Comet (Waldameer)
| Comet | |
|---|---|
_1.jpg) | |
| Waldameer & Water World | |
| Location | Waldameer & Water World |
| Coordinates | 42°06′28″N 80°09′24″W / 42.1077°N 80.1568°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1951 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | Herbert Paul Schmeck |
| Track layout | Wood |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 37 ft (11 m) |
| Drop | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
| Length | 1,300 ft (400 m) |
| Speed | 25 mph (40 km/h) |
| Duration | 1:24 |
| Restraint style | Buzz bars |
Height restriction | 46 in (117 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 4 cars; riders arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 16 riders per train |
| Comet at RCDB | |
Comet is a wooden roller coaster located at Waldameer & Water World in Erie, Pennsylvania. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck and built by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) in 1951.[1] It is similar to other Schmeck-designed PTC junior wooden coasters which feature a layered figure-eight oval layout. However, Comet is taller than those of its type which came before it.[1]
Comet was designated an ACE Coaster Classic by American Coaster Enthusiasts for maintaining its classic standards of operation.
Layout
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The ride begins with a right turn out of the station into a 37 feet (11 m) lift hill. It descends a 25 feet (7.6 m) first drop before immediately ascending up into a left turn. It drops again, into two airtime hills, and curves through a righthand turn over the station. Then it drops into a series of two bunny-hops and traverses a right curve directly underneath the first left curve. It then drops into two final bunny-hops before entering the brake run and turning right to return to the station. In its minute and 24 second-long ride time, it reaches a top speed of 25 miles per hour (40 km/h). It has 1,300 feet (400 m) of track.
Trains
Comet has two Junior PTC trains of four cars, all of which utilize flanged wheels. Each car has two seats that can hold two riders, for a maximum of 16 riders per train.[2] Although the park owns two trains, for several years, only one was placed into daily operation, as park management was not comfortable running two trains with manually operated skid brakes.
Braking system
For the 2012 season, Comet received an updated braking system from Velocity Magnetics.[3] The new system uses a combination of magnetic and friction brakes, and along with a new control system, allows for two-train operation on busy days.[4]
References
- 1 2 Jenkins, Torrence Jr (2006). Herbert P. Schmeck, The Forgotten Legacy. Zanesville, Ohio: American Coaster Enthusiasts. p. 144. ISBN 0-9703987-1-9.
- ↑ Baldwin, Timothy; Seifert, Jeffrey (2000). Guide to Ride 2000. Zanesville, Ohio: American Coaster Enthusiasts Worldwide Inc. p. 95. ISBN 0-9703987-0-0.
- ↑ "Comet brakes make their final stop". 6 March 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
- ↑ "The Comet gets magnetized". 30 January 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.