As far as the facts about this coaster, Steel Force, as you can guess, is a red steel tubular tracked coaster created by Arrow. Dorney Park claims that the coaster the first hill is a 205 feet drop with the second hill being 161 feet. The coaster over looks one of the major parking lots and where you once viewed the Thunderhawk (which is still there) from the parking lot, Steel Force has taken its glory away. When you first look at this coaster from a distance, you may think that it looks very similar to the Magnum XL2000 at Cedar Point. If you are looking for a coaster with inversions, this is not the coaster for you. There are no loops or corkscrews on this track. There are two tunnels however on the track at the bottom of two hills.
Continuing on, there are three trains, however when I was there as of June 18th, they were only running two of the three trains. Each train holds 36 people and has six cars to the train. A person is strapped in with a seat belt and a lap bar.
A run through the track is a bit like this. After going over the lift hill, you dive 205 feet to the ground, through the first tunnel and up the second hill. You’ll drop another 161 feet and back up only to be tossed into a whipping turn to your right which will take you under its construction four times. During these three times, the coaster appears as if your head (or arms) are about to be chopped off by its track and supports. Making a sharp turn to its left after going through its construction for the third time, you are taken up another hill where you will be slowed down a bit by a flat zero degree horizontal line for about five seconds. If you are not in the first seat, you will have a surprise when you are instantly dropped down the hill. You will encounter another hill before diving down into the second tunnel. You will be then taken through a series of short camel-back hills until you are stopped by the brakes. Shortly after the tunnel, do not forget to smile! Yes, indeed they take your picture for you to enjoy when you get off the coaster.
What can I say about this coaster? How about some of its good points first. I loved its element of surprise, especially the drop after the horizontal track. The turns experienced after the second hill are thrilling for they turn you to your right at a degree, I would say roughly sixty degrees (I am not sure what the exact degree is) giving you the feeling of flying through the air.
This coaster did have a good amount of speed, but if you want the maximum speed, like most other coasters, ride the very back seat. You are pulled over the hills at a faster rate than if you were sitting in the front car. The ride, however, is much more smoother in the front car which is typical.
The sight at the top of the two first hills is totally beautiful as you can look over much of the park and surrounding land. I went on a day where it was overcast and a little foggy at a distance, but the sight was breathtaking. At night the sights are even better, for you have view of the rides lit up in all their glory. Even a bit of lightening (which did occur while I was there about nine at night) made it beautiful.
How about some of the bad points about Steel Force? Well, being told that the coaster was to have several inversions, I was definitely disappointed by that fact. The speed was great, but I did talk to several coaster enthusiasts who felt that this was a bit slower than such coasters as the Magnum. I think that most of the thrill came from its features and not its speed. Front seat is great, but there is not much speed as there is in the back (of course.)
This coaster does have a few kinks to work out. While I was there, they ran into several "temporary delays." About 8:30PM that night, the coaster stopped as one train was entering the station and the other train was about 1/3 up the lift hill. This took about fifteen minutes to fix, including running the two trains through one trial run each. (I was not one of the "fortunate" ones to become stuck, for I just got off of it the coaster right before it broke down.)
I really have one safety concern. That is, that only about one-half of the times I was on this coaster, my bar was checked. So when you go on, make sure your bar is locked!
Overall, I must say this coaster is one of the better ones I have been on, but I would recommend, that it is not necessarily worth the trip just for this coaster alone. I think that would be for you to decide because I am stuck in the middle on that issue. I did travel just for this coaster and I did not think it was totally worth my while for it after I found out about several features it was missing. I rode it for most of the time I was there. However, I missed out on spending more time on the other three coasters (two wooden, and another steel with inversions) which, when I were there, did not have many riders at all. I am going back in a week to take my sister on this coaster, and I think she will enjoy it.
I will be uploading pictures of this marvel as soon as I get them back from the developer. Have a great summer, enjoy your roller coaster trips, and play it safe. Stay tuned to the Fast And Crazy World of the Roller Coaster for more updates, evalution, and news of your favorite coasters. Ride on!
© 1997 mandyw@prolog.net
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