The Steel Phantom was finished in 1991, and was made by
Arrow Dynamics of Clearfield Utah. The longest drop is 225 feet, and the track
length is 3000 feet long with speeds of about 80 miles per hour. It has 2 trains,
which have 7 cars each and can hold 28 people per train. The Steel Phantom was conceived
by Harry W. Henninger, Jr. and constructed by Kennywood, (Rich Henry/Fred Weber/Dave Moll)
The Steel Phantom was made to fit the hilly terrain of that
section of Kennywood. The second drop cuts straight through the ride area of the
Thunderbolt coaster, which is also pictured below. This park is family-owned, and has been
around for over 100 years. It is located near the edge of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steel Phantom
"technically" is being replaced this winter (2000-2001) by a new coaster, the
"Phantom's Revenge," although the new coaster will be using the same lift hill
and some of the track that the old Phantom used. So, is it new or is it a modification?
Who cares... It sounds alright for now. Then again, didn't CocaCola try to change a
winning formula about 10 years ago, only to have it fail miserably? We'll see how
that same theory applies to the changing of a roller coaster. Let me know what you
think of the new ride when it opens! |