Blue Streak (Conneaut Lake)

Blue Streak is a wooden roller coaster built in 1937 at Conneaut Lake Park in Conneaut Lake, Pennsylvania. It is the only wooden coaster operating in the park and the largest. Blue Streak follows an out and back design. It is the 17th oldest wooden roller coaster in the United States, and it is one of two shallow coasters designed by Ed Vettel still operating. The second is The Cyclone at Lakeside Amusement Park in Denver, Colorado. The Blue Streak at Conneaut Lake Park first opened in 1938. Upon leaving the station, the train immediately enters a tunnel in the shape of an “S" and begins a 78-foot-high climb up the lift hill. The train plummets down the first drop reaching up to a top speed of 50 mph and into a straightaway section of track. The straightaway is followed by 2 medium size hills, then a turnaround section that features a slight dip as it turns the train back towards the station. The train then follows 4 smaller camel back hills, providing airtime, then entering the brake run and making a 360 degree turn back into the platform/station.

Blue Streak
The ride at the top of the drop.
Conneaut Lake Park
LocationConneaut Lake Park
Coordinates41.6349°N 80.3180°W / 41.6349; -80.3180
StatusOperating
Opening dateMay 23, 1938
General statistics
TypeWood
DesignerEd Vettel
ModelOut and Back roller coaster
Height77 ft (23 m)
Length2,900 ft (880 m)
Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration2:20
TrainsSingle train with 3 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 18 riders per train.
Blue Streak at RCDB
Pictures of Blue Streak at RCDB

History

The Blue Streak underwent major renovations in 1997, 2002, and 2010. In 2002, one of the original 1938 Vettel trains was returned to service, replacing the silver National Amusement Devices Century Flyer train used since the 1960s. The Vettel train was again removed in 2011 pending repairs and restraint updates. The turnaround section of track was rebuilt (date needed). For the 2016 season, first drop was repaired and re-tracked. The ride received salvaged lumber from the Geauga Lake Raging Wolf Bobs coaster.

The Blue Streak has been opened and closed many times. The dates are as follows,[1]

  • Originally Opened: May 23, 1938
  • Closed: 1995 - 1996
  • Reopened: May 17, 1997
  • Closed: 2007 - September 1, 2010
  • Reopened: September 2, 2010

On June 24, 2010, the American Coaster Enthusiasts donated a plaque that declared the Blue Streak a Coaster Classic and a Coaster Landmark.[2][3]

Awards
Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year1998201120122013201420152016201720182019
Ranking 25[4]46[5]44[6]33[7]30[8]35[9]38[10]37[11]37[12]40[13]

References
  1. Marden, Duane. "Blue Streak  (Conneaut Lake Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  2. ACE Coaster Classic Awards Archived 2015-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "ACE Coaster Landmark Awards". Archived from the original on 2010-12-12. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
  4. "Top 25 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 6B. August 1998. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  5. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 46–47. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  6. "Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 46–47. September 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  7. "2013 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 40–41. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  8. "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  9. "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  10. "2016 top 50 wooden roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  11. "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  12. "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  13. "2019 Top Wood". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
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