The Beast (roller coaster)

A wooded area in the southeast corner of the park was selected as the site for the new project, which spanned more than 35 acres (14 ha).[2] The area's naturally-occurring, rugged terrain consisted of cliffs, hills and ravines.[2] Utilizing the landscape as opposed to leveling it saved money and allowed for more investment in the layout itself.[2] Beginning in 1976, chief engineer and surveyor Al Collins and his assistant Jeff Gramke spent two years researching and designing the new roller coaster with the help of Dinn and his team, who surveyed major roller coasters across the country.[1][2][4] Collins and Gramke would progress through tens of thousands of formulas needed to produce record-breaking results without the assistance of scientific calculators or computers.[1][4] "Everything had to be calculated by hand", recalled Gramke in 2014.[4] John C. Allen, the world-renowned coaster designer behind The Racer, was originally approached twice to lead the design but declined each time.[4] He shared design formulas, however, and acted as a consultant throughout development.[1][4] Among his important contributions were the design of several components, including a tire-driven launch system that increased capacity to 1,000 riders per hour.[1][2]

Primary design and construction was handled internally by Kings Island Engineering and Construction under the direction of Dinn.[5] Part of the design and engineering work was subcontracted to Curtis D. Summers Engineering, a structural engineering and architecture firm located in Cincinnati.[1][6] Summers was tasked with designing the roller coaster footings – underground, steel-reinforced concrete pillars that support the weight of the structure[7] – as well as a cable system for the helix.[1] The collaboration between Dinn and Summers would later lead to the pair teaming up and forming the Dinn Corporation, a construction firm that designed and built eleven coasters in the late 1980s and early 1990s.[6]

The initial prep work of land grading began in May 1978.[1] The coaster's vertical construction officially began the following month on June 10.[1] By November 9, 1978, approximately 60 percent of the ride was complete, which included both lift hills and three tunnels.[1] By March 1979, construction was complete, and the materials used included 650,000 board feet (200,000 m) of lumber, 82,480 bolts, 5,180 washers, 37,500 lb (17,000 kg) of nails, and 2,432 square yards (2,033 m²) of poured concrete – enough concrete to pave a 2-lane highway for several miles.[1][2] The total cost was $3.2 million, equivalent to $12.5 million in 2019.[1]

The final design incorporated an overall elevation change of 201 feet (61 m),[1] featuring vertical drops measuring 135 feet (41 m) and 141 feet (43 m).[2] It included three underground tunnels designed by Jim Kiosky, with one at the base of the first drop and two more approximately a third of the way into the track layout.[1] Allen's employer, Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters, provided the trains and implemented their "buzz bar" restraints.[1] An early iteration of the train's design was based on the traditional mine car concept, which employed headlamps at the front of each train. Late changes scrapped the mine car theme in favor of a flame-colored paint scheme, and the ride's logo was sculpted at the front in place of the headlamps.[1]

Early testing revealed issues in the design of the final helix track element. The amount of side acceleration the trains experienced was more than the design intended, so the entire helix was reconstructed with a wider diameter. The delay forced Kings Island to forego the enclosing of the helix, which would eventually happen the following off-season. Also at the first tunnel's exit, it was discovered that additional banking was needed to reduce stress on the structure. Engineers managed to complete the feat overnight, considering most of the coaster's track was relatively close to the ground and large cranes were not needed to make quick adjustments. In the late 1970s, engineers didn't have the benefit of computerized devices that could measure force, and they didn't use test dummies which are common in modern-day construction. Instead, crew members of The Beast's construction team had to board the ride for test runs and push the train back to the station when it stalled.[1]

After more than three years of planning, design, and construction, The Beast opened to the public on April 14, 1979.[1] It debuted as the tallest, fastest, and longest wooden roller coaster in the world.[8] It is often credited as the first modern-day wooden roller coaster to generate a marketing campaign. From elaborate animated commercials to numerous television spots, the ride gained worldwide notoriety. Within a few years of the ride's opening, the original five car, four-bench PTC trains were replaced with the current six car, three-bench trains, to reduce stress on the curves. The ride originally featured three underground tunnels, but the second and third were joined together by its second season of operation. Two enclosed tunnels were added to the double helix finale in the second season as well.[9]

In 2000, the park introduced The Beast's successor, Son of Beast, which became the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, as well as the first modern-day wooden coaster to feature an inversion.[10][11][12] Although Son of Beast set several new records, The Beast retained its wooden coaster records for length and ride duration.[13][14][15] Son of Beast was demolished in 2012, having not operated since 2009.[16] In 2019, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the ride, each of the three trains were restored to their original "flame-themed" paint scheme, and the painted paw prints that lead up to the ride's entrance were restored.[17][18]