Steel Venom (Geauga Lake)
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| Steel Venom | |
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| Location | Geauga Lake & Wildwater Kingdom |
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| Type | Steel - Inverted - Launched |
| Status | Closed and relocated |
| Opened | May 5th, 2000 |
| Closed | 2006 |
| Manufacturer | Intamin AG |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Shuttle roller coaster |
| Height | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Drop | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Max speed | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Steel Venom at RCDB Pictures of Steel Venom at RCDB |
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Steel Venom was a launched inverted shuttle roller coaster designed by Intamin AG located at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. The ride opened on May 5th, 2000 as a part of the Six Flags conversion of the park from Geauga Lake to Six Flags Ohio/Worlds of Adventure. During Six Flags' ownership, the ride was known as Superman: Ultimate Escape (not to be confused with the roller coaster at Six Flags Mexico). However, when Cedar Fair L.P. bought the park in 2004, Cedar Fair did not purchase the rights to use D.C. Comics characters, which is why it was later known as Steel Venom.
Steel Venom was the first twisted impulse coaster, characterized as a launched shuttle coaster featuring a twisted spike of track. The ride was located in the 50's Midway section of the park and was parallel to State Route 43.
[edit] Layout
The ride had a fairly simplistic layout consisting of two vertical spikes. One of the spikes was twisted and the other spike had a holding brake on it. The ride began when riders pulled down the restraints and were then catapulted forwards by the use Linear Induction Motors or LIM's. The LIM's sent the train full of riders to speeds of 70 miles per hour. After the LIM launch area, the train headed up the twisted vertical spike that twists the train 180 degrees. Once the train lost speed, it then rolled back into the launch and station area. The train headed up (backwards) to the straight vertical spike. The straight spike occasionally had a holding brake working on it to enhance the ride experience. After falling back to the station forwards, the train headed through the layout again twice and then stopped after the third time around.
[edit] Incident
During the 2006 season, an incident occurred on Steel Venom in which the part of the train and an LIM launch motor were destroyed. This occurred in mid July and the ride was closed for the rest of the 2006 season.
[edit] Removal
At ACE's No Coaster Convention 2007, the Geauga Lake park map did not show Steel Venom on it. Along with that, the park's photos of that area had the Steel Venom spikes airbrushed out. On February 3, 2007, a Cedar Fair representative confirmed that the ride will be removed from Geauga Lake. This is the second major roller coaster to be removed from the park before the 2007 season. [1].
The ride has been relocated to Dorney Park in Allentown, PA. Renamed Voodoo, the ride is currently under construction and due to open in 2008.
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