An engineering miracle and record holder attraction
Opened on May 21st, 2005
KINGDA KA coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure manufactured by INTIMIN became a staple for roller coaster enthusiasts and thrill seekers world-wide. Opening as the WORLDS TALLEST AND FASTEST roller coaster in North America and becoming an instant hit with fans made this coaster hit the charts as one of the greatest all time attractions in the world.
FEATURES AND TRACK LAYOUT
The ride begins by launching riders 0-128 mph in just 3.5 seconds! (faster than a rocket leaving the pad). This inverted U-shaped coaster reaches a top height of 456 Feet high and puts all other coasters to shame in extreme thrill. A 90 degree vertical incline leads riders soaring over the park as they catch a quick breath at the top of the tower 456 feet up before plummeting back down in a 270 degree spiral. To end, riders glide over a 129 feet "camel hump" as they are lifted out of their seat for some air time. The train returns to the station as riders cannot believe what they just experienced.
Launch system and engineering behind the attraction
The launch system behind KINGDA KA may look more complex than it really is. A large steel rod is connected to the middle-back area of the train being launched. This steel rod hooked on the train is connected to a metal wire pulley system. As the train rolls back, the motors responsible for delivering power to the pulley draw power from the generators placed below the ride. The steel rod is then released and the steel cables pull the car to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds as the train surpasses the steel rod in speed and is released allowing the train to climb the vertical hill. The train then completes the layout of the ride with the assistance of gravity and is stopped by metal fin brakes common on many launch rides. Magnets on the rides train are opposite polls to those on the brake run and when they collide, the fins provides a smooth braking system for riders.
Rollbacks
The ride was designed to allow for rollbacks. This means that on days where there are windy conditions or high wind resistance, the train may not roll over the hill and may cause a rollback. The ride vehicles will reach the top of the hill but will not have enough velocity to roll over it so the ride will pause and the train will then fall backwards down the 90 degree vertical hill and return back to the station. Many thrill seekers love rollbacks and come to see if they get to experience it as it can be a rare occurance.
Closing thoughts
Though I have personally never ridden this ride, I would love to get to experience it in the future. KINGDA KA is quite the engineering masterpiece and has caused a great increase in six flag sales since. Many other recreations of this ride have also been created in other parts of the world such as top thrill dragster and will continue to amaze riders world-wide.
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