Thunder Run (Kentucky Kingdom) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thunder Run |
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| Kentucky Kingdom | |
| Location | Kentucky Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 38°11′44″N 85°44′51″W / 38.19556°N 85.74750°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | August 1990 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Dinn Corporation |
| Designer | Curtis D. Summers, John Fetterman |
| Model | Custom |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 90 ft (27 m) |
| Drop | 74 ft (23 m) |
| Length | 2,850 ft (870 m) |
| Speed | 53 mph (85 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 1:54 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | Single train with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Thunder Run at RCDB | |
Thunder Run is an exciting wooden roller coaster located at the Kentucky Kingdom amusement park in Louisville, Kentucky. This classic ride first opened its tracks in August 1990. After being closed for a few years, Thunder Run made a big comeback in May 2014 when Kentucky Kingdom reopened under new management.
The coaster was built by a company called Dinn Corporation. It was designed by Curtis D. Summers and John Fetterman. Thunder Run is 2,850 feet (870 m) long and stands 90 feet (27 m) tall. It can reach a top speed of 53 miles per hour (85 km/h), giving riders a thrilling experience!
History of Thunder Run
Kentucky Kingdom first opened its doors on May 23, 1987. After some changes in ownership, a new group led by Ed Hart took over the park in 1989. They worked hard to reopen the park in 1990, adding several new rides, including Thunder Run.
When Thunder Run first started operating, there were a few early safety checks. For example, one of the cars had a small issue while going up the lift hill. Also, the lap bars were checked to make sure they were safe for everyone. Luckily, no one was hurt in these events. The ride's tracks were also updated before it closed in 2009.
Thunder Run stopped running at the end of the 2009 season. The park itself closed for a few years. But good news came on June 27, 2013, when Ed Hart and his team made a plan to reopen Kentucky Kingdom. They invested a lot of money to bring the park back to life.
As part of the park's return, Rocky Mountain Construction was hired to fix up Thunder Run. They even replaced the old wooden track. On October 10, 2013, people from the media and amusement industry got a special chance to ride the newly fixed-up Thunder Run. The ride officially reopened to the public on May 24, 2014. In 2017, Thunder Run got a brand new train from the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, replacing the original one from 1990.
Thunder Run's Design and Features
Thunder Run is 2,850-foot (870 m)-long and stands 90 feet (27 m) tall. It reaches speeds of 53 miles per hour (85 km/h) and the ride lasts about 2 minutes.
The coaster uses one train with six cars. Each car has two rows, and two riders can sit in each row. This means 24 people can ride at once! Thunder Run also has exciting turns that are banked at 70 degrees, making them feel extra fast.
The original idea for Thunder Run's design was actually meant for another park called Americana Amusement Park. In 1986, John Fetterman showed the design to the park manager. However, the coaster was never built there. Later, the same design was used as a starting point for other roller coasters like the Hurler at Carowinds and Kings Dominion.
What to Expect on Thunder Run
Thunder Run has a fun "double out and back" layout. This means you go out away from the station and then come back, and then do it again!
Here's how the ride goes:
- It starts with a left turn right out of the station.
- Then, you begin climbing the 90-foot (27 m)-tall chain lift hill.
- Once you reach the top, there's a small dip.
- Next, you take a 180-degree turn to the left.
- The first big drop is 74 feet (23 m) down, leading into a fast, 70-degree banked turn close to the ground.
- You'll then go over a series of smaller hills that give you a floating feeling.
- After a turnaround, the train heads back towards the station with another hill.
- This whole process repeats one more time before the train slows down on the brake run and returns to the station.
