Steel Force facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Steel Force |
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Steel Force lift hill and return
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| Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | |
| Location | Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 40°34′44″N 75°32′17″W / 40.57889°N 75.53806°W |
| Status | Open |
| Opening date | May 30, 1997 |
| Cost | US$10,000,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | D. H. Morgan Manufacturing |
| Designer | Steve Okamoto |
| Model | Hyper Coaster |
| Track layout | Out and Back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 200 ft (61 m) |
| Drop | 205 ft (62 m) |
| Length | 5,600 ft (1,700 m) |
| Speed | 75 mph (121 km/h) |
| Duration | 3:00 |
| Max vertical angle | 61° |
| Capacity | 1,700 riders per hour |
| G-force | 3.4 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 3 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 36 riders per train. |
 Fast Lane available |
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| Steel Force at RCDB | |
Steel Force is a super-fast steel roller coaster located at Dorney Park in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It was built by D. H. Morgan Manufacturing and designed by Steve Okamoto. This exciting ride first opened on May 30, 1997.
When it first opened, Steel Force was known as "the tallest and longest roller coaster on the East Coast." It features a huge 205-foot (62 m) drop and a track that is 5,600 feet (1,700 m) long. Riders can reach a top speed of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h)! Even though other coasters have since become taller and longer, Steel Force is still one of the longest steel coasters in the world. It's tied with a coaster called Mamba at Worlds of Fun.
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Steel Force History
Dorney Park announced that Steel Force would be built on September 13, 1996. The roller coaster officially opened to the public on May 30, 1997.
Interestingly, the logo for Steel Force was first planned for another roller coaster. This other coaster was called Mantis (now Rougarou) at Cedar Point. Mantis was going to be named "Banshee," but its name and logo changed. Dorney Park then used that original logo for Steel Force a year later.
What It's Like to Ride Steel Force
Get ready for an amazing ride! Your train leaves the station and goes down a small slope. Then, it starts climbing the tall lift hill. Once you reach the very top, prepare for the first big drop!
This first drop is 205 feet (62 m) tall and goes down at a steep 61-degree angle. At the bottom, you zoom through a tunnel. Next, you'll go over a "camelback hill," which gives you a fun feeling of weightlessness. The train then climbs another hill, leading into a spinning, downward helix.
After the helix, the train slows down a bit on a mid-course brake run. But the fun isn't over! The ride finishes with three "airtime hills" in a row. These hills make you feel like you're floating out of your seat! The first airtime hill even has a tunnel. A camera takes your picture on the second airtime hill. Finally, you go over a "double up" element, which is like two small hills close together. The train then passes over the park entrance and slows down on the final brake run before returning to the station.
How Steel Force Was Built
Building a giant roller coaster like Steel Force takes a lot of materials! Here's what was used:
- 2,000 tons of strong steel
- 12,150,000 pounds (5,510,000 kg) of concrete for the foundations
- 2,742 anchor bolts to hold everything in place
Cool Features of the Ride
Steel Force has some exciting parts that make the ride special:
- Two tunnels, each 120 feet (37 m) long
- A 510-degree downward helix, which is a big spiral turn
- A mid-course brake run to control the train's speed
- Four airtime hills, including a "double-up" hill for extra thrills
- An on-ride photo camera to capture your excited face!
Gallery
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Steel Force's first drop
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Steel Force's first drop
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Steel Force's first airtime hill
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Steel Force's final airtime hills
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