Big Apple Coaster

Roller coaster in the United States
Watch the on-ride POV
Big Apple Coaster
New York, New York Hotel & Casino
Location Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Coordinates 36°06′11″N 115°10′29″W / 36.102988°N 115.174714°W / 36.102988; -115.174714
Status Operating since January 3, 1997
Cost $25,000,000
Rider height 54 inch minimum
Statistics
Manufacturer Togo
Type Steel - Hyper
Propulsion Chain lift hill
Height 203 feet
Drop 144 feet
Top speed 67 mph
Length 4777 feet
Inversions 2
Drop angle 55°
Duration 2:40
Rolling stock
Manufacturer Togo (1997-2006)
Premier Rides (2007 - 2020)
Premier Rides (2021 - present)
Riders per train 18
HELP

Big Apple Coaster is a steel Togo hyper roller coaster located at New York, New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. It originally opened in 1997 as "Manhattan Express". The ride's trains are themed to New York taxicabs.

History

Manhattan Express opened with the hotel on January 3, 1997.

In 2006, the Togo trains of the ride were replaced with newer trains made by Premier Rides. This was because riders were getting bruises on Togo's awkward pull-down restraints due to the rough ride and negative G-forces.[citation needed]

In January 2018, New York New York announced that from February 7, 2018, riders would be able to pay $20 to wear a virtual reality headset on the ride. The VR experience depicts aliens taking over Las Vegas, this was eventually removed from the ride.[1]

A new Sky Rocket II train also made by Premier Rides was seen testing on the course in 2020. In December 2020, the middle car on one of the trains derailed as it was climbing the lift hill, causing damage to the catwalk.[2] These new trains consist of comfort collars and a lap bar, which allow open-air seating. There are headlights on the front car, which light up at night. The ride reopened in late January 2021.[3] No changes to the ride's layout were made. The 2006 trains made by Premier Rides are currently stored in the New York, New York parking garage and are accessible to anyone nearby.[4] Most of the time, it costs $19 to ride and it always costs $10 to re-ride.[5]

Design

Elements

Color scheme

Red track and creme supports.

Trains

Togo (1997-2006) Trains:

2 trains with 4 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 16 riders per train.

Premier Rides (2006-2020) Trains:

2 trains with 4 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows, for a total of 16 riders per train.

Premier Rides (2021) trains:

2 trains with 3 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows, for a total of 18 riders per train. These are the same trains found on Premier Rides' Sky Rocket II model.

Facts

  • The Roller Coaster, along with the Stratosphere Tower can be seen in the music video for Off The Record by Tinchy Strider and Calvin Harris.

Images

References

  1. "Aliens on the Vegas Strip? New York-New York adds virtual reality to the Big Apple coaster".
  2. "New York New York's Big Apple Coaster Suffers Derailment Testing New Cars". Coaster Nation.
  3. "Big Apple Coaster has REOPENED (with the new Premier Trains)". Controversial Coasters.
  4. "Big Apple Coaster Open With New Trains | Manhattan Express | Premier Rides | Las Vegas". Front Row Coasters.
  5. "The Big Apple Coaster - New York - New York Hotel & Casino". New York, New York Hotel & Casino.

External links