Steel Venom (Valleyfair)

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Steel Venom
Steel Venom VF Sign.jpg
Steel Venom's sign
Valleyfair
LocationValleyfair
Coordinates44°47′52″N 93°27′06″W / 44.79778°N 93.45167°W / 44.79778; -93.45167Coordinates: 44°47′52″N 93°27′06″W / 44.79778°N 93.45167°W / 44.79778; -93.45167
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 17, 2003
Cost$8,500,000 USD
General statistics
TypeSteel – Inverted – Launched
ManufacturerIntamin
ModelTwisted Impulse Coaster
Lift/launch systemLIM Launch Track
Height185 ft (56 m)
Drop175 ft (53 m)
Length630 ft (190 m)
Speed68 mph (109 km/h)
Inversions0
Max vertical angle90°
Capacity950 riders per hour
Height restriction52–78 in (132–198 cm)
TrainsSingle train with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders per train.
Fast Lane available
Steel Venom at RCDB
Pictures of Steel Venom at RCDB

Steel Venom is a steel Inverted Impulse roller coaster located at Valleyfair in Minnesota. It reaches a maximum height of 185 feet (56 m) and a top speed of 68 mph (109 km/h). It is similar to the former Wicked Twister roller coaster at Cedar Point, but has only one vertical spiral, as opposed to Wicked Twister which had two vertical spirals, but it is identical to Possessed at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom except it is shorter and it is similar to Vertical Velocity at Six Flags Great America.

History[]

On September 3, 2002, Valleyfair announced that they would be adding a new roller coaster in 2003. It would be called Steel Venom and be a compact Intamin Impulse Coaster. Steel Venom would be the park's only roller coaster to be launched, inverted and go backwards.[1]

Steel Venom would officially open on May 17, 2003.[2]

The ride[]

Steel Venom's front Spike

The coaster's single seven-car (28-passenger) train runs along a 200 m (656 ft) U-shaped track, incorporating two 185-foot (56 m) vertical spikes. The forward spike incorporates a twisted spiral, and the rearward spike provides a straight freefall. The 20 m (65 ft) train, propelled by linear induction motors (LIMs,) is accelerated in less than four seconds to 68 mph (109 km/h) toward the forward tower before dropping back down through the station house and up the rearward tower. A holding brake is incorporated on the rear straight tower and is able to suspend the train momentarily (usually on the final ascent during each ride) before dropping it back down to the station house.

As of 2019, Steel Venom is the only Intamin Impulse roller coaster that still has a functional holding brake. Steel Venom is also the only launched coaster at Valleyfair.

References[]

  1. ^ "Valleyfair To Build Intamin Roller Coaster For 2003". Ultimate Rollercoaster.
  2. ^ Marden, Duane. "Steel Venom  (Valleyfair)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved June 26, 2021.

External links[]


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