Hakugei (roller coaster)
| Hakugei | |
|---|---|
 White Cyclone as seen in 2009 | |
| Nagashima Spa Land | |
| Location | Nagashima Spa Land |
| Coordinates | 35°01′49″N 136°44′05″E / 35.03028°N 136.73472°E |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 28 March 2019 |
| Cost | ¥2,800,000,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Model | I-Box Track |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 55 m (180 ft) |
| Length | 1,530 m (5,020 ft) |
| Speed | 107 km/h (66 mph) |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Max vertical angle | 80° |
| G-force | 4 |
| Height restriction | 130 cm (4 ft 3 in) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Website | {[URL |
| Hakugei at RCDB | |
Hakugei (白鯨, White Whale) is a steel roller coaster at Nagashima Spa Land in Mie Prefecture, Japan. It was formerly a wooden roller coaster known as White Cyclone (ホワイトサイクロン, Howaito Saikuron) manufactured by Swiss company Intamin that operated from 1994 to 2018.[1] It was refurbished by American company Rocky Mountain Construction, which installed steel track on the ride and made modifications to the ride layout, including the addition of three inversions. The refurbished ride opened on 28 March 2019.[2]
History
White Cyclone
Before the construction of White Cyclone in 1994, there had previously been only one wooden roller coaster ever constructed in Japan. This roller coaster, Jupiter, was opened in 1992—after height restrictions on wooden structures were relaxed by the Japanese government.[3] Another wooden coaster, White Canyon, opened in 1994—the same year as White Cyclone. In 2013, the roller coasters Jupiter and White Cyclone were two of only four operating wooden roller coasters in Japan,[4] and of only thirteen operating wooden roller coasters in Asia.[5]
White Cyclone was constructed of enough Alaskan timber to construct nearly a thousand homes.[6] The ride was particularly fast for a wooden roller coaster and it incorporated many standard elements such as helixes, large drops and smaller bunny hills.[3] The roller coaster incorporated a double out-and-back design and used cars manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.[7] White Cyclone closed on 28 January 2018.[1]
Hakugei
Rocky Mountain Construction refurbished the roller coaster using its patented I-Box Track technology,[8] with the ride being renamed White Whale (白鯨, Hakugei). The ride's height and speed were increased and three inversions were added to the layout. The refurbished ride opened on 28 March 2019.[2]
| Statistic | White Cyclone[1] | Hakugei[2] |
|---|---|---|
| Years | 1994–2018 | 2019–present |
| Manufacturer | Intamin | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Track | Wood | Steel |
| Height | 42.4 m or 139 ft | 55 m or 180 ft |
| Length | 1,700 m or 5,600 ft | 1,530 m or 5,020 ft |
| Speed | 102 km/h or 63 mph | 107 km/h or 66 mph |
| Inversions | 0 | 3 |
References
- ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "White Cyclone (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "Hakugei (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
- ^ a b Urbanowicz, Steven J. (2002). The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the World's Best Coasters. New York: Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2309-3.
- ^ RCDB list of wooden roller coasters in Japan
- ^ RCDB list of wooden roller coasters in Asia
- ^ Heacox, Kim (2006). The Only Kayak. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot. ISBN 1-59228-894-4.
- ^ Ultimaterollercoaster's listing for White Cyclone
- ^ "White Cyclone at Nagashima Spa Land Closes For RMC Treatment - Coaster101". Coaster101. 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2018-03-12.