Suspended Looping Coaster

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Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC)
BlueTornado.jpg
Type Steel
Status In production
Manufacturer Vekoma
Lift/launch system Single chain lift hill
Height Restriction 130 cm (4 ft 3 in)
Suspended Looping Coaster (SLC) at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

The Suspended Looping Coaster (or SLC) is a model of steel inverted roller coaster built by Vekoma. There are at least 39 different installations across the world. The minimum rider height requirement is 130 centimetres (4 ft 3 in) or more.

Contents

[edit] History

The first Suspended Looping Coaster installation was El Condor at Walibi Holland in The Netherlands.[1] It was initially designed to run with ten cars in each train. Trouble with this configuration lead to the trains being shortened to eight cars to a train.[2] T2 at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom was the second prototype model Suspended Looping Coaster and the first in the United States.[3] Like El Condor, it was designed to run with ten cars in a train, though T2's trains were shortened to seven cars for similar reasons.[2]

The roller coaster is considered to still be in production as the latest new installation (i.e. not relocated) was Dragon in Clouds in 2009 at Happy Valley, Shenzhen.[4][5]

[edit] Ride

[edit] Layouts

The layout of most Suspended Looping Coasters is the 689m Standard. The additional dotted helix is found only on some extended models.
Hangman at Wild Adventures is of the 689m Standard layout.

There are several different layouts of Suspended Looping Coasters although most feature a similar pattern.[2] The ride starts by taking riders up a 33.3-metre (109 ft) chain hill.[6] Once at the top, the train goes down a steep, banked turn to the right where it enters the first inversion element - a roll over. A roll over (also known as a Sea serpent roll) first features an Immelmann loop quickly followed by a Dive Loop.[7] Upon exit from this element, the train goes up a hill which features some banking at the top before descending and approaching the ride's next inversion - a sidewinder.[6] A sidewinder is similar to an Immelmann loop however it features a half loop followed by a half corkscrew (rather than an inline twist).[8] From the exit of this sidewinder, the train goes into a sharp helix before entering the ride's final two inversions - inline twists. These two twists are followed one after the other. A banked curve to the right turns the train back around to face towards the station. At this point some models feature an additional helix to the left while others simply continue straight into the brake run.[6] The standard model also has a relatively compact layout, providing for "footchoppers".

Vekoma have also manufactured two custom Suspended Looping Coasters: Fly - The Great Nor'easter at Morey's Piers and Jubilee Odyssey at Fantasy Island.[9]

Name Number of installations First installation Last installation
662m Prototype 2 1994 1995
689m Standard 24 1995 2010
765m Extended w/Helix 5 1995 1999
787m Extended 2 1997 2007
Shenlin 2 2002 2006
Shenlin w/Helix 2 2006 2009
Custom 2 1995 2002
39 1994 2010

[edit] Trains

Close up of an SLC wheel assembly

Many Suspended Looping Coasters operate with two trains consisting of ten cars, though some operate with as few as seven cars. Poorly maintained, poor track layout or most likely non-exact track manufacturing can cause SLCs riders to experience painful "head banging", whereby the head hits the Over the Shoulder Restraints. They also use very small plastic seats with little or no room for a person to move. Contrary to popular belief,[citation needed] the wheel spacing on the trains (the 'gaps' between the side friction wheels, up-stop wheels, and the track) adds little to the roughness of these rides.[citation needed] Vekoma is currently manufacturing new trains with convenient hip harnesses. Unlike the first generation of trains, this modification will make the overall ride experience more comfortable.[citation needed]

The Suspended Looping Coaster is similar in design to other inverted roller coasters, however unlike the four-across seating found on Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M) inverted roller coasters, Vekoma SLC's use two-across seating.

  • A Vekoma Suspended Looping Coaster train seat riders 2 across.

  • A Bolliger and Mabillard Inverted Roller Coaster train seat riders 4 across.

[edit] Installations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

There are at least 39 different installations across the world which have been located at 47 different theme parks.[10]

Name Park Opened Status Model Image
Batman - The Ride Six Flags Mexico 2000 Operating 689m Standard Six Flags México - Batman the Ride.jpg [11]
Blue Tornado Gardaland 1998 Operating 765m Extended w/Helix BlueTornado.jpg [12]
El Condor Walibi Holland 1994 Operating 662m Prototype El condor Walibi Wolrd.JPG [1]
Ednör – L'Attaque La Ronde 2010 Operating 689m Standard Ednör - L'Attaque (Opposite Lake View May 15 2010).jpg [13]
Flight Deck Canada's Wonderland 1995 Operating 689m Standard Flight Deck at Canada's Wonderland.jpg [14]
Fly - The Great Nor'easter Morey's Piers 1995 Operating Custom Nor'easter.JPG [15]
Infusion Blackpool Pleasure Beach 2007 Operating 689m Standard Infusion.JPG [16]
Jubilee Odyssey Fantasy Island 2002 Operating Custom Jubilee Odyssey.JPG [17]
Kong Six Flags Discovery Kingdom 1998 Operating 689m Standard Kong Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.jpg [18]
Kumali Flamingo Land 2006 Operating Custom Kumali.jpg
Lethal Weapon - The Ride Warner Bros. Movie World 1995 Operating 765m Extended w/Helix Lethal Weapon - The Ride - inversions.JPG [6]
MP Xpress Movie Park Germany 2001 Operating 689m Standard MoviePark Xpress.JPG [19]
T2 Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom 1995 SBNO 662m Prototype SFKK-T2.jpg [3]
The Mind Eraser Darien Lake, Six Flags America, Elitch Gardens, and Six Flags New England 1995–1997 Operating 689m Standard Mind Eraser (Sidewinder).JPG [20][21][22][23]
Thunderhawk Michigan's Adventure 2008 Operating 689m Standard

Thunderhawk06.png

 [24]
Vampire Walibi Belgium 1999 Operating 689m Standard [25]

[edit] Similar roller coasters

Shenzhou Coaster is an inverted roller coaster at Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park in Beijing, China. The train and track are similar to the Suspended Looping Coaster design by Vekoma, but the ride was instead designed and manufactured by Beijing Shibaolai Amusement Equipment. The track layout is unique.[26]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "El Condor  (Walibi Holland)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/770.htm. Retrieved 13 December 2010. 
  2. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "SLC  (662m Prototype)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8409.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  3. ^ a b Marden, Duane. "T2  (Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/175.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  4. ^ Marden, Duane. "Dragon in Clouds  (Happy Valley)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/4126.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  5. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results - Model Line = SLC". Database Entry. RollerCoaster Database. http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&ml=8106&page=1&order=-10. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  6. ^ a b c d Marden, Duane. "Lethal Weapon - The Ride  (Warner Bros. Movie World)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/1122.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  7. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roll Over". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8889.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  8. ^ Marden, Duane. "Sidewinder". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8890.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  9. ^ Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results - Model = SLC (Custom)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster Database. http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&mo=8294. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  10. ^ Marden, Duane. "SLC". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8106.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  11. ^ Marden, Duane. "Batman: The Ride  (Six Flags Mexico)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/639.htm. Retrieved 13 December 2010. 
  12. ^ Marden, Duane. "Blue Tornado  (Gardaland)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/961.htm. Retrieved 13 December 2010. 
  13. ^ Marden, Duane. "Ednör - L'Attaque  (La Ronde)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/8662.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  14. ^ Marden, Duane. "Flight Deck  (Canada's Wonderland)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/57.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  15. ^ Marden, Duane. "Fly the Great Nor'Easter  (Morey's Piers)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/158.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  16. ^ Marden, Duane. "Infusion  (Blackpool Pleasure Beach)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/3672.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  17. ^ Marden, Duane. "Jubilee Odyssey  (Fantasy Island)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/1413.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  18. ^ Marden, Duane. "Kong  (Six Flags Discovery Kingdom)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/163.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  19. ^ Marden, Duane. "MP-Xpress  (Movie Park Germany)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/969.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  20. ^ Marden, Duane. "Mind Eraser  (Six Flags America)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/149.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  21. ^ Marden, Duane. "Mind Eraser  (Elitch Gardens)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/422.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  22. ^ Marden, Duane. "Mind Eraser  (Six Flags New England)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/429.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  23. ^ Marden, Duane. "Mind Eraser  (Darien Lake)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/430.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  24. ^ Marden, Duane. "Thunderhawk  (Michigan's Adventure)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/4053.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
  25. ^ Marden, Duane. "Vampire  (Walibi Belgium)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/922.htm. Retrieved 11 August 2011. 
  26. ^ Marden, Duane. "Shenzhou Coaster  (Beijing Shijingshan Amusement Park)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. http://www.rcdb.com/2906.htm. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 

[edit] External links

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