Muntanya Russa (Tibidabo Amusement Park) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Muntanya Russa |
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| Tibidabo Amusement Park | |
| Location | Tibidabo Amusement Park |
| Coordinates | 41°25′22″N 2°07′11″E / 41.422816°N 2.119845°E |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 23 December 2008 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Vekoma |
| Designer | RCS GmbH |
| Height | 82 ft (25 m) |
| Drop | 101 ft (31 m) |
| Length | 2,427 ft (740 m) |
| Speed | 49.7 mph (80.0 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 00:50 |
| Capacity | 1010 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.5 |
| Trains | 2 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 16 riders per train. |
| Muntanya Russa at RCDB | |
Muntanya Russa is an exciting roller coaster at Tibidabo Amusement Park in Barcelona, Spain. Its name means "Roller Coaster" in the Catalan language. This thrilling ride is found on level 1 of the park. It's known for its fast drops and turns, offering great views of the city.
Contents
Building the Roller Coaster
Planning and Construction
After the City of Barcelona took over Tibidabo Amusement Park, they decided to invest a lot of money to make the park even better. Part of this plan was to add new and exciting rides. In 2007, there was a plan to build a big roller coaster right in the middle of the forest.
Some people living nearby were worried about how this might affect the environment. However, the company chosen to build the ride, Vekoma from the Netherlands, promised to protect the environment. They aimed to make sure the roller coaster would fit in well with nature.
In May 2008, construction began, and some trees were removed. The old ride called Transmóvil was also taken down. By the end of summer 2008, parts of the roller coaster started arriving. The first tests of the ride happened in December 2008.
Opening Day
Muntanya Russa officially opened on December 23, 2008. The Mayor of Barcelona, Jordi Hereu, was there for the opening. On that day, some people gathered at the park entrance to show their concern about the ride's impact on the environment.
For a short time after opening, the ride was open only to members of the Tibiclub. This is Tibidabo's annual pass program. They could ride it an hour and a half before the park opened to the public.
What the Ride is Like
The Track and Experience
Muntanya Russa is a steel roller coaster made by the Dutch company Vekoma. It does not have any loops or inversions.
After leaving the station, the train goes through a curve to the right. Then, it enters a small tunnel before starting its climb. The ride goes up 33 meters (about 108 feet). At its highest point, the roller coaster is 522 meters (about 1,713 feet) above sea level.
From the top, the train makes a right turn and then plunges down. Riders get amazing views of Barcelona and the Maresme coast during this drop. After the big drop, the ride makes a sharp left turn. It then travels for about 50 seconds through the Collserola woods. The track has many highly banked turns, which means the train tilts a lot as it goes around corners.
Station and Trains
The station where you get on and off the ride is open, meaning it doesn't have a roof. You reach it by walking up an oval-shaped ramp. On the right side of the station, there are gates for eight passengers to board. The exit is also on the right. To get to the queue area, you walk through a small cave.
The attraction has two trains that are exactly alike, except for their color. One train is red, and the other is blue. Each train has four cars. Each car has two rows, and two passengers can sit in each row. This means each train can hold 16 passengers at a time.
If there aren't many people at the park, only one train operates. But if it's busy, both trains run. This allows the ride to carry up to 1,010 passengers per hour. For safety, each passenger has their own mechanical safety bar that locks them in place. The park management company, B:SM, asked for the trains to have an older, classic design.
Ride Rules and Features
To ride Muntanya Russa, you need to be at least 120 centimeters (about 47 inches) tall. The ride is also designed to be fully accessible for disabled guests.
Muntanya Russa cost 3 million Euros to build. Since the 2009 season, the ride has a Photo-Ride service. This means you can buy a picture of yourself on the ride!
Replacing the Old Roller Coaster
The new Muntanya Russa was built in place of an older roller coaster. The old ride was also called Montaña Russa and was located on level 5 of the park. It was built in 1961 and had been having technical problems for several years.
The very last ride on the old roller coaster happened on January 5, 2009. Many people who loved the old ride, including websites like CAPTE, paid tribute to it. Park officials said that the space where the old ride was would be used for performances. There are also plans to create a monument to remember the old attraction.
See also
In Spanish: Muntanya Russa para niños
