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| Statistics | |||||||||||
| Builder | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc. | ||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Herbert Paul Schmeck | ||||||||||
| Type | Wooden | ||||||||||
| Riders per train | 24 | ||||||||||
| Propulsion | Chain lift hill | ||||||||||
| Height | 80 feet | ||||||||||
| Drop | 65 feet | ||||||||||
| Top speed | 45 mph | ||||||||||
| Length | 2767 feet | ||||||||||
| Inversions | 0 | ||||||||||
| Duration | 1:18 | ||||||||||
Thunderhawk is a wooden roller coaster located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. It was constructed by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, Inc.[1]
History
Originally called The Coaster, the ride's formal opening was held on May 4, 1924 though the roller coaster had operated on five previous Sundays.[2] For the 1930 season, the layout was changed after the first drop.[3] The Coaster was renamed Thunderhawk for the 1989 season following a renovation by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who also built the trains for Dorney Park's new wooden roller coaster Hercules.[1]
The ride was refurbished with new trains in 2016.[4]
In 2021, a plaque was presented to the park designating Thunderhawk a Roller Coaster Landmark by the American Coaster Enthusiasts.[5]
To commemorate the ride's 100th Anniversary in 2024, the ride received refurbished trains from Philadelphia Toboggan Company, special decals, new signs, mew merchandise, and a special event to celebrate the milestone.[6]
Design
Trains
2 trains with 4 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows, for a total of 24 riders per train.
Images
-
Thunderhawk's lift hill in comparison to Steel Force's lift -
_2012_01.jpg)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Dorney Park". The Philadelphia Enquirer.
- ↑ "Dorney Park's New Coaster In Use Today". The Morning Call.
- ↑ "Beautiful Dorney Park formally opens its season today, May 17". The Morning Call.
- ↑ "Dorney Park's refurbished wooden coaster Thunderhawk still thrills".
- ↑ "Thunderhawk becomes 45th coaster to receive ACE roller coaster landmark plaque".
- ↑ "100 Years of Thrills: Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Celebrates Thunderhawk Roller Coaster's Centennial". www.dorneypark.com. Retrieved 2024-04-01.
External links
- Thunderhawk on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
