New Kennywood Coaster In The Works?

PITTSBURGH, PA - The impending demise of Kennywood’s Log Jammer likely will rekindle long-running speculation that the West Mifflin amusement park plans to add a new state-of-the-art roller coaster.

Park officials announced Thursday that the iconic water ride is being retired after a 42-year run. They did not give any indication of what might take its place.

But rumors have circulated that Kennywood is going to use much of the 23 acres it purchased several years ago from Union Railroad for a new coaster. The property sits in a ravine behind another coaster, the Racer, which is located near the Log Jammer and currently is used to store ride equipment.

In July, the website Screamscape.com, which chronicles amusement park activities, advised readers to “keep an eye on the Log Jammer” as a possible location for the new coaster’s station. But Screamscape also cautioned that the water ride could be scrapped even without a new coaster being built “as the old ride is simply showing extreme signs of age and is in need of a major overhaul if they want to keep it running for much longer.”

Supposed blueprints for the coaster have surfaced online and have inspired people to make computer-generated videos of what the new ride might offer:

An aerial photo of the Log Jammer-Racer area seems to show plenty of room for a new coaster. But given that the Log Jammer hasn’t yet been removed, it seems the earliest Kennywood could debut a new coaster would be 2019.

Aerial photo via Kennywood.