Vortex (Carowinds)
Vortex | |
---|---|
![]() The vertical loop | |
Carowinds | |
Location | Carowinds |
Park section | Carousel Park |
Coordinates | 35°06′13″N 80°56′30″W / 35.1036°N 80.9416°W |
Status | Operating |
Opening date | March 14, 1992 |
Cost | $5,500,000[1] |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel – Stand-up |
Manufacturer | Bolliger & Mabillard |
Designer | Werner Stengel |
Model | Stand-Up |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
Height | 90 ft (27 m) |
Length | 2,040 ft (620 m) |
Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
Inversions | 2 (Vertical Loop, Corkscrew) |
Duration | 2:19 |
Height restriction | 54 in (137 cm) |
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Vortex at RCDB |
Vortex is a steel stand-up roller coaster at Carowinds that was built during the last year before Paramount bought the park in the year 1992. This ride, which was unusual at its time, officially opened on March 14, 1992, on the former site of the Carolina Speedway miniature car ride. Vortex was Bolliger & Mabillard's 3rd coaster and contains a loop and a corkscrew element in its small circuit. Vortex was repainted for the 2011 season with red track and gray supports, quite similar to the park's Intimidator coaster. Debuting with Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America and the former Vortex at California's Great America in the 1990s, Vortex was one of the first of a new generation of more developed stand up coasters than what had been introduced in the 1980s.
Ride Layout
Riders depart from the station in a standing position, then ascend a small 90-foot (27 m) lift. A pre-drop, characteristic of Bolliger & Mabillard rides, follows the lift hill, preceding the curved right drop. A loop follows the drop and is followed-up by an upward right and downward banked turn. An upward helix follows the downward turn and is followed by a right corkscrew. After another upward helix and a wide turnaround, the train ends the finale brake run before entering the station.[2]
Construction Data
- 109 columns and foundations
- 411,000 pounds of steel
- 931 cubic yards of concrete
Ride Elements
- Loop
- Corkscrew
- Banked Turn
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Vortex's drop
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Vortex's loop
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Vortex's drop directly before the corkscrew
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Vortex's corkscrew
References
- ^ "A GUIDE TO WHAT'S NEW IN THEME PARKS".
- ^ "4K Vortex POV Carowinds". TheCoasterViews. July 19, 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2019 – via YouTube.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Operating roller coasters
- Roller coasters introduced in 1992
- Steel roller coasters
- Stand-up roller coasters
- Roller coasters manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard
- Roller coasters in North Carolina
- Roller coasters in South Carolina
- Roller coasters operated by Cedar Fair
- Carowinds
- Stand-up roller coasters manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard