Wicked is a Zierer steel launched roller coaster located at Lagoon Amusement Park in Farmington, Utah. Designed by Werner Stengel, the ride was manufactured by Zierer at a cost of $10 million and opened to the public in 2007. It features a zero-g roll inversion and two linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches, reaching a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 km/h).
| Wicked | |
|---|---|
 Wicked's launch tower, September 2007 | |
| Lagoon Amusement Park | |
| Location | Lagoon Amusement Park |
| Park section | South Midway |
| Coordinates | 40°59′02″N 111°53′44″W / 40.98389°N 111.89556°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | June 1, 2007 |
| Cost | $10 million |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Zierer |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Tower Launch Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Two LSM launches |
| Height | 110 ft (34 m) |
| Length | 2,050.5 ft (625.0 m) |
| Speed | 55 mph (89 km/h) |
| Inversions | 1 |
| Duration | 1:46 |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Capacity | 900 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.8 |
| Height restriction | 46 in (117 cm) |
| Trains | a single car. Riders are arranged 4 across in 2 rows for a total of 8 riders per train. |
| Wicked at RCDB | |
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2021) |
History
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Construction of the attraction began in August 2006.[1] Wicked was designed by Werner Stengel and manufactured by Zierer,[2] with fabrication subcontracted to Stakotra Manufacturing.[citation needed] The total cost to construct the ride was $10 million, and it opened to the public on June 1, 2007.[2][3] The ride has been described as "very smooth" and "lack[ing] any jerking or shaking" by Deseret News, which also noted that riders were secured unusually by their ankles and thighs, instead of traditional shoulder or lap restraints.[3]
Wicked is located in the south midway of the park, in an area previously used for parking.[3] Its track is a teal green, and it has silver supports. The supports of the launch tower are yellow.
Ride experience
editThe train leaves the station and immediately enters a dark tunnel. A siren and loud booming sound effect can be heard before the linear synchronous motor (LSM) launches the train straight up the 110-foot (34 m) vertical launch hill at 41 mph (66 km/h). The launch is in two parts, with a short boost launch inside the tunnel and a longer, vertical launch straight up the top hat element. After cresting, it descends vertically down the other side of the top hat element, accelerating to a maximum speed of 55 mph (89 km/h). This is followed by a small airtime hill with a trim brake and a whip around an Immelmann turn. The track levels out before sending riders up into a zero-g roll, followed by a short descent into a shallow turn. The train descends into a double half-pipe, twists right then left, and proceeds into a downward helix that twists back to the left. The train dips into a tunnel before lifting and leveling out into the final brake run. Every so often, a launched train will fail to make it over the apex of the tower. At this time, the emergency brakes will deploy and the car will enter a slowed descent back into the launch tunnel. The ride was engineered with incidents like this in mind,[citation needed] so it can be easily reset and relaunched at a greater speed, ensuring that the train will make it over the crest of the hill.
References
edit- ^ Arave, Lynn (December 1, 2006). "Lagoon prepares for 'Wicked' launch-tower coaster". Deseret News. Archived from the original on October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Marden, Duane. "Wicked (Lagoon Amusement Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
- ^ a b c Arave, Lynn (June 15, 2007). "Lagoon's new ride is Wicked fun". Deseret News. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
External links
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Media related to Wicked (Lagoon) at Wikimedia Commons