Phantom's Revenge

Phantom's Revenge is a steel hypercoaster located at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States. It originally opened as Steel Phantom in 1991, featuring the fastest speed and longest drop of any roller coaster in the world. Its second drop is longer than its first, which is a unique characteristic among roller coasters. Manufactured by Arrow Dynamics, the ride was later modified and renovated by D.H. Morgan Manufacturing for the 2001 season when it reopened as Phantom's Revenge. The drop and track length were both increased, and its four inversions were removed, allowing the removal of its uncomfortable over-the-shoulder restraints. The ride has consistently ranked among the top 50 steel roller coasters in the world in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today, occasionally ranking in the top 10. Additionally, it has frequently ranked in the top 5 of the National Amusement Park Historical Association's annual steel coaster survey. History In the late 1980s, president of Kennywood Entertainment Company, Harry Henniger, sought to enter the "coaster arms race" of the time with the addition of a large steel coaster to the park. Faced with the challenge of finding the necessary space, the park settled on a design from Arrow Dynamics. The concept featured a lift hill with a record-breaking drop, surpassing the previous record set two years earlier by Magnum XL-200 at Cedar Point. With a top speed of , it was also set to become the world's fastest. Kennywood unveiled plans for the new ride, dubbed Steel Phantom, on July 27, 1990. Steel Phantom was built on the former site of Laser Loop, a Shuttle Loop coaster removed after the 1990 season. It also reused the Laser Loop's loading station. Construction of Steel Phantom began during Labor Day weekend in early September 1990. It was set to open on May 4, 1991, but this would be delayed. The ride opened on May 10, 1991, setting new records in drop height and speed, as well as featuring four inversions. While the coaster was well-received and ranked frequently in the top 10 according to Kennywood, riders often complained of neck strain and excessive headbanging. Shortly after its debut, engineers found that the train would reach speeds exceeding specifications.