Mindbender (Galaxyland) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mindbender |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
The Mindbender with the Galaxy Orbiter roller coaster in the foreground
|
|
| Galaxyland | |
| Location | Galaxyland |
| Coordinates | 53°31′25″N 113°37′13″W / 53.52361°N 113.62028°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | December 20, 1985 |
| Closing date | January 30, 2023 |
| Cost | $6,000,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Twister – Indoor |
| Manufacturer | Anton Schwarzkopf |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Sitting Coaster |
| Track layout | Indoor Twister |
| Lift/launch system | Wheel lift lift hill |
| Height | 44.2 m (145 ft) |
| Drop | 38.7 m (127 ft) |
| Length | 1,279.5 m (4,198 ft) |
| Speed | 96.5 km/h (60.0 mph) |
| Inversions | 3 |
| Duration | 1:13 |
| Capacity | 430 riders per hour |
| G-force | 5.6 |
| Height restriction | 59–77 in (150–196 cm) |
| Trains | 4 trains with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 12 riders per train. |
| Mindbender at RCDB | |
The Mindbender was a famous looping roller coaster at Galaxyland. This indoor theme park is located inside the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada. The ride officially opened to the public on December 20, 1985. It cost $6 million to build.
The Mindbender was once the tallest indoor roller coaster in the world. It stood an impressive 44.2 meters (about 145 feet) tall. After 37 years of thrilling riders, the Mindbender closed on January 30, 2023. The park decided to close it to make space for new and exciting attractions. Its trains were later reused for another roller coaster, the All American Triple Loop, at Indiana Beach in the United States.
Contents
Designing the Mindbender Roller Coaster
The Mindbender was designed by Werner Stengel from Germany. It was built by the company Anton Schwarzkopf. Its exciting design was inspired by another roller coaster called 'Dreier Looping'. That coaster traveled to many funfairs and parks around the world.
The Mindbender was like a mirror image of the Dreier Looping. However, it was a bit taller and had extra twists at the end. The Mindbender used shorter trains, with three cars each. The Dreier Looping often had longer trains.
The ride's layout featured many exciting twists and drops. It also had three thrilling vertical loops. The ride ended with a double upward helix, which is like a spiral going up. It twisted all around its support structures. The coaster even went under an old attraction called the UFO Maze. Sometimes, during busy times, the last car on a train would be turned around. This let riders experience the coaster going backward, adding an extra thrill!
What It Was Like to Ride the Mindbender
When you boarded the Mindbender, you first fastened your seatbelt and lap restraint. Then, a large shoulder restraint came down over you. These restraints kept everyone safe and secure during the ride.
After a slow climb up the curving, wheel-driven lift hill, the train plunged down a sharp, twisting drop. It then went up to the first of several 'block brakes'. These brakes helped control the train's speed.
Next, there was another left-hand drop. This led right into the first two vertical loops! The train then went through a similar sequence. It went up to a block brake, then another twisting drop, and then to a fourth block brake. After that, the track dropped again, bringing you to the third and final vertical loop.
Following the third loop, the coaster sped through a two-layered upward spiral. This helix took the train higher and higher. Finally, it reached the end, slowing down before returning to the station.
The ride usually lasted about one minute and five seconds to one minute and twenty-five seconds. During tests in 1987, the ride's maximum G-force was measured at 5.5 Gs in the third loop. This is a strong force, similar to what astronauts feel during launch!
Mindbender's Safety Upgrades
In 1986, there was a serious incident on the Mindbender. A part of one of the train's cars failed, leading to a car coming off the track. This caused a very unfortunate accident. After a thorough investigation, it was found that some parts of the wheel assembly had failed. This led to important changes being made to the ride's design and maintenance.
When the Mindbender reopened in January 1987, it had been completely updated for safety. The trains were redesigned, going from four cars to three cars. New safety features were added, like anti-roll-back systems. Each car also received extra wheel assemblies for more security. While lap bars remained, new seat belts and shoulder headrests were also installed to keep riders even safer.
The End of an Era: Mindbender's Closure
On January 30, 2023, after 37 years of operation, the Mindbender was officially closed down. Its removal from the park was completed by October 2023. The trains from the Mindbender were reused for the All American Triple Loop roller coaster at Indiana Beach, in the United States.
See also
