NewsParcs is an online trade publication dedicated to theme park industry professionals worldwide.
Since 1998, we work in direct contact with manufacturers, suppliers, consultants, owners and operators to publish only reliable and relevant information.
NewsParcs will do a full coverage of the IAAPA Attractions Expo 2013 in Orlando to have a look at the latest trends and developments of the global theme park industry.
Follow us on Twitter (@NewsParcs) from November 19 to 22 with the hashtag #IAAPA
Rocky Mountain Construction to deliver a world's
first wooden coaster at Silver Dollar City
Update : 13/08/12 - 14h02Published by François Mayné the 12 August 2012, New.
The amusement park Silver Dollar City, located in Branson Missouri (USA), will hit a grand slam in 2013 with the opening of Outlaw Run, the first wooden rollercoaster in the world to have multiple inversions!
This daring project was awarded to the American manufacturer Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC Group) which has developed two patented systems of steel rails for this type of rides. Outlaw Run will feature the topper track system, namely that the top of the track (wooden planks) is replaced by a steel rail providing more comfort, higher speed, less maintenance and the ability to create original layouts.
For an investment of $10 million (approx €8 million), the layout of Outlaw Run will indeed be totally original with 3 inversions including a 720-degree Double Barrel Roll and a 153-degree Outside Banked Turn. With a track length of 895 meters (2,937 feet), the ride will also hold a second world record with the steepest drop on a wooden coaster (81°) and will be the world fastest with steel wheels (110 kph - 68 mph).
The ride - which will essentially be composed of elements favoring the effect of speed and floating with 9 airtimes - will also take advantage of the natural relief of the rugged terrain of the Ozark Mountains. The lift will thus be 30-meters high (107-foot) while the first drop will be just over 49 meters (162 foot) tall ! The attraction will be equipped with 2 trains of 24 passengers with U lap-bar restraints (class 5) and individual fiberglass seats. These will be themed as a stagecoach of the great era of the gold rush.
Headquartered in Hayden, Idaho, Rocky Mountain Construction has completed numerous projects of rides assembly and rehabilitation (including for water parks), but has become particularly well known in the industry after the retracking of the wooden coaster Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas in 2011, a project that has been recognized by an IAAPA Brass Ring Award.
This is not the first time a wooden coaster will offer passengers the experience of a inversion. In 2000, another North American theme park (King Islands, Ohio) indeed inaugurated Son of Beast, a ride that signed at that time seven world records. Featuring a Vertical Loop, it has since then been modified before closing definitively in 2009.
“Our Silver Dollar City fans told us they wanted a new thrill attraction, and we were determined to create a world-class experience even they couldn’t imagine,” said Brad Thomas, senior vice president, Silver Dollar City Attractions. “We pushed to take the classic wood coaster to a place it’s never been before by applying modern technology and techniques to traditional wood coaster building methods. The result is a wood coaster with never-done-before thrill elements.”
Silver Dollar City is part of a group of attractions owned by the Herschend Family Entertainment Group in Branson, a holiday destination popular with families. It offers visitors a thirty rides - including a Steel Coaster of Bolliger & Mabillard (Wildfire, 2011) and a Launch Coaster of S&S (PowderKeg, 2005) in an authentic setting inspired by a town of the late 19th century .
A promotional website dedicated to Outlaw Run has been launched where web users will find information over the attraction, goodies or construction photos.
These past three years have been intense for NewsParcs. Our magazine, which has been dedicated to the global theme parks industry since 1998, underwent major changes to become one of the most appreciated magazines among many...
CORPORATE | NewsParcs - Published on January 28, 2014
Our Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world. This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, financial ...
The NewsParcs' Theme Park Supplier's News of the Week is a round-up of the latest news relative to companies supplying the theme park industry around the world. This weekly report covers topics such as corporate announcements, ...
Our Industry Roundup is a summary of the latest major news related to the theme park industry worldwide. We report news specifically on operators, owners, trade associations and related organizations, including trends, attendance...