Corkscrew (Silverwood)

Corkscrew is an Arrow Development prototype Corkscrew roller coaster located at Silverwood Theme Park. Ten exact replicas of this same design were produced 1975–1979 at other scattered parks. This corkscrew previously operated at Knott's Berry Farm from 1975-89.^[1] Developed by Ron Toomer of Arrow Dynamics,^[2] a Utah-based design firm, the "Corkscrew" was the first steel inverting roller coaster open to the public, with identical models opening at three other parks days later.

Ride Experience

Inversions

The ride

The ride starts when the train is rolled out of the station into a short U-turn. Following the turn is a 70-foot-tall (21 m) lift hill. When the train reaches the top of the hill, the train speeds down again into a banked turn. The banked turn then takes the riders down toward the first drop, which gives a sensation of airtime. Following the drop, the train then ascends a small hill and goes down a turn towards the double corkscrew, the train then travels through another U-turn into the brake run.

Historical achievements

When Corkscrew first opened at Knott's Berry Farm, it achieved two things of historical significance. Corkscrew was not only the first modern inverting coaster in the world, but it also was the first roller coaster to take riders upside down twice. Corkscrew was actually a prototype originally built on site at Arrow Dynamics in Mountain View in Santa Clara County, California^[2] (before Arrow Dynamics' relocation to Utah). Once Arrow Dynamics completed reviewing the design, members of the Knott's family personally opted to purchase the prototype.^[2] Ten exact replicas were produced 1975–1979.^[2] In 1989 Knott's Berry Farm sold the Corkscrew to Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho for $250,000 to make room for Boomerang.^[2]

References