Alpine Bobsled
Specific Type: Bobsled
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Alpine Bobsled opened for the third time in its history at Great Escape in Queensbury, New York in 1998. This coaster has operated at two other locations and relocated to Great Escape as part of Six Flag’s ride relocation program. The ride first operated at one of Six Flag’s flagship parks (no pun intended) Six Flags Great Adventure as Sarajevo Bobsled from 1984 to 1988. The lot was then occupied by Great American Scream Machine, the second of the Arrow Seven-Inversion Triplets. When Scream Machine was closed in 2009, the lot was reused by Green Lantern, the B&M Stand-Up coaster that came up north from Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom when the park’s status went SBNO. In 1989, Sarajevo Bobsled was moved to sister flagship park Six Flags Great America, where it opened as Rolling Thunder. The ride was located right next to the Arrow Looping Coaster Demon. Its space is now occupied partially by the 1999 B&M Hyper Twister Raging Bull, and also a midway that runs between Raging Bull and Demon. The ride was taken down in 1996 in preparation for the new area and stayed in storage for the next few years. The ride was then moved to Great Escape and opened in 1998 as Alpine Bobsled.
The ride itself stands 64 feet tall and reaches speeds of 35 MPH. The 8 person cars run through the 1,490 feet of bobsled track in 1 minute and 40 seconds. The specific ride model is an Intamin AG Swiss Bob, and was subcontracted by Giovanola. Only three of the Intamin Swiss Bobs operate today. Along with Alpine Bobsled, La Vibora has been operating at Six Flags Over Texas since 1987. The other one is Bob, which opened in 1985 at Efteling in the Netherlands. Another of these machines recently closed to make way for another new attraction. Disaster Transport at Cedar Point opened in 1985 as Avalanche Run, until it was renamed to Disaster Transport in 1990 due to a $4 million renovation that encased the ride in a building with multiple theming elements. Unfortunately, the theming was turned off to save money later in the ride's life, and the ride’s popularity deteriorated. Disaster Transport was closed and demolished in July of 2012 to make way for Gatekeeper, Cedar Point’s record breaking B&M Wing Coaster. Although Gatekeeper is much more thrilling than the old bobsled coaster, one still remembers the great box that was Disaster Transport. The ride starts out with a 64 foot lift. Riders can easily see the park’s Ferris Wheel in front of the ride. The 8 person car travels slowly up the lift. At the top, it is noticed that riders are at almost the same height as the Ferris Wheel, but it leaves their mind instantly as, the train veers to the left in a right hand turn. Riders then bank to the right and turn to the left in an upwards helix into the first block brake, which is perpendicular to the lift. Riders feel some slight airtime as they drop into another left hand turn towards the ground. The track swerves to the right, and then turns left again into the second block brake which runs parallel to the lift. Turning to the right, the car picks up speed again swerves into another s-bend and right hand curve. This leads into the third block brake, which brings the station in sight. A quick turn to the left and then right finish the bobsled adventure. |
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