Vortex (California's Great America)

Vortex
California's Great America
Coordinates	37°23′48.11″N 121°58′23.61″W / 37.3966972°N 121.9732250°WCoordinates: 37°23′48.11″N 121°58′23.61″W / 37.3966972°N 121.9732250°W
Status	Operating
Opening date	March 9, 1991[1]
General statistics
Type	Steel – Stand-up
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Werner Stengel
Model	Stand-Up Coaster
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	91 ft (28 m)
Length	1,920 ft (590 m)
Speed	51 mph (82 km/h)
Inversions	2
Duration	2:14
Capacity	1200 riders per hour
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Trains	2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Vortex at RCDB Pictures of Vortex at RCDB

Vortex is a stand-up roller coaster at California's Great America. It has a different layout but is generally the same size as Vortex at Carowinds. It was Bolliger & Mabillard's second coaster after Iron Wolf at Six Flags Great America and officially opened on March 9, 1991.^[2] The coaster currently has a paint scheme of purple track with yellow rails and gray supports.

Ride elements

• Loop
• Corkscrew

The coaster makes a left hand first drop into its first loop then executes a left turnaround. The train next travels in another left turnaround through its loop. The train then travels to the other end of its layout into another turnaround after which it enters the corkscrew element and lastly into the final brake run. The course used to cross over the park train's railroad tracks by the corkscrew. The coaster's lift hill stands parallel to the footers of the former Tidal Wave looping shuttle coaster.

References

1. Myers, Laura (March 8, 1991). "Upstanding Citizens Test-Ride New Coaster". Los Angeles Daily News (Valley ed.). Associated Press. p. N11.
2. Marden, Duane. "Vortex (California's Great America)". Database Entry. Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved 5 April 2012.