Kennywood 2015 - Return of the Turnpike?

With all this talk about major 2015 rides starting to die down (most parks have already announced their additions) I thought I'd bring up my theory about Kennywood's ride next year.

As some of you may know, in 2010 Kennywood replaced the classic Turnpike flat ride with the new Skyrocket rollercoaster, with plans to bring it back in the future. Many forgot about their promise until a few months ago, when this car mysteriously showed up at the front entrance.

db_2014_0806_KennywoodTurnpike151.jpg (97.46 KiB) Viewed 7373 times

Almost instantly fans began to freak out with "Is this the return of the Turnpike?!" all because car #15 showed up next to the Skyrocket. Personally, I'd love to see the Turnpike make a return, but I'm just not buying it for 2015. The park has not done any significant clearing that would allow room to build the Turnpike (which if you've ever been to Kennywood, you'd know that the park is surrounded by a road on one end, and a cliff on the other). What is catching my attention, is that it's already been over 2 years (counting from May 2012) since our newest ride. Kennywood usually sticks to the tradition of adding a new ride every other year, and the last time there was a gap this big we were granted Skyrocket back in 2010. I'd say by at least 2017, we're due for another coaster. Thoughts?

Still holding onto my wild fantasy that RMC is going to reach out to Kennywood and build an amazing original coaster over the cliffs behind the Racer and Jack Rabbit

And for those freaking out over Black Widow (which is apparently more intense among you guys than I thought) here's a POV:

[TTD03]

Interesting thoughts, and damn, black widow is scary!

Don't worry, I'll be getting video of it in action when I go sometime in October

Kennywood is one of my favorite parks ever. EVER. I'd rather see a Gravity Group woodie than RMC for Kennywood to keep the feel of the park. They need to bring back King Kahuna and the Ferris Wheel! Areo 360 was an odd replacement for it lol. On the wild rumors side, they are pretty locked in for space to rebuild the turnpike unless something is getting removed or they FINALLY start on the new land they acquired. That would be a great opening ride for the new area to go with a new coaster. Let's hope that is the case and the car is out to generate buzz.

I still have yet to be reassured that the new owners aren't going to ruin the atmosphere of Kennywood, especially now that they are marketing WAY out of state and have been contending against Cedar Point. They have billboards all over Cleveland, but don't quite have the rides that the GP would travel all that way for with Cedar Point 45 minutes away. I hope they aren't trading in tradition for mundane

:COUGH: Knoebel's >_>

[Coasterkidmwm]

Are people really that upset over a car ride?

Tradition Tradition!

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

Are people really that upset over a car ride?

Actually, yes. The turnpike was a symbol of Kennywood, the people didn't care how basic it was.

LuckyK wrote:

Kennywood is one of my favorite parks ever. EVER. I'd rather see a Gravity Group woodie than RMC for Kennywood to keep the feel of the park. They need to bring back King Kahuna and the Ferris Wheel! Areo 360 was an odd replacement for it lol. On the wild rumors side, they are pretty locked in for space to rebuild the turnpike unless something is getting removed or they FINALLY start on the new land they acquired. That would be a great opening ride for the new area to go with a new coaster. Let's hope that is the case and the car is out to generate buzz.

I still have yet to be reassured that the new owners aren't going to ruin the atmosphere of Kennywood, especially now that they are marketing WAY out of state and have been contending against Cedar Point. They have billboards all over Cleveland, but don't quite have the rides that the GP would travel all that way for with Cedar Point 45 minutes away. I hope they aren't trading in tradition for mundane

:COUGH: Knoebel's >_>

That new land purchase is what got the RMC idea in my head. While an RMC would be awesome, I definitely wouldn't mind a Gravity Group. We need a modern woodie to kick things back up, considering our youngest is from the 60s!

Coasterkidmwm wrote:

Are people really that upset over a car ride?

it's not just about tradition, that ride is heritage for amusement parks as well. I feel for the Turnpike at Kennywood like I do for all the RMC conversions. Would you see the Coney Island Cyclone replaced? Leap-The-Dips at Lakemont? These coasters are amusement park history, and so if the Turnpike at Kennywood. It might not be a thrilling ride, but just as I'm sure you wouldn't want to see your first roller coaster or a ride you have fond memories of removed, neither does anyone else

Kids these days lol

What they really need to do is replace the crappy Garfield's Nightmare with the old 'Old Mill' ride

omg I hated that they did that! I miss the original Old mill and Goldrush too! Do you remember le cachot? they used to have a third ride-thru haunted house as well.

I don't remember Le Cachot because it was removed the year I moved to Pittsburgh (and I was only 1 year old ). I do remember Gold Rusher though, I used to love that ride! I think there just needs to be a Kennywood dark ride overhaul one year

I thought you were older XD So you were you able to ride the original Phantom? As much as I like Revenge, it's a declawed tiger compared to the original X___X And Tri-star! I haven't thought about that ride in years! That was crazy!

Nope, I turn 17 next month

I wasn't old enough to ride the old Phantom, but everyone I've talked to said it was painful and they prefer the Revenge better!

It wasn't any more rough than any other Arrow coaster. Vortex at KI and GASM were way harder on the body to me. I've always had a problem with coaster fans for not giving it proper credit! All the way up until Stormrunner it was a world record breaker for the tallest fastest looping coaster. There was definitely some headbanging but really it just needed new trains not a complete reprofiling. It was the last coaster I was ever truly afraid of. It really was a terrifying looking ride and one of the best for Arrow, rct transitions and all XD

POV at 2:16


EDIT: read the comments on the vid! Even the GP that got to ride the original generally miss it

That's it! I'm soo doing a Steel Phantom replica next. There's something so cool about the hyper looping terraining thunder bolting concept. Anyhow it doesn't seem like it could be that bad. Although the 85 mi/h swooping turn might cause for some 85 mi/h head banging but the larger turning radius should decrease the lats. As I'm sue Luck can attest GASM's lats, the turn into the MCBR made you feel like you were going to go off the rails.

Doing the Steel Phantom? I was planning on doing the Phantom's Revenge

Well, there you go. You just have to wait nine years after I do mine, download it and go from there

CoasterJed wrote:

Well, there you go. You just have to wait nine years after I do mine, download it and go from there

Haha, sounds like a plan