Powered Coaster (Mack Rides product)

Product
Powered Coaster
Status In production
Introduced 1969
Latest built Alpenexpress "Enzian"
(26 April 2024)
Statistics
Manufacturer
 Mack Rides, Germany
Type Steel - Powered

The Powered Coaster is a model of steel powered coaster manufactured by Mack Rides, it debuted in 1969.

Design

The ride features a running plate on top of the track. This plate is used for the propulsion of the trains, with each car of the train featuring a drive tyre underneath. These tyres run on the plates, propelling the train. The propulsion of these wheels is powered by a third rail with contacts that is located underneath the track.

The trains originally featured bench style seating with buzzbar restraints. This train design would appear for the last time on Bob Express on 15 May 2000. The next installation, Galaxie Express would feature seperate seating and lap bars. This would become the new standard for all new installations.

The current iteration of the model has the possibility to change direction mid-ride. This can allow the train to travel backwards on a second lap. There is currently no installation that uses this feature. The model does also feature variable speeds during the ride, which has been used on some of the more recent installation. It is mostly used to speed up the train on a second lap.

Layout

The Powered Coaster features a few standard layouts, with them mostly being discontinued. The exception to this is Alpenexpress "Enzian", which is a new installation of the Grottenbahn layout due to the original version being heavily damaged in a fire.

Blauer Enzian Version 1

This is the original layout of the Powered Coaster, and features a figure 8 layout. The ride starts with a left turnaround out of the station, followed by a gentle rise up to the highest point of the ride. This is followed by another turnaround leading into a gentle downwards diagonal drop. A gentle downwards turnaround leads into another diagonal track, followed by a final turnaround back into the station.

Blauer Enzian Version 2

The second version of the ride changes the second turnaround to a downwards helix, with the gentle diagonal drop being changed to a diagonal rise. This would lead back into the downwards turnaround, linking back to the original layout.

Blauer Enzian Version 3

The third version of the layout is the same as the second version up untill the helix. The diagonal track now stays flat, with the following turnaround now rising up instead. The diagonal track after this now goes downhill, with the final turn remaining the same.

Grottenblitz

Grottenblitz is a layout originally designed for Alpenexpress "Enzian" at Europa-Park in Germany. The layout sees the train entering a right-hand turnaround, which is followed up by a left-hand helix and a left-hand turn. A right-hand helix follows, leading into a wide turnaround back into the station.

Installations

Name Park Layout Country First opened Opened Status
Super Train Tokaido
Formerly Tokaido Express
Tivoli World
Hans-Jürgen Tiemann (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 1
Spain
Germany
1971 1980 or later
1971
Standing but not operating since September 2020
Tokaido Express
Formerly Tokaido Express
Formerly Tokaido Express
Formerly Tokaido Express
Formerly Hitachi Express 2
Lunapark Fréjus
Landgraf (Travelling)
Azur Park (Travelling)
Clark Kiener (Travelling)
Hans-Jürgen Tiemannn (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 1
France
France

France

France

Germany
1972 2017
unknown
unknown
unknown
1972
Operating
Closed unknown
Closed unknown
Closed unknown
Closed unknown
Runaway Train
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Elitch Gardens
Peter Dom (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 2
USA
Germany
1973 1996
1973
Defunct since 1996
Closed unknown
Apache Whirlwind Frontier Village Amusement Park Blauer Enzian version 2
USA
1976 Defunct since 16 September 1980
Feuer + Eis
Formerly Feuer & Eis
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Barth & Kipp (Travelling)
Michael Courtney (Travelling)
Koch-Courtney (Travelling)
Gröna Lund (Loan)
Peter Dom (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 2
Germany
Germany

Germany

Sweden

Germany
1976 2016
Unknown
1996
1980
1976
Operating
Closed 2015
Closed unknown
Closed 1982
Closed 1995
Kansas City Express
Formerly Kansas City Express
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Formerly Bayern-Express
Formerly Bayern-Express
Formerly Bayern-Express
Thierry Montaletang (Travelling)
Fränkisches Wunderland
Neue Traumland
Alfons Kaiser (Travelling)
Peter Schütz & Co. (Travelling)
Fritz & Julius Kinzler (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 2
France
Germany

Germany

Germany

Germany

Germany
1977 2019
1993
June 1987
1982
1980
1977
In storage
Closed 2013
Closed August 31, 1991
Closed 1986
Closed 1981
Closed 1979
Silverpony Express
Formerly Bayern Express
Formerly Blauer Enzian
Freizeit-Land Geiselwind
Friedrich Uhse (Travelling)
Hans-Jürgen Tiemann & Friedrich Uhse (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 2
Germany
Germany

Germany
1977 1989
Unknown
1977
Operating
Closed April 1984
Closed unknown
Thunder Run Canada's Wonderland Blauer Enzian version 2
Canada
May 23, 1981 Operating
Eurospeed
Formerly Rothaarblitz
Fabrikus World
Panorama Park
Custom
France
Germany
June 1982 2009
June 1982
Operating
Closed 2007
Blauer Enzian Toshimaen Blauer Enzian version 2
Japan
1982 Defunct since 31 August 2020
Flying Fish Thorpe Park Blauer Enzian version 2
UK
1983 Operating
Alpenexpress "Enzian" Europa-Park Grottenblitz
Germany
1984 Defunct since 20 June 2023
Grottenblitz Heide Park Grottenblitz
Germany
1985 Operating
Odinexpressen Tivoli Gardens Custom
Denmark
1985 Defunct since 1 December 2018
Gruvbanan Skara Sommarland Custom
Sweden
1987 Operating
Scorpion Express Chessington World of Adventures Blauer Enzian Version 2
UK
1987 Standing but not operating since July 2023
Spreeblitz Spreepark
Mirapolis
Custom
Germany
France
1987 Unknown
1987
Standing but not operating since 2001
Closed 1991
Idän Pikajuna Tykkimäki Blauer Enzian Version 2
Finland
1989 Operating
Pikajuna Linnanmäki Custom
Finland
1990 Operating
Runaway Mine Train Alton Towers Custom
UK
1992 Operating
Train de la Mine Nigloland Custom
France
1992 Operating
Alpen Express
Formerly Alpen Express
Formerly Alpenexpress
Hòn Dáu Resort
Kim Dong Flower Garden
Harry & Peer Nülken (Travelling)
Blauer Enzian version 3
Vietnam
Vietnam

Germany
1993 2013
December 2002
1993
Operating
Closed 2013
Closed 2002
Dragen Legoland Billund Custom
Denmark
1997 Operating
Gletscherblitz Steinwasen Park Custom
Germany
1998 Operating
Bob Express Bobbejaanland Custom
Belgium
May 15, 2000 Operating
Expreso Minero Parque Plaza Sesamo Custom
Mexico
2002 or earlier Operating
Gobbi Express
Formerly Galaxie Express
Taunus Wunderland
Space Center
Custom
Germany
Germany
December 19, 2003 May 2024
19 December 2003
Operating
Closed 26 September 2004
Draak Plopsaland De Panne Custom
Belgium
March 4, 2004 Operating
Dynamite Express Drievliet Family Park Custom
Netherlands
June 9, 2005 Operating
Arctic Blast Ocean Park Custom
China
July 13, 2012 Operating
Miniwah Freizeitpark Plohn Custom
Germany
May 24, 2015 Operating
Mælkevejen Tivoli Gardens Custom
Denmark
November 28, 2019 Operating
Gods of Egypt - Battle for Eternity Lionsgate Entertainment World Custom
China
2019 Operating
Max & Moritz Efteling Custom
Netherlands
June 20, 2020 Operating
T-Rex Family Coaster Djurs Sommerland Custom
Denmark
April 30, 2022 Operating
Carrara Mandoria Custom
Poland
July 2, 2022 Operating
Alpenexpress "Enzian" Europa-Park Grottenblitz
Germany
April 26, 2024 Operating

External links


Mack Rides