Flying Turns is a wooden
bobsled roller coaster
A bobsled roller coaster is a roller coaster that uses a track design that is essentially a "pipe" with the top half removed and has cars that are sent down this pipe in a freewheeling mode. The name derives from the great similarity to the track ...
at
Knoebels Amusement Resort Knoebels Amusement Resort () is a family-owned and operated amusement park, picnic grove, and campground in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1926, it is the United States's largest free-admission park. The park has more than 60 rides including thre ...
in
Elysburg, Pennsylvania
Elysburg is a census-designated place (CDP) in Ralpho Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is forty-two miles north-northeast of Harrisburg. The population was 2,194 at the 2010 census. The area's biggest attraction ...
. It is modeled after a similar ride designed by John Norman Bartlett and
John Miller in the 1920s. The ride concept is similar to a modern steel bobsled roller coaster; however Flying Turns is made of wood, like the original rides. The layout of the ride is most similar to the original located at
Riverview Park in
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
.
History
Construction began in January 2006. In July 2007, the first test car test runs were completed successfully. In October 2007, the first powered test runs of the same test cars were completed. Roller coaster enthusiasts were given a tour which showcased the ride during the Phoenix Phall Phunfest 2007. Later that month, the park began to run test runs of a five-car test train which would be the full length of the train.
An initial delay arose due to an issue with the car's wheels. The wheels were shipped back to their manufacturer in
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
and the issue was corrected. However, the ride did not open by the end of the 2008 season due to the cars travelling too quickly for passenger comfort. According to Knoebels' website, the ride was to be opened during the 2009 season. The ride was re-tracked and profiled to accommodate new trains.
In June 2011, Knoebels posted an update to their website, stating "We've been testing the newest version of the Flying Turns ride vehicles and are VERY encouraged. There's still plenty of work to do but this is a very positive step in the right direction." They also posted to their
Facebook
Facebook is a social media and social networking service owned by the American technology conglomerate Meta Platforms, Meta. Created in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with four other Harvard College students and roommates, Eduardo Saverin, Andre ...
page a video shot from a camera mounted on a prototype chassis.
On May 26, 2012, a section of track at the brake platform, as well as the brake platform itself, was removed. On July 30, the removed sections were rebuilt to accommodate the newest trains that were being delivered. In August 2012, Knoebels said that they planned on beginning testing for the newest trains soon, and that they believed they finally figured out how to get the trains to run smoothly.
On October 5, 2013, the ride officially opened to the public,
Knoebels Facebook page with notice of opening
Retrieved 2013-10-05 though the ride actually began operating the previous evening on October 4. It operates three trains with three cars apiece, and each car accommodates one large rider or two small riders, with a weight limit of per car. One train is painted green, one is painted yellow, a third is painted mauve, and the fourth train is painted lavender.
Awards
Flying Turns also won Best New Ride (Amusement Park) 2014.
See also
* 2013 in amusement parks
References
External links
Construction Photos
*
{{Golden Ticket Award for Best New Ride
Roller coasters introduced in 2013
Roller coasters in Pennsylvania
Best New Ride winners