Son of Beast
| Son of Beast | |
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Son of Beast's track layout after the loop was removed
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| Kings Island | |
| Park section | Action Zone |
| Coordinates | 39°20′46″N 84°15′53″W / 39.346101°N 84.264686°WCoordinates: 39°20′46″N 84°15′53″W / 39.346101°N 84.264686°W |
| Status | Closed |
| Opening date | May 26, 2000 |
| Closing date | June 16, 2009 |
| Cost | $20,500,000 USD (approximately) |
| Replaced by | Banshee |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Roller Coaster Corporation of America |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Track layout | Terrain roller coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 218 ft (66 m) |
| Drop | 214 ft (65 m) |
| Length | 7,032 ft (2,143 m) |
| Speed | 78.4 mph (126.2 km/h) |
| Inversions | 1 (2000–2006) 0 (2007–2009) |
| Duration | 2:20 |
| Max vertical angle | 55.7° |
| Capacity | 1600 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.5 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 2 Gerstlauer trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
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Son of Beast at RCDB Pictures of Son of Beast at RCDB |
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Son of Beast was a record-breaking wooden roller coaster located at Kings Island in Mason, Ohio. Built and designed by the now defunct Roller Coaster Corporation of America, it opened to the public on May 26, 2000, and was themed as a sequel to one of the park's other signature attractions, The Beast. In addition to breaking the world record for speed, Son of Beast was the first wooden hypercoaster in the world with a 214-foot (65 m) drop and was the first wooden coaster to feature an inversion.
Son of Beast is also known for two major, non-fatal accidents. In 2006, damage to the track caused one of the trains to stop abruptly. Another setback occurred in 2009, when a woman claimed to have suffered a head injury. The ride was closed indefinitely, and all references to the ride were later removed from the park. On July 27, 2012, the closure was made permanent, as Kings Island announced that the roller coaster would be dismantled and removed from the park.
The Roller Coaster Corporation of America discussed the idea of a building the world's first wooden hypercoaster with Kings Island in 1997. The park announced plans to build Son of Beast 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. The sign at the ride's entrance featured a large wooden box covered with chains, rope, and metal straps. The front was ripped open with the name "Son of Beast" centered inside the box. Problems plagued the ride from the start and as a result, Paramount Parks, the park's then-owner, fired RCCA before construction was completed. The park had to make several design corrections during Son of Beast's initial year.
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Wikipedia