Swamp Fox (roller coaster)
The Swamp Fox wooden roller coaster is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina It is one of 37 rides at Family Kingdom Amusement Park.[1] The coaster is named after American Revolutionary War leader, Francis Marion.
| Swamp Fox | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Family Kingdom Amusement Park | |
| Location | Family Kingdom Amusement Park |
| Coordinates | 33.682510°N 78.891702°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | 1966 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Wood |
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters |
| Designer | John Allen |
| Track layout | Double Out and Back |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 75 ft (23 m) |
| Drop | 65 ft (20 m) |
| Length | 2,400 ft (730 m) |
| Speed | 50 mph (80 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Swamp Fox at RCDB Pictures of Swamp Fox at RCDB | |
The Swamp Fox is a wooden roller coaster that runs over a 2,400 feet (730 m), figure-eight track. The “double out and back” design takes riders to heights of 75 feet (22.9 m) at speeds up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h) and features dramatic drops of up to 65 feet (19.8 m).[2]
In one experiment performed on the Swamp Fox, operators found that the train ran its track anywhere from eight to 10 seconds faster at 9 p.m. than it did around 2 p.m. in the afternoon.[2]
The Swamp Fox roller coaster, built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company of Pennsylvania, opened in 1966 as one of the rides at Grand Strand Amusement Park. In 1992, that park was purchased by the Ammons family and rechristened "Family Kingdom Amusement Park". The Swamp Fox was then totally refurbished according to the original specifications of the original design by John C. Allen.[3] In 2016, American Coaster Enthusiasts marked the 50th anniversary of the Swamp Fox by adding a historical marker.[4]
The Swamp Fox was declared a historic structure by the city in March 2017.[5]
References
- "Family Kingdom Amusement Park". Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- "Q & A: The Swamp Fox All Wooden Roller Coaster" (PDF). Family Kingdom Amusement Park. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- "1960's Wooden Coasters". UltimateRollerCoaster.com. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- Donovan, Jennifer (April 25, 2016). "Roller Coaster enthusiasts honor Family Kingdom coaster as landmark". The Sun News.
- Johnson, Chloe (March 28, 2017). "A favorite Myrtle Beach thrill ride just became an historic structure". The Sun News. Retrieved March 29, 2017.