Thunderbolt at Kennywood | NAPHA Shorts

Thunderbolt at Kennywood in West Mifflin, PA.
100 years ago, this classic coaster began its life as The Pippin. Opened in 1924 and designed by John Miller, the ride consisted of four large drops going down a natural ravine. For the 1968 season, Kennywood hired Andy Vettel to redesign and extend The Pippin into what is now Thunderbolt. The lift hill was extended and the picturesque “spaghetti bowl” was added on the midway, providing bigger and more modern thrills to its riders while still including the mostly original ravine drops from The Pippin. Thunderbolt today is 3,250 ft long, has a lift height of 70 ft, and a final drop of 90 ft, reaching a top speed of 55 mph. Thunderbolt has been running Century Flyer trains from National Amusement Device since 1958. NAPHA celebrates Kennywood for providing 100 years of history and fun on this classic wooden roller coaster.

To learn more about and join the National Amusement Park Historical Association, visit www.napha.org

Footage provided by David Hahner

Copyright 2024 National Amusement Park Historical Association. All rights reserved.