Kennywood’s Former Laser Loop Coaster For Sale
Kennywood Park’s former Laser Loop shuttle coaster is for sale! The ride is being offered via (usedrides.com) for an asking price of $490,000. The ride operated at Kennywood from 1980 to 1990. It was then removed and sold to La Feria Chapultepec Magico in Mexico City — there, it operated as Cascabel 2.0 from 1994 to 2019. It is now standing but not operating. (SBNO)
The ride features a flywheel launch system. From 1978, all of the new Schwarzkopf installations featured a flywheel launch system. This system consists of a 6-tonne (5.9-long-ton; 6.6-short-ton) flywheel which is spun at over 1000 revolutions per minute. This flywheel engages a drive system, through a system of multiple clutches, that is attached to a cable that in-turn propels the train forward. Below is a look at the Laser Loop at Kennywood in 1988.
How the times have changed! 🎢🙌🏼Laser Loop – #Kennywood July 1988.
Posted by Coaster Nation on Thursday, March 26, 2020
The ride features a single train with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 28 riders. Anton Schwarzkopf designed the Shuttle Loop in the late 1970’s. He filed a patent for the concept in 1978 which was approved the following year. The patent describes two launch systems, both of which were implemented in various roller coasters.
Former Ride Names:
Laser Loop at Kennywood (1980 to 1990)
Cascabel 2.0 at La Feria Chapultepec Magico (1994 to 2019)
Height: 139 ft
Length: 876 ft
Speed: 54 mph
Make: Schwarzkopf
Model: Shuttle Loop
Launch: Flywheel
Designer: Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
After operating for 10 years at Kennywood as Laser Loop, the ride was sold to a European vendor, who refurbished the ride for resale. It was purchased by La Feria Chapultepec Magico park and installed for the 1994 season. It operated at the Mexico City park until 2019. The ride is still standing at La Feria Chapultepec Magico, but is currently not operating.
With the ride being offered for sale, it begs the question of who would be in the market to buy this 40 year old coaster? Well, the ride still has a large following of Pittsburgh fans aka “yinzers”, as well as coaster enthusiasts from groups such as ACE (American Coaster Enthusiasts). Using this fanfare to their advantage for marketing, many upstart parks or parks with legacy rides could potentially be in the market to purchase this coaster. (Legacy rides are rides that are 30-40 years old and the model isn’t produced anymore).
While a $490,000 price tag might sound attractive asking price, that doesn’t account for the additional expenses to acquire it. There will be additional costs to dismantle the ride, transport the pieces to the new park, and construct the coaster. It’s also possible that the ride could be refurbished with a Linear Induction Launch System, as seen with Psyké Underground at Walibi Belgium.
Since Schwarzkopf rides don’t usually get any rougher with age, it could be an instant favorite for guests visiting the park or Fun Center that purchases it.
—- UPDATE 10/5/2020 —-
It looks like the former Laser Loop was sold. The listing on UsedRides website is not live anymore. Furthermore, links to the page have been redirected with a banner indicating that the ride could not be found.
That begs the question, who bought the ride? Stay tuned for the latest developments.
For more info about the sale, visit the official UsedRides website by clicking here.
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