T Express
Specific Type: Wooden, Prefabricated
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In 2008 South Korea got its first wooden roller coaster, an Intamin pre-fab called T Express at Everland. T Express is Intamin’s fourth pre-fab wooden coaster joining the impressive company of Colossos at Heide Park, Balder at Liseburg, and El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure. When T Express was built it was a collection of firsts; pre-fab construction is a first in Asia on wooden coasters, it was the steepest wooden coaster in the world, and this was also the only coaster that could accommodate three trains when it was built in the nation. The T in T Express comes from the ride’s sponsor T World, South Korea’s largest wireless carrier.
The ride begins as rides climb into one of the trains, the trains are shaped like steam locomotives but this is no mine train. This ride is huge, 5,383.8 feet in total track length, 183.8 feet tall with a 150.9 foot main drop at 77 degrees, and a ride duration of 3:12. Once the train leaves the station it is hauled up the massive 183.8 foot tall lift hill by a cable lift. The train moves swiftly to the top where riders are treated to a beautiful view of the mountains and long views from this coaster perched on a hillside. The pre drop turns the train around 180 degrees now facing the rest of the park. It is way too late to turn back now, the train dives down the main drop reaching its maximum speed of 64.6 MPH. At the bottom of the hill the train passes through its first head chopper as it cuts through the structure and then suddenly straight back up into a steep airtime hill. As the train soars over the top it drops down and banks suddenly to the right. This seemingly endless banked turn to the right comes around and the train passes under the next head chopper and enters a hard banked turn to the left blind. This leads up a small hop to a MCBR, followed by a massive drop that would make first drops on a majority of other wooden coasters jealous. At the bottom of the hill is another surprise head chopper and another steep airtime hill. This is followed up by banked turnaround, the coaster is really picking up speed, but the ground is still far away. The train soars up, not down, into a big airtime hill followed by a head chopper on the way down. The train banks hard to make a 180 degree right turn and into an airtime hill. Then a 180 degree banked left turn cutting into the structure, the coaster continues through its own support structure hopping and diving around the lumber maze. An almost endless amount of airtime hills, and banked turns all within support structure. When it finally breaks out there is a series of three more airtime hills and a banked turn into the final brake run. This unique wooden roller coaster is considered by many to be the most thrilling ride in Korea, and it has been in the top three in the Mitch Hawker Poll 2008-2013 even snagging the top spot twice before the poll was discontinued. If you find yourself in South Korea, T Express is a must ride. |
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