Hercules (roller coaster)
Hercules was a wooden roller coaster located at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Manufactured by the Dinn Corporation, Hercules opened on May 6, 1989, setting a world record for having the longest drop on a wooden coaster at 151 feet (46 m), surpassing the previous record of 147 feet (45 m) held by American Eagle since 1981.
| Hercules | |
|---|---|
| Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | |
| Location | Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 40°34′52″N 75°31′56″W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | May 6, 1989 |
| Closing date | September 1, 2003 |
| Cost | US$6,000,000 |
| Replaced by | Hydra the Revenge |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Dinn Corporation |
| Designer | Curtis D. Summers |
| Model | Terrain |
| Track layout | Double out-and-back |
| Height | 95 ft (29 m) |
| Drop | 151 ft (46 m) |
| Length | 4,000 ft (1,200 m) |
| Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:15 |
| Max vertical angle | 47° |
| G-force | 2.9 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Hercules at RCDB Pictures of Hercules at RCDB | |
History
Hercules opened on May 6, 1989.
The coaster gained a reputation as a rough and uncomfortable ride experience, which earned the coaster the nickname, "Hurt-Your-Knees" by roller coaster enthusiasts. The ride's turn after the first drop became very infamous for its roughness. Hercules had a relatively short life, permanently closing 14 years after its opening in 2003.[1] During its operating life, the ride was re-tracked by Martin & Vleminckx.[2] Following its demise, the site of the roller coaster was occupied by Hydra the Revenge in 2005.
References
- "Hercules". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
- "Retracking". Martin & Vleminckx. Archived from the original on 25 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.