Racer (Kennywood)

The Racer is a wooden racing roller coaster located at the Kennywood amusement park near Pittsburgh in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States. Built by Charlie Mach and designed by John A. Miller, the Racer opened to the public in 1927 and is one of the oldest operating roller coasters in the world.

Racer
Kennywood
LocationKennywood
Coordinates40°23′13″N 79°51′43″W
StatusOperating
Opening date1927 (1927)
Cost$75,000
General statistics
TypeWood – Racing
ManufacturerCharlie Mach
DesignerJohn A. Miller
ModelRacing
Track layoutMöbius Loop
Lift/launch systemChain lift
Height72.5 ft (22.1 m)
Drop50 ft (15 m)
Length4,500 ft (1,400 m)
Speed40 mph (64 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration1:32
Capacity1400 riders per hour
Height restriction46 in (117 cm)
Trains3 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Designated1995[1]
DesignatedFebruary 27, 1987
Racer at RCDB

It features a Möbius loop layout, in which both of its trains travel along one continuous track. Each train returns to the opposite side of the station from which it began.

History

The first Kennywood Racer was first built in 1910 as a side friction roller coaster by Frederick Ingersoll. It was a twin-track racing coaster designed by John Miller that cost nearly $50,000. When it was built, it was the largest racing coaster in the world.

The original Racer had two trains racing side by side on two separate tracks. The wooden coaster lacked underfriction wheels, a limitation of side-friction designs, which resulted in a layout with gentle curves and dips. The trains consisted of three-seat cars with a seating capacity of eighteen. It was demolished in 1926 and replaced by Kiddieland.

Rebirth

In 1927, a second Racer was designed by John A. Miller and built by Charile Mach. Because of interest in Miller's previous work, Kennywood hired Miller to build a new racing roller coaster. Park manager Brady McSwigan wanted a "snappy ride that wasn't too much for mothers and children to ride." It cost more than $75,000 to construct. The cost was higher than expected due to issues with topography in Miller's design, which was not as effectively used as it was in Miller's previous installations, such as Jack Rabbit and Pippin.

The Möbius layout is caused by the setup of the station, where the trains turn away from each other upon dispatch. When the trains meet again at the lift hill, they are already on opposite sides than they were in the station, and the tracks do not split for the remainder of the ride. The updated iteration of the Racer added a third set of underfriction wheels, which attach beneath the track, securing the trains in a manner that permitted faster speeds, sharper turns, and steeper drops.

In 1949, Andy Vettel removed the final hill from the track layout. The loading platform's facade was redesigned on two occasions, with the first occurring in 1946 by Hindenach. A second redesign happened in 1960 helmed by architect Bernard Liff. In 1990, the facade was restored to its original look.

Awards

The nonprofit organization American Coaster Enthusiasts (ACE) designated Racer as an "ACE Roller Coaster Landmark" in June 2010.[2] It is also a contributing structure to the Kennywood Park historic district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year2003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920212022
Ranking 44 (tie)[4]39[5]40[6]43 (tie)[7]49 (tie)[8]47[9]-[10]35[11]43[12]42 (tie)[13]35[14]42[15]50[16]43[17]-[18]-[19]-[20]-[21]33 (tie)[22]
Golden Ticket Awards: Most Classic or Distinctive Coaster Station
Year 2002
Ranking
2
[23]

See also
  • Green train in station
    Green train in station
  • Blue train in station
    Blue train in station
  • Racer's trains run close together
    Racer's trains run close together

References
  1. Historic Landmark Plaques 1968-2009 (PDF). Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  2. "Coaster Landmark Awards - Jack Rabbit". www.aceonline.org.
  3. Kennywood Park (Kenny's Grove) (Report). National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service. February 27, 1987. p. 5.
  4. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 10–11B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  5. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  6. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 22–23B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  7. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 30–31B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  8. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 42–43. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  9. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 42–43. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  10. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 38–39. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  11. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 38–39. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  12. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  13. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  14. "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  15. "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  16. "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  17. "2016 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  18. "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  19. "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  20. "2019 Top 50 Wood Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  21. "2021 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2021. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  22. "2022 Golden Ticket Award Winners". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  23. "Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards 2002" (PDF). Amusement Today. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
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