Kennywood's Steel Curtain Design Lauded By Coaster Enthusiasts

PITTSBURGH, PA - The design for Kennywood’s new Steel Curtain is getting thumbs up from roller coaster is getting a big thumbs-up from coaster afficianados who can’t wait for the ride to debut next year.

Bill Linkenheimer of Ross, a past president of the American Coaster Enthusiasts, said the Steel Curtain not only is on par with new coasters at gargantuan parks such as Cedar Point and the Six Flags chain, “it’s more impressive than many of them.”

“While the corporate theme parks sometimes do unique and custom-built rides, many others are cookie-cutter, off the shelf models,” Linkenheimer said. “Steel Curtain is a unique and completely customized coaster…(it’s) pretty monumental and a really big investment for Kennywood.”

Kennywood officials on Thursday finally revealed details of what for months had been a top secret project. Perhaps the most surprising reveal was that the coaster will be named after the defensive line of the great Steelers Super Bowl teams of the 1970s and serve as the lynchpin for a new Steelers Country section at the park.

As for the coaster itself, the Steel Curtain:

• Will be 4,000 feet long reaching speeds of 75 mph.

• Will have the world's largest inversion of 197 feet.

• Will be Pennsylvania's tallest coaster, with a maximum height of 220 feet.

• Will have 9 inversions, the most of any North American coaster.

Linkenheimer isn’t alone in his delight over the design. Posted one person on the American Coaster Enthusiasts Facebook page: "Looks ridiculous in such a great way. Love how designers are reliving what can be done as a first drop, changing the large footprint of rides."

Linkenheimer labeled the design “remarkably creative.”

“I love the double inversion element over the lift hill,” he said. “ It looks spectacular from the ground and from the train as one ascends the lift hill. Plus it makes a good use of the space.
And despite all of the high aerobatic maneuvers, there's a lot of track close to ground level.”

Looks as though coaster lovers are in for a real treat next year - unless they are Cleveland Browns fans.

Image via Kennywood.

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