Another Steel Curtain Construction Update, December 16th, 2018

It is so much fun watching a coaster get constructed. Steel Curtain is no exception to this. In one week we have seen the track started to get put into place, starting with the brake run and heading into the last inversion in the course of the ride's layout. They made some impressive progress in construction over the last week. This link will take you to our much more thorough update from last week. 

 The first inversion in the progress of construction, and the last one in the chronology of the coaster's layout.

I can't wait to ride this coaster!

2019 will be extremely exciting at Kennywood! For more info on the coaster, check out this link from Kennywood.

If you are looking for a gift for someone, or for yourself, check out our 2019 Roller Coaster Wall Calendar. It is available through the dropdown menu at the top of this page, and through our Etsy Store. 

Our 2019 Roller Coaster Calendar

It features roller coasters from many amusement parks, including Knoebels, Holiday World, Waldameer, Kentucky Kingdom, Carowinds, Cedar Point, Family Kingdom, Kennywood, Darien Lake, and Kings Island. These calendars are custom made with photos taken by the authors. The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide. Purchases can be made using the PayPal menus at the bottom of this page, and at the top of the page.

Also available is our book on Pennsylvania's historic amusement parks, Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Road Trip. It features Knoebels, Kennywood Park, Hersheypark, Dorsey Park, Waldameer, DelGrosso's, the currently idle Lakemont, Dutch Wonderland, Idlewild, and Conneaut Lake Park.

Purchases of both items can be made through the PayPal menu at the bottom of this page, and at the top of this page, and through our Etsy Store

2019 Coaster Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Options

2019 Roller Coaster Calendar $9.99 USD  "Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks" Book $21.95 USD  Book and Calendar $29.95 USD  Two Calendars $19.50 USD  Three Calendars $28.50 USD  Four Calendars $36.50 USD

 

Kennywood Steel Curtain Coaster Construction Update

We just had our first chance to see Kennywood's new Steel Curtain Roller Coaster since construction has gone vertical. The bright yellow supports of the coaster pop out so nicely with the skyline. They are currently around 100 feet in height, and I can only imagine how imposing this coaster will appear once it reaches 220 feet. This S&S-Sansei (and Vekoma) creation should be amazing. It will top out at 220 feet, have the world's tallest inversion at 195 feet. 

Here is a list of some of the spectacular stats on this prototype coaster:

Height: 220 feet - tallest roller coaster in PA 

Speed: 76 mph 

Inversions: 9 - most in North America 

Tallest Inversion: 197 feet - tallest in the world 

Length: 4,000 feet 

  Sky Rocket, with Steel Curtain and the steel plant in Braddock in the background. 

 The track staging area in the area of the old K-Mart. Look at how aggressive some of those turns will be! The coaster will have some wicked transitions. 

While I am not a Steeler fan, the steel based theming of the coaster should be a win for the park. It is also nice to see the park make a nod towards the local steel industry, both past and present. The most robust portions of the region's steel making heritage are located right across the river in Braddock, in addition to the Irvin works on the other side of West Mifflin. 

 I never thought we would ever see a coaster built next to Racer. It is strange to see, but I really can't wait to see this coaster get done. 

2019 will be extremely exciting at Kennywood! For more info on the coaster, check out this link from Kennywood.

If you are looking for a gift for someone, or for yourself, check out our 2019 Roller Coaster Wall Calendar. It is available through the dropdown menu at the top of this page, and through our Etsy Store. 

Our 2019 Roller Coaster Calendar

It features roller coasters from many amusement parks, including Knoebels, Holiday World, Waldameer, Kentucky Kingdom, Carowinds, Cedar Point, Family Kingdom, Kennywood, Darien Lake, and Kings Island. These calendars are custom made with photos taken by the authors. The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide. Purchases can be made using the PayPal menus at the bottom of this page, and at the top of the page.

Also available is our book on Pennsylvania's historic amusement parks, Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Road Trip. It features Knoebels, Kennywood Park, Hersheypark, Dorsey Park, Waldameer, DelGrosso's, the currently idle Lakemont, Dutch Wonderland, Idlewild, and Conneaut Lake Park.

Purchases of both items can be made through the PayPal menu at the bottom of this page, and at the top of this page, and through our Etsy Store

2019 Coaster Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Options

2019 Roller Coaster Calendar $9.99 USD  "Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks" Book $21.95 USD  Book and Calendar $29.95 USD  Two Calendars $19.50 USD  Three Calendars $28.50 USD  Four Calendars $36.50 USD

 

2019 Roller Coaster Calendar

Our 2019 Roller Coaster Calendar

Today we are pleased to announce the release of our 2019 Roller Coaster Calendar. It features roller coasters from many amusement parks, including Knoebels, Holiday World, Waldameer, Kentucky Kingdom, Carowinds, Cedar Point, Family Kingdom, Kennywood, Darien Lake, and Kings Island. These calendars are custom made with photos taken by the authors. The calendars open up to be 17 inches tall by 11 inches wide. Purchases can be made using the PayPal menus at the bottom of this page, and at the top of the page.

Also available is our book on Pennsylvania's historic amusement parks, Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks Road Trip. It features Knoebels, Kennywood Park, Hersheypark, Dorsey Park, Waldameer, DelGrosso's, the currently idle Lakemont, Dutch Wonderland, Idlewild, and Conneaut Lake Park.

Purchases of both items can be made through the PayPal menu at the bottom of this page, and at the top of this page. 

2019 Coaster Calendar and PA Amusement Parks Book Options

2019 Roller Coaster Calendar $9.99 USD "Great Pennsylvania Amusement Parks" Book $21.95 USD Book and Calendar $29.95 USD Two Calendars $19.50 USD Three Calendars $28.50 USD Four Calendars $36.50 USD

Waldameer Labor Day Weekend Report

For us, nothing else quite says summer like visiting Waldameer. We passed through Erie on our way to a Labor Day Weekend trip to the Chautauqua Lake Region. Naturally we stopped at the park twice and had a great time.

Our first stop was mid-morning at the time the park opened for the day. We spent about 1.5 hours at the park and rode Ravine Flyer II, the Sky Ride, and spent some time in the arcade. It is always such a great time stopping in at the park.

 Ravine Flyer II was testing as we arrived. 

We rode one of our favorites at the park, the Sky Ride. The views of the park and Lake Erie are so awesome, and the ride itself adds so much character to the midway. Here is a view of the Comet, a Herbert Schmeck/PTC classic.

 The park's Hopkins Log Flume and Steel Dragon, their Maurer Spinning Coaster.

 The park's Music Express and the 1920s carousel pavilion, which is utilized as a picnic grove. The carousel pavilion was built for the park's carousel to be moved, which never ended up happening. It is now used as a picnic grove. 

The park's oldest structure is the carousel pavilion, which dates back to 1905. It serves as the heart of the park, with it being the first thing that anyone sees as they enter into the park area.

Ravine Flyer II, the park's Chance Sea Dragon, and the swing ride, with Lake Erie out in the distance. 

 Ravine Flyer III, one of the park's two junior coasters. These Miler coasters are so zippy for how little they are. 

 The return run on Ravine Flyer II.

 The park's Eyerly Spider is back in operation after getting fully taken apart and restored this season by Waldameer's excellent maintenance staff.

Ravine Flyer II is up and running! This world class ride had excellent crowds throughout the whole weekend. This 2008 Gravity Group creation celebrated its tenth anniversary at the park this season. 

 It was riding ridiculously well this past weekend. It always runs really well, but it was exceptionally great on Labor Day Weekend. We cannot wait for the park to reopen for the 2019 season!

Here is a picture of me experiencing the tremendous backseat airtime that this coaster's first drop offers.

 Comet is such an excellent family coaster. This Herbert Schmeck/PTC classic has stood at the park since 1951. It offers a great experience that is good for riders of all ages. 

 Evening rides on the Ferris Wheel are the best! There is nothing like getting views of the park, Lake Erie, and Presque Isle State Park at sunset. 

 There is also nothing quite like riding Ravine Flyer II into the sunset.

 The sunset over Lake Erie

 This park is really in the perfect setting. I would love to see them add a swing tower to take advantage of these great views. 

 A view of Ravine Flyer II's bridge over a four-lane highway, the only coaster that does that. The track over the bridge was redone this past season and this part offers tremendous airtime. 

As always, we had an excellent time at Waldameer and we cannot wait for the 2019 season! 

Our 2019 Roller Coaster Calendar is available now, and it features Waldameer and Ravine Flyer II. It is available for only $9.99 plus shipping, using the dropdown menu at the top of the page. For more information, check out this link.