January 2012, the coaster has gotten electricity, and the entrance and queue area is nearing completion to be finished.[17][18]

In 2011, Sommerland Syd's installation of Tornado closed with the ride currently being relocated to Bagatelle where it will operate as Triops from June 10, 2012.[19][9]

On February 13, 2012, Kings Island posted a picture of Invertigo getting a new paint scheme on their Facebook page. The ride now has aqua track and royal blue supports, similar to Stinger at Dorney Park.[20]

Installations

Stinger at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Coaster name Amusement park Opened Status
Invertigo Kings Island April 17, 1999 (1999-04-17) Operating [5]
Stinger
Formerly Invertigo		 Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
California's Great America		 April 28, 2012 (2012-04-28)
March 21, 1998 (1998-03-21)		 Operating [21][4]
Triops
Formerly Tornado
Formerly unknown
Formerly HangOver		 Bagatelle
Sommerland Syd
Allou Fun Park
Liseberg		 June 10, 2012 (2012-06-10)
July 2, 2005 (2005-07-02)
Never opened
1997		 Under construction [19][9][8][3]
Two Face: The Flip Side Six Flags America 1999 Defunct since 2007 [6]

Ride experience

The layout of an Invertigo roller coaster

Invertigo is an inverted version of the Vekoma Boomerang roller coaster where riders sit face-to-face, staring at fellow passengers through the course of the ride. The train completes the circuit twice running in the opposite direction as it returns to the station. This gives riders the opportunity to experience the ride in both directions moving forwards and backwards.

The ride begins when the train is pulled backwards from the station and up a 138-foot-tall (42 m) lift hill. It is held for several seconds before releasing riders into a 130-foot (40 m) drop sending them 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) through the loading station. The train then enters a Cobra roll element that transitions into a vertical loop. Upon exiting the loop, the train climbs the second lift hill making it most of the way up on its own momentum. Once towed to the top, the train is quickly released sending riders through the ride in reverse before being caught by the first lift hill and returned to the loading station.[22]

Incidents

In 2003, Two Face: The Flip Side stalled on one of the vertical lift hills, and had riders stuck on the ride for a lengthy period of time until they were rescued; the ride was shut down for inspection but later reopened after it was cleared for operation. The ride would undergo five years without incident until August 2007, when the ride had stalled once again while carrying riders; after being stuck for a period of time, the ride was shut down for inspection after riders were rescued. When the ride was cleared for operation later that month, the ride functioned properly without any incident.

Two Face: The Flip Side at Six Flags America

However, in October 2007, the same installation unexpectedly stopped on one of the vertical lift hills. When one of the ride attendants attempted to rescue the riders, the train unintentionally moved back into the station and ripped a pipeline that carried hydraulic fluid. This hot fluid sprayed onto the faces of the riders, causing them minor injuries that required at least ten people to go to a local hospital, in addition to victims treated at the scene for back and neck injuries.[23][24] Before the fluid sprayed, one of the riders (about 40 minutes into the situation) used their cell phone to dial 9-1-1 in request of assistance from Prince George's County rescue teams.[25] Six Flags America officials stated that the ride had been inspected that same day and was clear of any problems; however, Maryland investigators said that the newer technology of roller coasters of the 2003-era feature technology that is more difficult to comprehend than older models, thus making it almost impossible to find the cause of the incident.[23]

Maryland's Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation ordered the closure of Two Face: The Flip Side including retaining the certificate of operation for the ride, until the ride could be proven safe, which never occurred.[24] Eventually it was noted that a safety sensor had malfunctioned and caused the coaster to stall and unexpectedly jolt back to the station.[26] For the 2008 season, the ride sat not in operation while the investigation continued, although due to the many breakdowns of the ride, it was put up for sale and eventually bought by an unknown client.[27] By 2009, the ride had been dismantled (its current whereabouts are unknown), and the site remains vacant as of 2010 with the Six Flags trademarked "Under Funstruction" sign.[28]

On August 10, 2009, at 12:15pm PST, the Invertigo roller coaster at California's Great America experienced a mechanical failure, trapping 24 people 80 feet (24 m) in the air in 90 degree weather. The park requested police and firefigher assistance. After the last rider was brought to safety at 5:45pm PST the riders were given pizza and soft drinks, free of charge.[29]

On June 6, 2012, Stinger at Dorney Park experienced an incident were riders were stuck for approximately an hour and a half on the first lift. They eventually brought to safety.

References

  1. ^ Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  2. ^ "Invertigo". Vekoma. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  4. ^ a b Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  5. ^ a b Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  6. ^ a b Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  7. ^ Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  8. ^ a b c Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  9. ^ a b c Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  10. ^ "Kings Island Opens April 20". Middletown Journal. April 11, 2008. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  11. ^ http://www.cagreatamerica.com/news/detail.cfm?item_id=1069
  12. ^ "Planners OK new Dorney coaster – Morning Call". Mcall.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  13. ^ "NewsPlusNotes: Allentown's Just Brimming With Coaster Track". Newsplusnotes.blogspot.com. May 13, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  14. ^ "Thrill Rides – Roller Coasters – PA Thrill Rides | Dorney Park, Lehigh Valley PA". Dorneypark.com. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  15. ^ Dorney Park & Wildwater Kinggdom. "Stinger Construction". Facebook. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  16. ^ Dorney Park & Wildwater Kinggdom. "Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  17. ^ Dorney Park & Wildwater Kinggdom. "Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  18. ^ Dorney Park & Wildwater Kinggdom. "Wall Photos". Facebook. Retrieved January 9, 2012.
  19. ^ a b Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  20. ^ "Kings Island". Facebook. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  21. ^ Invertigo (roller coaster) at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  22. ^ "Invertigo at Kings Island official site". Kings Island. Retrieved February 1, 2012.
  23. ^ a b Kosmas, Sam (October 8, 2007). "Investigation into Six Flags Coaster Malfunction Continues". WTTG. Retrieved September 9, 2009. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |note= ignored (help)
  24. ^ a b Kinzie, Susan (October 8, 2007). "Six Flags Coaster Closed After Stalling Again". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  25. ^ Kosmas, Sam (October 9, 2007). "911 Call From Six Flags Coaster Malfunction Released". WTTG. Retrieved September 9, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |note= ignored (help)
  26. ^ "Ride Accident: Saturday October 6, 2007 (Six Flags America)". RideAccidents.com. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  27. ^ "Six Flags America to Sell Two Face". The Coaster Critic. September 8, 2008. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  28. ^ "New in 2009 for Six Flags America season". SFAFans.com. Retrieved September 9, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |note= ignored (help)
  29. ^ "24 riders rescued from California roller coaster". CNN. August 11, 2009.
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