Comet (Hersheypark)

Comet
The Comet as seen from the since removed Giant Wheel
Location	Hersheypark
Park section	Comet Hallow
Coordinates	40°17′11″N 76°39′20″W / 40.286413°N 76.655644°W / 40.286413; -76.655644Coordinates: 40°17′11″N 76°39′20″W / 40.286413°N 76.655644°W / 40.286413; -76.655644
Status	Operating
Opened	1946
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Designer	Herbert Paul Schmeck
Track layout	Double Out and Back
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	84 ft (26 m)
Drop	78 ft (24 m)
Length	3,360 ft (1,020 m)
Max speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Duration	1:45
Capacity	950 riders per hour
Height restriction	3 ft 6 in (107 cm)
Comet at RCDB
Pictures of Comet at RCDB
Amusement Parks Portal

The Comet is a wooden roller coaster at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Built in 1946 by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company (PTC) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the coaster features a double out and back track layout. When built it was jointly owned by Hershey Park and PTC.

History

• In 1964, The Comet received 6,650 individual 10-watt chaser lights.^[1]
• In 1994, The Comet received 2 new trains. They are named "Mork's Comet" and "Halley's Comet".^[2] One of the old trains is currently used as seating at the Hershey Museum, and the other was donated to ACE.^[2]
• In 2006, during the park's off-season, The Comet was re-tracked.^[3]
• In 2008, during the park's off-season, new seat belts were added.

Ride Experience

The Comet goes up an 85 foot lift, and then drops 96 feet at 47°. After the first drop, also called the "Chocolate Drop," the train goes up a hill and then makes a left 180 degree turn, drops back down another hill, goes up a small hill, and then up a larger hill, making another 180 degree turn. After the turn, there is another drop and then the track makes a right turn ("dog leg"), going through several bunny hills before another left 180 degree turn. Following the second set of bunny hills is a left turn, two bunny hills and the then the train slows into the station.

As is typical, the train usually sits for a few moments before coming around into the station because of an extra set of brakes that served as an unloading point until the Comet was renovated to how it is operated today.

References

1. ^ Sweetness of Success, Charles J. Jacques, Jr., Amusement Park Journal, 1997
2. ^ ^{a b} Hershey Community Archives
3. ^ photos.tideblue.com