Phoenix (roller coaster)
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| Phoenix | |
|---|---|
| Previously known as The Rocket (1947–1980) | |
 Lift hill of Phoenix | |
| Knoebels Amusement Resort | |
| Location | Knoebels Amusement Resort |
| Coordinates | 40°52′42″N 76°30′23″W / 40.87833°N 76.50639°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | June 15, 1985 |
| Cost | $1,500,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | Herbert Paul Schmeck, 1947 |
| Track layout | Double Out and Back, Figure 8 |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 78 ft (24 m) |
| Drop | 72 ft (22 m) |
| Length | 3,200 ft (980 m) |
| Speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:00 |
| Capacity | 720 riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 42 in (107 cm) |
| Trains | 2 trains with 4 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Phoenix at RCDB | |
| Video | |
Phoenix is a wooden roller coaster located at Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania. It was moved to its current location in central Pennsylvania in 1985.[1] Prior to its purchase and relocation to Knoebels, it operated under the name The Rocket at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas.
Phoenix was designed and built by Herbert Paul Schmeck and Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC). It operated as "The Rocket" at Playland Park in San Antonio, Texas from 1947 until the park's closure in 1980. At its opening, The Rocket was hailed as "the largest roller coaster in the world", with 3,200 feet of track and a 78-foot lift hill. Knoebels purchased the ride in 1984 and dismantled it starting in January 1985. As there were no blueprints to work with, each individual board was numbered and cataloged on site.[2]
Ride experience
The ride features two PTC trains, one yellow and one orange, each capable of accommodating 24 passengers. The trains feature buzz bars as a form of restraint, and do not feature seatbelts. After being dispatched, the train takes a sharp right turn as it exits the station and enters a dark tunnel. Upon reaching the end of the tunnel, the train ascends the 78-foot lift hill. After reaching the top of the lift hill, the train drops down a 72-foot initial descent before entering the first turnaround.
Following a leftward turn, the train descends to ground level and traverses two smaller airtime hills before ascending into the second turnaround. Now running parallel to the lift hill, the train descends another drop, and hits a double-up, followed immediately afterwards by a double-down. The train then rises up into a final turnaround, wrapping around the outer side of the initial turnaround's structure. Subsequently, the train traverses a series of four consecutive bunny airtime hills before hitting the brake run, making a right hand turn to return to the station.