Swamp Fox (roller coaster)
| Swamp Fox | |
|---|---|
| Family Kingdom Amusement Park | |
| Coordinates | 33°40′57″N 78°53′30″W / 33.682510°N 78.891702°WCoordinates: 33°40′57″N 78°53′30″W / 33.682510°N 78.891702°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1966 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | John Allen |
| Track layout | Double Out and Back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Drop | 65 ft (20 m) |
| Length | 2,400 ft (730 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
|
Swamp Fox at RCDB Pictures of Swamp Fox at RCDB | |
The Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina It is one of 37 rides at Family Kingdom Amusement Park.[1] The coaster is named after American Revolutionary War leader, Francis Marion.
The Swamp Fox is a wooden roller coaster that runs over a 2,400 feet (730 m), figure-eight track. The “double out and back” design takes riders to heights of 75 feet (22.9 m) at speeds up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) and features dramatic drops of up to 65 feet (19.8 m).[2] It is number 10 on About.com's list of “The 10 Most Underrated Coasters In North America.”[3]
The visual beauty and architectural design of wooden roller coasters such as the Swamp Fox add to their mystique. The Swamp Fox seems to have a personality all its own. Because it is a wooden roller coaster, it delivers a very different ride experience from the Twist 'n Shout, a steel roller coaster that Family Kingdom Amusement Park added in 2013.[4] From its rumbling, shuddering sounds to its thrilling vibrations, the Swamp Fox delivers a heightened sense of danger for riders. Functioning as a shock absorber, the coaster's structure is designed to sway with the force of the moving train.
In addition, the experience on this wooden roller coaster can be different throughout the day as the temperature and the weather changes. Rain brings out the rich smell of the wood, and expansions and contractions in the wood can translate into more movement. Some people even claim that wooden coasters like the Swamp Fox run better at night when the grease on the track and the wheel bearings loosen up. In one experiment performed on the Swamp Fox, operators found that the train ran its track anywhere from eight to 10 seconds faster at 9 p.m. than it did around 2 p.m. in the afternoon.[5]
The Swamp Fox roller coaster, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company of Pennsylvania, opened in 1966 as one of the rides at Grand Strand Amusement Park. In 1992, that park was purchased by the Ammons family and rechristened "Family Kingdom Amusement Park". The Swamp Fox was then totally refurbished according to the original specifications of the original design by John C. Allen.[6]
References
- ↑ "Family Kingdom Amusement Park". Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "Q & A: The Swamp Fox All Wooden Roller Coaster" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "Top 10 Most Underrated Roller Coasters In North America, 2008". About.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "Family Kingdom Amusement Park Rides" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "Q & A: The Swamp Fox All Wooden Roller Coaster" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ↑ "1960's Wooden Coasters". UltimateRollerCoaster.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.