Timber Wolf (roller coaster)

Infobox roller coaster
name=Timber Wolf


caption=Timber Wolf Stats
location=Worlds of Fun
section=Americana
type=Wood
status=Open
opened=April, 1989
manufacturer=Dinn Corporation
designer=Curtis D. Summers
model=Custom
track=
lift=Chain Lift
height=100
drop=95
length=4260
speed=45
inversions=0
duration=2 min 13 sec
angle=
capacity=905
cost= $3 million
acceleration=
gforce=
restriction=
rcdb_number=22

Timber Wolf is a wooden roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, Missouri. Timber Wolf was designed by Curtis D. Summers and was built by the Dinn Corporation and opened in 1989.

The ride

The Timber Wolf is one of two wooden roller coasters at Worlds of Fun but is Worlds of Fun's first wooden roller coaster. Its highest point is 100 feet and its largest drop is 95 feet, at which point it reaches speeds of 45 mph and incurs "g"-forces of 2.8. It also includes an unusual 560-degree upward-spiraling helix. Timber Wolf has a sign at its entrance saying "Extreme vibrations and roughness are a nature of this ride. Do not be alarmed."The ride's acclaim is featured in the "History of Roller Coasters" in the Wildcat (roller coaster) at Frontier City in Oklahoma City.

Trains

2 trains with 6 cars per train built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. [http://www.rcdb.com/id22.htm]

Renovation

In the 2006/2007 off season the Timber Wolf underwent renovation involving extensive wood work. When the new season started, riders reported that the ride was smoother. In addition to the wood work, new faceplates were installed featuring airbrushed original Timber Wolf logos, rather than decals that formerly had to be replaced every couple of years. [cite web |url=http://www.worldsoffun.com/public/news/blog/index.cfm?entry=782a2e85-3d5d-4ee4-822e-a78d3f29e96c |title=Timber Wolf |publisher= Worlds of Fun |accessdate=2007-08-01 ] Renovation of the coaster is ongoing, and is expected to be complete by 2009 or 2010. [cite web |url=http://www.worldsoffun.com/public/news/blog/index.cfm?entry=53a514ae-7f96-4183-84f3-20fd3b63099c |title=Reader Submissions |publisher= Worlds of Fun |accessdate=2007-08-01 ]

In the 2007/2008 off season, Timber Wolf received new air powered queue gates, sporting a new aluminum finish. However, the new gates still do not match up with the corresponding numbered car, which can lead to some confusion during the loading process.

Rankings

The Timber Wolf was voted the world's top roller coaster in the 1991 "Inside Track" readers survey, [cite web |url=http://stason.org/TULARC/entertainment/roller-coaster/3-4-Inside-Track-Top-Coasters-Readers-Survey.html |title=Inside Track "Top Coasters" Readers Survey |publisher= Roller Coaster FAQ |accessdate=2007-08-02 ] and was rated the number one favorite wooden coaster in the 1992 NAPHA survey. [ [http://groups.google.com/group/rec.roller-coaster/browse_thread/thread/eca1cf7a93e7f90c/afc35d2d1f97a0be?lnk=st&q=timberwolf NAPHA Survey Results] ] However, as the coaster has aged, its ranking in other polls has fallen considerably.

Deaths

The Timber Wolf is the only ride at Worlds of Fun to have a fatality. A 14-year-old-girl died in June 1995 after falling from her seat. Worlds of Fun officials claimed that witnesses had seen her remove her restraints and tried to switch seats and that there had been no malfunction. The parks owners at the time, Hunt Midwestern Entertainment Inc., and the makers of the ride eventually settled with the girl's family for $200,000. [cite web| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4179/is_19990718/ai_n11726000| title=Roller coaster derails at amusement park| author=Cheryl Wittenauer| date=1999-07-18| accessdate=2007-09-18]

External links

* [http://www.worldsoffun.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill_rides/timber_wolf.cfm Timber Wolf] at Worlds of Fun's website
* [http://www.rcdb.com/id22.htm Timber Wolf] at the Roller Coaster DataBase

References