Storm
Runner
Intamin's
Rocket Coaster Gets Loopy.
Pennsylvania's
Hersheypark usually gets high-fives for its woodies: the classic Comet and even more so, the two modern wonders, Wildcat and Lightning Racer.
That's not to say the major steel coasters at this park are losers;
far from it. Great Bear, the Bolliger & Mabillard inverted
coaster is way cool and Intamin's single-inversion Sooperdooperlooper has gobs of retro charm. Okay, Trailblazer, the half-a-minetrain
coaster is sorta dopey yet I always ride it.
But, until
recently, if you mentioned Hershey to your average coaster fan,
they'd rave about the lumber and little else.
That's going
to change.
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
For
those not up to speed, as it were, a bit of history. 2002: Intamin
introduces the first hydraulic-launch "Rocket" coaster
at Knott's Berry Farm, dubbed Xcelerator. Zero to 82 miles
per hour in under three seconds. Vertical climb and vertical descent,
to and from a 200-foot peak. Awesome. 2003: Cedar Point takes
a blowtorch to the record books with Top
Thrill Dragster. Zero to 120 miles per hour in four seconds.
420 feet tall. Beyond awesome.
Now,
for 2004, Hersheypark has its own Rocket. It's not nearly as fast,
nor as quick, nor as tall as its cousins. But this pocket Rocket
does something the other two don't: It goes upside-down.
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storm
Runner was the "above the title" star of the RideWorld/ThrillRide Coaster Conclave 2, held over the weekend of June 19th
and 20th, and on that Saturday morning, lucky attendees gathered
early at Hersheypark's main gate to register and prep for some
Storm Runner ERT. Sadly, the full hour we'd hoped for didn't happen,
due to startup issues. We were informed that the coaster didn't
even open until 1:00 PM the day before. But
everyone was a good sport about it and we waited.
Then,
the fates smiled upon us and we were escorted back to the ride
at 9:30 AM. Testing was underway and we managed to get a couple
of rides in ahead of the general public.
The first
thing almost everyone admired was a new and improved station and
boarding procedure. There are two parallel tracks and passenger
platforms under the station's roof, so while one train is in action,
another is packing them in. And when there are no hiccups, trains
are hustled on their way with remarkable efficiency. (Throughout
the day, the lines were really, really long, but they moved.)
But it's once
you're in a train that those familiar with Rockets really
start paying attention. These puppies have shoulder harnesses,
not what we're used to. But they are as comfortable as can be
expected and quite necessary, as will soon be discovered.
Sitting up
close to the front, you'll likely be thinking, "man, that
launch track is short." Yes, we're going to get right
down to business without wasting a moment. We roll forward to
the go-zone and stop. The metal deceleration fins that line the
rails drop... the train drifts backwards... and then the storm
breaks.
The
push at our backs is strong, not lung-collapsing (like Dragster's),
but it's a laff riot nonetheless; it's more of a "Whoo-Hoo!"
experience than a "Holy $#&%$!" kind of thing. In
two seconds, we're at 72 miles per hour and before we know it,
we're looking up at the heavens and entering them
mighty quick.
Like
usual, this Rocket spins us 90 degrees as we climb, this time
to the right. And, like usual, we scurry over the top staring
at the sky, staring at the horizon, staring straight down
lickety-split. But from here on in, there's no more "like
usual."
The
train shrieks down 180 feet, straight and true all the way, hitting
Storm Runner's top speed of 75 miles per hour. And with all that
momentum to spare, we surge right back up. And up. And over, 135 feet above the terrain. Spicy!
Pulling
out of the inversion, we flip and plummet to the side in a very
nice bit of aerobatics. Call it an Immelman, call it a Cobra Loop,
call it whatever you'd like. Whatever it is, it's all right. And it's just a warm-up for what's comin' next.
Peeling
out of the bottom of the Immelman-slash-Cobra Loop, we head back
up and level off to whip through a one-two punch of corkscrewy
pleasure.
We
start with inversion two, a super-elevated heartline roll, far,
far above the throngs below. Our vehicle tips over to the starboard
side, gently tossing us into those shoulder harnesses. Whoa...
Nice to have that on-board equipment now.
There's
some choice hangtime way up there, rolling over and over until
we're back up right for a second. But it is only a second before
we enter the last inversion, an element that has been crowned
a "Flying Snake Dive."
Is
it just me, or does that sound like some kind of bogus kung fu
attack maneuver? ("Your pathetic 'Tiger Claw' is no match
for my lethal 'Flying Snake Dive!' Mwhahaha!") Regardless,
this particular element is Storm Runner's signature moment.
We
continue to spin around the horizontal axis but by the time we
get completely inverted again, we've already begun to descend
and rip to the left.
It's
somewhat like the Cobra Loop we've just encountered, but far more
intense. The inversion seems longer-lasting and the drop far steeper,
making it one hell of mind-twisting way to fall from the sky.
More than one rider compared it favorably to the Manhattan
Express' infamous "Twist and Dive" element.
And
once we regain some sort of normal posture, Storm Runner pulls
us through a grand sweep of a valley, scoots up, and pitches us
to the right before sliding down the final brake run.
Short,
perhaps, but very, very sweet.
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The
consensus seemed to be that while Storm Runner didn't run with
quite the same mad fervor we've come to expect from Rocket Coasters,
the new goodies it brings to the table more than compensate for
its less ferocious disposition.
And
there is no doubt now that when members of our community talk
about Hersheypark, the woodies won't dominate the conversation
any more.
That
said...
I
must add that for Conclave 2 both Lightning Racer and the Wildcat
were at the top of their game. As the day went on and things heated
up, both coasters ran like the wind. And while the Wildcat may
not be quite as smooth as it was the day it opened, it still shocks
and amazes with its non-stop action. Whatta pair of woodies...
.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storm
Runner
- TOP SPEED:
75 Miles Per Hour
- LENGTH:
2600 Feet
- MAX. HEIGHT:
150 feet
- MAX. DROP:
180 Feet
- INVERSIONS:
Three
- MAX. ASCENT
ANGLE: 90 Degrees
- MAX. DESCENT
ANGLE: 90 Degrees
- RIDE DURATION:
Fifty Seconds
- CARS: Two
trains, 20 passengers per train
- MANUFACTURER:
Intamin AG, Wollerau, Switzerland
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