Blue Streak (Conneaut Lake) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Blue Streak |
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|---|---|
| Conneaut Lake Park | |
| Location | Conneaut Lake Park |
| Coordinates | 41°38′06″N 80°19′05″W / 41.6349°N 80.3180°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opening date | May 23, 1938 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Designer | Ed Vettel |
| Model | Out and Back roller coaster |
| Height | 77 ft (23 m) |
| Length | 2,900 ft (880 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:20 |
| Trains | Single train with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 18 riders per train. |
| Blue Streak at RCDB | |
Blue Streak is an exciting wooden roller coaster located at Conneaut Lake Park in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1937. This thrilling ride is the only wooden coaster operating at the park. It is also the largest one there.
Blue Streak is designed as an "out and back" ride. This means it goes away from the station and then comes back along a similar path. It is one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the United States. It's also one of only two "shallow" coasters designed by Ed Vettel that are still running. The other one is The Cyclone in Denver, Colorado.
When your ride begins, the train immediately enters an "S"-shaped tunnel. Then, it starts a big climb up the 78-foot-high lift hill. After reaching the top, the train plunges down the first drop. You can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour!
The ride then goes into a straight section of track. This is followed by two medium-sized hills. Next, there's a turnaround section that gently dips as it turns the train back towards the station. The train then goes over four smaller "camel back" hills. These hills give you a fun feeling of "airtime" where you lift out of your seat! Finally, the train enters the brake run and makes a 360-degree turn back to the station platform.
Contents
The History of Blue Streak
The Blue Streak roller coaster has been around for a long time. It first opened to riders on May 23, 1938. Over the years, it has had some important updates and changes.
Renovations and Updates
The Blue Streak has had major renovations several times. These happened in 1997, 2002, and 2010. In 2002, one of the original trains from 1938 was brought back into use. This train replaced a different one that had been used since the 1960s.
Later, in 2011, the original train was removed again for repairs. It also needed updates to its safety restraints. The section of track where the train turns around was also rebuilt. For the 2016 season, the first drop was repaired and had new track installed. Some of the wood used for these repairs came from another roller coaster called the Raging Wolf Bobs.
When Blue Streak Was Open and Closed
This roller coaster has opened and closed many times throughout its history.
- Originally Opened: May 23, 1938
- Closed: 1995 - 1996
- Reopened: May 17, 1997
- Closed: 2007 - September 1, 2010
- Reopened: September 2, 2010
Special Recognition
On June 24, 2010, a group called the American Coaster Enthusiasts gave the Blue Streak a special award. They put up a plaque that called the Blue Streak a "Coaster Classic" and a "Coaster Landmark." This means it's a very important and classic roller coaster!
