Adrenaline Peak, a new roller coaster featuring a 22m vertical lift and 97-degree fall, debuted last week at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon.
Oaks Amusement Park replaced the ageing Looping Thunder roller coaster with Adrenaline Peak, a coaster that starts with a 22m vertical climb and then a past-vertical, 97-degree plunge into a loop followed by a partial inversion and full corkscrew.
The track is 320m long and the coaster reaches a maximum speed of 72kmh. Adrenaline Peak cost Oaks Park around $5m and is the largest roller coaster in Oregon.
The roller coaster was shown off to the media on Friday, 23 March before opening to the public the next day.
Joe Dement, Oaks Park ride maintenance supervisor, told the Portland Tribune: “It’s a bigger track, a smoother ride. The cars are bigger. It was an upgrade. The other one was a little rougher.”
The cars seat eight with three cars able to go at the same time. They use lap restraints for riders rather than shoulder harnesses.
Adrenaline Peak was designed and built by the German company Gerstlauer Amusement Rides, which has installed similar coasters at Six Flags Over Georgia (Dare Devil Dive), IMG Worlds of Adventure (Predator) and Thorpe Park (Saw – The Ride).
“When a park like Oaks gets a new coaster it really is a reason to celebrate,” said Adam Sandy, Chief Business Development Officer at Ride Entertainment, Gerstlauer’s sales partner. “With its traditional rides and unique roller skating rink Oaks is iconic and what we think of as a classic American amusement park. Adrenaline Peak provides a new anchor for the property and a marketable asset that will be a draw for decades.”
Looping Thunder was replaced after operating for 22 years and Adrenaline Peak has a 20-year life expectancy, however park officials expect to extend this by up to 10 years with diligent maintenance.
“All rides have a lifetime,” said George Kolibaba, interim CEO of Oaks Park. “It’s always good to change your product. This was a very large change to our product. Like everything else in the world, you have to progress.”
Images: c. Oaks Amusement Park.
https://portlandtribune.com/pt/11-features/390298-281366-new-ride-is-a-scream-at-oaks-amusement-park
