22-05-2025
Kennywood's Steel Curtain welcomes coaster enthusiasts for early rides ahead of reopening
Out of commission for a year, Kennywood says the Steel Curtain will be ready to return to action just in time for Memorial Day weekend.
A group of coaster enthusiasts got some preview rides on Thursday as the first of the Steel Curtain's cars climbed the track, launching riders at speeds faster than Fast Willie Parker.
"Yeah, it was pretty fast. It was pretty scary," said coaster enthusiast Tim Buck.
Out of the Kennywood coaster lineup for a year, the park says the downtime was to make the Steel Curtain stronger and more rider-friendly. Despite that, officials already say it's got a Hall of Fame resume.
Lynsey Winters with Kennywood Park listed all the records the coaster holds: "Highest inversion in Pennsylvania, highest inversion in North America, tallest roller coaster in Pennsylvania, and the most inversions in North America."
"Of all the steel coasters I've ridden all over the world, I can honestly say, there is none, anything like this one," said Bill Linkenheimer of the American Coaster Enthusiasts of Western Pennsylvania.
And Linkenheimer would know what makes a good coaster.
"I have ridden almost 1,100 roller coasters around the world at this point," he said.
Linkenheimer sounds like a QB calling out a play when it comes to the Steel Curtain's stats.
"To have 4,000 feet of track, nine inversions, 220 feet tall — all in this small compact footprint where the track is literally on top of itself, is unique," Linkenheimer said.
Tim Buck came in from Muncy, Pennsylvania, to take a few rides. He's got 200 coasters on his ride resume.
"My favorite part was the dive loop at the beginning, down to the drop," Buck said.
Come this weekend, it will be ready, set, here we go for the general public. The coaster will officially reopen to riders at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 24.
