Kennywood's Thunderbolt celebrates its 100th season
WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. (KDKA) -- It was named the King of Coasters by the New York Times back in 1974 and earlier in May, the Thunderbolt officially opened for its 100th season at Kennywood.
Brian Butko of the Heinz History Center is a fan of the Thunderbolt, but he says that the ride that is at the park now was a bit different back in 1924 when it opened. Originally the Thunderbolt was called the Pippin.
"The Pippin was really a twin of the Jack Rabbit," said Butko. "It went down into the ravine, only the station was a little different. At the end of the 1967 season, they started work on what would become the Thunderbolt. They took out the Pippin station that was right behind us and added these double helixes -- what people like to call the 'Spaghetti Bowl' -- and raised the height they come from too. That was the main change. The part down in the ravine, the four drops, is still basically the same as the Pippin."
The Thunderbolt today has a max speed of 55 miles per hour and it has an impressive 90-foot drop. And this attraction packs enough of a punch it keeps people coming back to ride again and again.
"What I love about the ride is the wooden structure," said Bill Burns, who was in the park on Thursday as part of the Ingomar Middle School field trip. "The old cars, it rattles you around it is just a lot of fun for us."
"It feels like you are going to die while you are on it," Darien from Pittsburgh said lovingly. "It feels like it is just going to fall apart, and you are just going to fly right out of it." His friend Brent added that, "it is exactly what you want in a rollercoaster."
But Pattie from Pittsburgh may have summed up this ride best when she said, "Thunderbolt is the best classic ride in Kennywood. It's completely nostalgic, my mom, my dad, everyone loves the Thunderbolt."
Like the Racer and the Jack Rabbit at Kennywood, the Thunderbolt has been named a landmark ride by the American Coaster Enthusiasts and with a little luck, the thunder will roll at Kennywood for years and years to come.