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{| class= "wikitable sortable"
{| class= "wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
|+ Incomplete list of suspended roller coaster installations
|+ List of suspended roller coaster installations
! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! <small>Open</small> !! Status
! Name !! Park !! Manufacturer !! <small>Open</small> !! Status
|-
|-
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|-
|-
| [[Ninja (Six Flags Magic Mountain)|Ninja]] || [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1988 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [[Ninja (Six Flags Magic Mountain)|Ninja]] || [[Six Flags Magic Mountain]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1988 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1585.htm Centrifuge] || [http://www.rcdb.com/pd591.htm World Expo Park] || [[Vekoma]] || 1988 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [[Vampire (roller coaster)|Vampire]]* || [[Chessington World of Adventures]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1990 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [[Vampire (roller coaster)|Vampire]]* || [[Chessington World of Adventures]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1990 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
|-
| [[Vortex (Canada's Wonderland)|Vortex]] || [[Canada's Wonderland]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1991 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [[Vortex (Canada's Wonderland)|Vortex]] || [[Canada's Wonderland]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1991 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1337.htm Eagle Fortress] || [http://www.everland.com Everland] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1992 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1203.htm Hayabusa] || [http://www.summerland.co.jp Tokyo SummerLand] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1992 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [[The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1993)]]|| [[Kings Island]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1993 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [[The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1993)]]|| [[Kings Island]] || [[Arrow Dynamics]] || 1993 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1435.htm Sky Coaster] || [[Dream World (Bangkok)|Dream World]] || [[Vekoma]] || 1994 || {{Won|Relocated/Operating}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1435.htm Sky Coaster] || [[Dream World (Bangkok)|Dream World]] || [[Vekoma]] || 1994 || {{Won|Relocated/Operating}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/780.htm Batflyer] || [[Lightwater Valley]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 1996 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/945.htm Batflyer]** || [[Duinrell]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 1997 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
| [[Scooby's Ghoster Coaster]] || [[Kings Island]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 1998 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/857.htm Clone Zone] || [http://www.themilkyway.co.uk Milky Way] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 1997 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/857.htm Clone Zone] || [http://www.themilkyway.co.uk Milky Way] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 1997 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/559.htm Pteranodon Flyers] || [[Islands of Adventure]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro]/[http://www.setpointinc.com Setpoint] || 1999 ||{{Won|Operating}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/559.htm Pteranodon Flyers] || [[Islands of Adventure]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro]/[http://www.setpointinc.com Setpoint] || 1999 ||{{Won|Operating}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/598.htm Flying Super Saturator] || [[Carowinds]] || [http://www.setpointinc.com Setpoint] || 2000 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/688.htm Spellbreaker] || [[Legoland California]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2000 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/932.htm Vleermuis] || [[Plopsaland De Panne]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2000 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/932.htm Vleermuis] || [[Plopsaland De Panne]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2000 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1450.htm Hydra Fighter II] || [[Wet 'n Wild Emerald Pointe]] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2001 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/2671.htm Boramae Coaser] || [http://www.wonderzone.co.kr Wonder Zone] || [http://www.parkworld.co.kr R&C Entertainment] || 2001 || {{Nominated|[[Standing but not operating|SBNO]]}}***
| [http://www.rcdb.com/2671.htm Boramae Coaser] || [http://www.wonderzone.co.kr Wonder Zone] || [http://www.parkworld.co.kr R&C Entertainment] || 2001 || {{Nominated|[[Standing but not operating|SBNO]]}}***
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|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1427.htm Batflyer] || [http://nasuhai.co.jp Nasu Highland Park] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2001 || {{Won|Operating}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/1427.htm Batflyer] || [http://nasuhai.co.jp Nasu Highland Park] || [http://www.rcdb.com/installationresult.htm?column=1,10,3,4,5&order=1,2&contact=115 Caripro] || 2001 || {{Won|Operating}}
|-
| [[Roller Soaker]] || [[Hersheypark]] || [http://www.setpointinc.com Setpoint] || 2002 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
|-
|-
| [http://www.rcdb.com/2378.htm Aeroplanes] || [http://www.rcdb.com/pd909.htm Aerocity Parc] || Big Country Motioneering || 2003 || {{Nominated|Closed}}
| [http://www.rcdb.com/2378.htm Aeroplanes] || [http://www.rcdb.com/pd909.htm Aerocity Parc] || Big Country Motioneering || 2003 || {{Nominated|Closed}}

Revision as of 05:31, 1 October 2017

Template:Distinguish2

Suspended roller coaster
Trains swinging on an Arrow Development manufactured suspended roller coaster Iron Dragon at Cedar Point
StatusIn production
First manufactured1902
No. of installationsAbout 37
ManufacturersArrow Development, Aerial Tramway Construction Co., Big Country Motioneering, Caripro, R&C Entertainment, Setpoint, and Vekoma

A suspended roller coaster is a type of steel roller coaster in which the car hangs from the bottom of the rolling stock by a pivoting fulcrum or hinge assembly. This allows the car and riders to swing side to side as the train races along the track. Due to the swing designs, these roller coasters cannot invert riders.

History

One of the earliest suspended roller coasters was known as Bisby's Spiral Airship, built in Long Beach, California in the early 1900s.[1] Riders on Bisby's Spiral Airship rode in square gondolas suspended from the track above, which were then carried via lift hill to the top of a tower. The gondolas then rolled down the track, which spiraled down the tower back to the loading platform. The attraction operated at least until the mid 1910s.[1]

In 1975, German aircraft manufacturer Messerschmidt debuted Alpenflug at the annual Oktoberfest fair in Munich, Germany.[2] Featuring multi-car trains and a 2700-foot twisting, spiraling layout, Alpenflug was a hit during the 16-day fair.[2] However, the design was scrapped after analysis revealed significant stress in the track, whose curves were not banked, and in the wheel assemblies, as the train's brake fins were located at the bottom of the train's gondolas instead of near the track itself.[2]

The first permanent modern suspended roller coaster was The Bat at Kings Island. Built by Arrow Development, The Bat opened April 21, 1981, but it was soon plagued with problems. The problems included: excessive stress on the support springs due to the unbanked curved track sections and stress on the wheels because the brakes were mounted at bottom of the swinging cars. Kings Island's USD $3.8 million ride closed in 1983 and was later scheduled for demolition. The Bat's former site is now occupied by the Arrow designed looping coaster Vortex. The suspended coaster would return to Kings Island in 1993 with the addition of Top Gun which after a period of being called Flight Deck was renamed The Bat in 2014, a reference to the original 1981 coaster.

The Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures

Arrow-Huss refined its suspended roller coaster designs, culminating in the debut of The Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and XLR-8 at Six Flags Astroworld in 1984. After 1984, as Arrow Dynamics, they manufactured ten suspended roller coasters, including Iron Dragon at Cedar Point, Ninja at Six Flags Magic Mountain, Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures, and Vortex at Canada's Wonderland.

Other manufacturers have also constructed their variations on the suspended roller coaster. Before contacting Arrow-Huss for The Big Bad Wolf, Busch Gardens contacted Anton Schwarzkopf to design a suspended coaster, dubbed the "Flugbahn". However, Schwarzkopf went bankrupt, completing only a model and the footers of the actual coaster.[3] Dutch designer Vekoma manufactured a suspended model dubbed "Swinging Turns," of which three copies were constructed. Vekoma offers both Arrow-style traditional car designs as well as floorless cars where the riders' feet dangle, similar to Vekoma's inverted coasters but the cars are able to swing. In 2001, Vampire at Chessington World of Adventures was modified to use Vekoma's floorless trains. Caripro, another designer based in The Netherlands, manufactured twelve suspended roller coasters and American designer Setpoint manufactured four.

Installations

A former Arrow Huss suspended roller coaster, Big Bad Wolf at Busch Gardens Williamsburg
A Setpoint suspended roller coaster, Roller Soaker at Hershey Park
Trains swinging on an Arrow Dynamics manufactured suspended roller coaster The Bat at Kings Island
List of suspended roller coaster installations
Name Park Manufacturer Open Status
Iron Dragon Cedar Point Arrow Dynamics 1987 Operating
Dream Catcher Bobbejaanland Vekoma 1987 Operating
Ninja Six Flags Magic Mountain Arrow Dynamics 1988 Operating
Vampire* Chessington World of Adventures Arrow Dynamics 1990 Operating
Vortex Canada's Wonderland Arrow Dynamics 1991 Operating
The Bat (Kings Island; opened 1993) Kings Island Arrow Dynamics 1993 Operating
Sky Coaster Dream World Vekoma 1994 Relocated/Operating
Clone Zone Milky Way Caripro 1997 Operating
Pteranodon Flyers Islands of Adventure Caripro/Setpoint 1999 Operating
Vleermuis Plopsaland De Panne Caripro 2000 Operating
Boramae Coaser Wonder Zone R&C Entertainment 2001 SBNO***
Sky Rider Skyline Park Caripro 2001 Operating
Batflyer Hamanako Pal Pal Caripro 2001 Operating
Batflyer Nasu Highland Park Caripro 2001 Operating
Aeroplanes Aerocity Parc Big Country Motioneering 2003 Closed
Batflyer World In Miniature Caripro 2003 Closed
Unknown Dreamland Park 2006 Operating
Vertigo Walibi Belgium Input 2007 Closed
Slippery When Wet Hard Rock Park Caripro 2008 SBNO***
Canopy Flyer Universal Studios Singapore Setpoint 2010 Operating

* Operates with Vekoma trains[4]
** Never operated[5]
*** SBNO stands for standing but not operating, a status that indicates the roller coaster still exists but is not operating[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Bisby's Spiral Airship". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  2. ^ a b c James Kay. "Lost Legends: Alpenflug". Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  3. ^ Flying Coaster at Schwarzkopf Coaster Net
  4. ^ [1]
  5. ^ [2]
  6. ^ [3]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Suspended roller coasters.
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