Jump to content

Son of Beast: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 39°20′46″N 84°15′53″W / 39.3461008°N 84.2646861°W / 39.3461008; -84.2646861
This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
GA bot (talk | contribs)
126,241 edits
m Adding Good Article icon
→2009: In the sentence, "An summary of that investigation was release later, on July 29.", the word 'An' should be 'A'.
Line 116: Line 116:
On June 16, 2009, a woman claimed to have suffered a head injury from riding Son of Beast during her visit to the park on May 31, 2009. She did not report the incident to Kings Island officials prior to June 16. She claimed to have suffered from a burst blood vessel in her brain, after riding Son of Beast, that required admission to an intensive care unit at a nearby hospital. "The first we heard of this was on June 16. Her visit was on May 31 and there's no record of going to first aid for anything here at the park," said Don Helbig, public relations manager for Kings Island. Helbig also pointed out that there were no other reports of injuries on the ride that year. The Son of Beast was shut down as a precaution, however, during the investigation. "At this point it would be inappropriate to speculate on an exact date when the ride may reopen. We're going to do a thorough maintenance review. We're going to work with the state of Ohio on that", said Helbig.<ref>{{cite web|author=POSTED: 5:06 pm EDT June 22, 2009 |url=http://www.wlwt.com/news/19826324/detail.html |title=WLWT News |publisher=Wlwt.com |date=June 22, 2009 |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref>
On June 16, 2009, a woman claimed to have suffered a head injury from riding Son of Beast during her visit to the park on May 31, 2009. She did not report the incident to Kings Island officials prior to June 16. She claimed to have suffered from a burst blood vessel in her brain, after riding Son of Beast, that required admission to an intensive care unit at a nearby hospital. "The first we heard of this was on June 16. Her visit was on May 31 and there's no record of going to first aid for anything here at the park," said Don Helbig, public relations manager for Kings Island. Helbig also pointed out that there were no other reports of injuries on the ride that year. The Son of Beast was shut down as a precaution, however, during the investigation. "At this point it would be inappropriate to speculate on an exact date when the ride may reopen. We're going to do a thorough maintenance review. We're going to work with the state of Ohio on that", said Helbig.<ref>{{cite web|author=POSTED: 5:06 pm EDT June 22, 2009 |url=http://www.wlwt.com/news/19826324/detail.html |title=WLWT News |publisher=Wlwt.com |date=June 22, 2009 |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref>


An investigation followed, and no irregularities were found with the ride. An summary of that investigation was released later, on July 29.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!-- Byline --> Written by Carrie Whitaker |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20090729/NEWS01/307290027/ |title=Report Clears SOB |publisher=News.cincinnati.com |date= |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref> Despite the findings, the roller coaster remained closed for the remainder of the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2009/08/10/son_of_beast.html |title=Columbus Dispatch |publisher=Dispatch.com |date=August 10, 2009 |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref>
An investigation followed, and no irregularities were found with the ride. A summary of that investigation was released later, on July 29.<ref>{{cite web|author=<!-- Byline --> Written by Carrie Whitaker |url=http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20090729/NEWS01/307290027/ |title=Report Clears SOB |publisher=News.cincinnati.com |date= |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref> Despite the findings, the roller coaster remained closed for the remainder of the 2009 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2009/08/10/son_of_beast.html |title=Columbus Dispatch |publisher=Dispatch.com |date=August 10, 2009 |accessdate=September 26, 2011}}</ref>


==Future==
==Future==

Revision as of 14:17, 2 June 2012

Son of Beast
Son of Beast's track layout after the loop was removed in
Son of Beast's track layout after the loop was removed
Kings Island
LocationKings Island
Park sectionAction Zone
Coordinates39°20′46″N 84°15′53″W / 39.3461008°N 84.2646861°W / 39.3461008; -84.2646861
StatusClosed
Opening dateMay 26, 2000 (2000-05-26)
Closing dateJune 16, 2009 (2009-06-16)
Cost$20,500,000 USD (approximately)
General statistics
TypeWood
ManufacturerRoller Coaster Corporation of America
DesignerWerner Stengel
Track layoutTerrain roller coaster
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height218 ft (66 m)
Drop214 ft (65 m)
Length7,032 ft (2,143 m)
Speed78.4 mph (126.2 km/h)
Inversions1 (2000–2006)
0 (2007–2009)
Duration2:20
Max vertical angle55.7°
Capacity1600 riders per hour
G-force4.5
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Trains2 Gerstlauer trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Son of Beast at RCDB

Son of Beast is a record-breaking wooden hyper roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Built and designed by the now defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America, it is themed as a sequel to one of the park's signature attractions, The Beast. The sign, once located at the entrance to the ride, featured a large wooden box covered with chains, rope, and metal straps. The front is ripped open with the name "Son of Beast" centered inside the box.[1]

Son of Beast is also known for two major incidents that resulted in non-fatal injuries. It was closed indefinitely following the most recent incident in 2009[2] and as of the 2012 season, no official announcement of the ride's fate has been made. All references to the ride have since been removed from the park.

History

The broken crate once featured at the entrance to the Son of Beast.
The broken crate once featured at the entrance

Son of Beast was announced on May 11, 1999. As part of a marketing campaign for the ride before its debut, a box was placed next to a footpath in the park. Beastly growling and snarling noises came from inside the box as it shook violently. During the announcement, the box was revealed to the audience along with a model of the roller coaster and a list of seven world records that would be broken when it came into operation.[3]

The ride originally operated with three trains designed by Premier Rides. Each one consisted of six cars for a total capacity of thirty-six. The trains were shortened to five cars before the 2006 season. After the ride's first major incident, the trains were replaced altogether with lighter models before the ride reopened the following season. Additionally, the loop was also removed during this time.[4]

After another major incident occurred in 2009, it was announced that Son of Beast would be closed indefinitely.[2] References to Son of Beast were removed from the park's website, map, and gift shops.[5][6] All signage, including the box at the entrance, was also removed.[7]

Layout

After loading the train, riders leave the station making a 51-foot (16 m) left-hand drop into a series of short hops before turning into the 218-foot-tall (66 m) lift hill. At the crest of the lift hill, the track makes a left-hand turn over to the first drop, where it plummets 214 feet (65 m) to the ground followed by a 70-degree banked turn to the right. Riders then descend 168 feet (51 m) down a second drop into a left-hand double helix. Coming out of the helix, the train passes through a mid-course brake run dropping into a straight section of track (where the vertical loop was prior to 2006), before entering another helix, riding a series of short hills. and ending at the final brake run.[8][9]

Materials used

  • Main Structure: Southern Yellow Pine[10]
  • Track Piles: Douglas Fir[11]
  • Loop Structure: Steel (removed December 2006)[10]
  • Loop Track: Wood[10]
  • Timber used: 2.5 million board feet[11]
  • Acres of land used: 12[12]
  • Footers: 2,414 footers, 11 feet (3.4 m) into the ground[12]
  • Bolts: 225,000 21" steel bolts[12]
  • Nails: Over 22 short tons (20,000 kg) of nails[12]

World records

An overview of Son of Beast when the ride featured a vertical loop.
Son of Beast with loop

At the time of its introduction in 2000, Son of Beast was the only wooden roller coaster nationally ranked in the top 10 for track height, track length, drop height, and speed. It set several world records becoming the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, as well as becoming the second longest following its predecessor, The Beast. Son of Beast was also the only wooden roller coaster to feature a vertical loop, though the loop was later removed after an accident in 2006.[4][13] Prior to its removal, the vertical loop also made Son of Beast the longest roller coaster in the world to contain one. Following its removal, California Screamin' at Disney California Adventure Park acquired the title.[14]

The seven world records held at its introduction were:

  1. Tallest wooden roller coaster[15]
  2. Tallest wooden roller coaster drop[15]
  3. Fastest wooden roller coaster[15]
  4. Only looping wooden roller coaster (2000–2006)[16]
  5. Longest looping roller coaster (2000-2006)[14]
  6. Most wooden coaster track at one park (22,612 feet or 6,892 metres)[17]
  7. First and only wooden hypercoaster in the world (over 200 feet or 61 metres high)[18]

Incidents

See also: Incidents at Cedar Fair parks

2006

On July 9, 2006 at 4:45 pm, a structural failure in the 'Rose Bowl' section of the ride created a bump on the track that caused a train to come to an abrupt stop. Twenty-seven injuries were reported in the accident and rescue units were required to evacuate the riders. Most of the injuries were of the chest or neck. Seventeen people were released from hospital within five hours of the accident, and two were admitted. None of the injuries were life-threatening. After an inspection the following day, the park stated that the accident was caused by a crack or split in the wood.[19] The ride was shut down for an extended period of time, while the park worked with the State of Ohio to complete a full investigation. The park completed repairs of the ride but the state asked for extensive testing to be done to ensure it would not happen again. The park indicated that the ride would not reopen until the 2007 season.[20][21]

One of Son of Beast's Gerslauer trains in August 2007.
Son of Beast's trains (2007–2009)

Two trains designed by Gerstlauer from the demolished Hurricane: Category 5 coaster at the Myrtle Beach Pavilion were purchased by Kings Island to serve as lighter replacements for original Son of Beast trains.[22] The lighter trains were used to reduce the overall load on the wooden structure. The loop was also removed during this time to assist the lighter trains in completing the circuit. The park also claimed that the changes helped make the ride more comfortable.[4]

In late June 2007, reports circulated that the park was testing the new Gerstlauer trains. Eyewitnesses reported red and blue trains running on the track with test dummies in the seats. On July 4, 2007, Son of Beast reopened for the first time since the accident the year before.[23] Despite the lack of the vertical loop, the coaster continued to hold the record as tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world.[24]

2009

On June 16, 2009, a woman claimed to have suffered a head injury from riding Son of Beast during her visit to the park on May 31, 2009. She did not report the incident to Kings Island officials prior to June 16. She claimed to have suffered from a burst blood vessel in her brain, after riding Son of Beast, that required admission to an intensive care unit at a nearby hospital. "The first we heard of this was on June 16. Her visit was on May 31 and there's no record of going to first aid for anything here at the park," said Don Helbig, public relations manager for Kings Island. Helbig also pointed out that there were no other reports of injuries on the ride that year. The Son of Beast was shut down as a precaution, however, during the investigation. "At this point it would be inappropriate to speculate on an exact date when the ride may reopen. We're going to do a thorough maintenance review. We're going to work with the state of Ohio on that", said Helbig.[25]

An investigation followed, and no irregularities were found with the ride. A summary of that investigation was released later, on July 29.[26] Despite the findings, the roller coaster remained closed for the remainder of the 2009 season.[27]

Future

On March 16, 2010, General Manager for Kings Island, Greg Scheid, stated that the park has spent nearly $30 million on the ride to date, and that it would not reopen for the 2010 season.[28] Another Kings Island spokesperson, Don Helbig, announced in 2011 that the ride would again be closed for the 2011 season, and that the ride's future has not yet been decided. "No decision has been made concerning the ride's future," spokesman Don Helbig said. "It would be inappropriate to speculate on when a decision might be made. There's nothing else to talk about."[29] Kings Island announced on April 24, 2012 that there are no plans to operate Son of Beast in 2012 and they're still evaluating options.[30]

As of the 2012 season, the ride remains closed, and no announcements have been made concerning the future of the roller coaster.[30][needs update]

References

  1. ^ Fudge, Mike. "Son of Beast | Flickr – Photo Sharing!". Flickr. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "'Son Of Beast' To Remain Closed, Possibly For Good – Cincinnati News Story". WLWT Cincinnati. August 10, 2009. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  3. ^ Flaharty, Sean (May 11, 1999). "Son Of Beast announcement – (Paramount's Kings Island -May 1999)". YouTube. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Eric, Schwartzberg (July 2, 2009). "Son of Beast's history rough for park riders". The Oxford Press. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  5. ^ "Extreme Thrill Rides & More Thrill Rides". Kings Island. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  6. ^ "Park Map". Kings Island. Retrieved April 8, 2012.
  7. ^ John (April 26, 2010). "Son of Beast Signage Gone". Coaster101. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  8. ^ "Son Of Beast POV". YouTube. December 20, 2006. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  9. ^ "Son of Beast Fact Sheet". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  10. ^ a b c "Son of Beast Layout & Stats". Home.fuse.net. July 15, 1999. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  11. ^ a b Son of Beast at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  12. ^ a b c d "Son of Beast". 2001. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  13. ^ "Son of Beast – Review". Coaster Grotto. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  14. ^ a b "Disney Top 10 Disneyland Unique Rides". Disney Top 10. 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
  15. ^ a b c "Roller Coaster History Timeline | Significant Milestones". Ultimate Rollercoaster. 2005. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  16. ^ "Extreme Rides and Wooden Roller Coasters Reviews". Zuko. June 18, 2007. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  17. ^ "Son of Beast Article". COASTER-net. Retrieved March 11, 2012.
  18. ^ "Kings Island: A Leader in New Ideas for Years". COASTER-net.com. December 29, 2010. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  19. ^ "Theme Park Insider". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  20. ^ "MSNBC". MSNBC. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  21. ^ Latta, Tiffany Y. "Middletown Journal". Middletown Journal. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  22. ^ Son of Beast at the Roller Coaster DataBase Please specify an RCDB ID number as the first parameter.
  23. ^ "Local 12 Breaking News". Local12.com. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  24. ^ "Tallest Roller Coaster in the World". Coastergrotto.com. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  25. ^ POSTED: 5:06 pm EDT June 22, 2009 (June 22, 2009). "WLWT News". Wlwt.com. Retrieved September 26, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Written by Carrie Whitaker. "Report Clears SOB". News.cincinnati.com. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  27. ^ "Columbus Dispatch". Dispatch.com. August 10, 2009. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  28. ^ Son of Beast a no-go for 2010 Business Courier
  29. ^ "What's next for Son of Beast". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  30. ^ a b "Kings Island looking new at 40". Cincinnati.com. April 24, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2012. {{cite web}}: Text "Entertainment" ignored (help); Text "newswell" ignored (help); Text "p" ignored (help); Text "text" ignored (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Son_of_Beast&oldid=495621574"