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| Thunderbolt | |
|---|---|
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| Statistics | |
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Park |
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Manufacturer |
John A. Miller & Andy Vettel |
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Height |
70 feet |
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Top speed |
55 mph |
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0 | |
Thunderbolt is a wooden roller coaster located at Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. The ride was originally built by John A. Miller in 1924 and was named "Pippin" until 1967, when it changed to "Thunderbolt" beginning with the 1968 season, coinciding with an expansion of the track headed up by Andy Vettel. The four drops down a ravine were incorporated in the Andy Vettel-designed Thunderbolt coaster. Thunderbolt was rated the #1 roller coaster by the New York Times in 1974, and it still is the most popular ride at Kennywood. The Thunderbolt still uses the 1958 Pippin trains manufactured by the National Amusement Device Company, known as "Century Flyers."