Kingda Ka
Kingda Ka is a defunct steel roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, USA. It was built by Stakotra, a subcontractor to Intamin.[1] Built in 2005 to be the worlds tallest and fastest roller coaster Kingda Ka is one of only two strata coasters in the world. Kingda Ka held the record for the worlds fastest roller coaster until the completion of Formula Rossa at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Kingda Ka goes up 456 feet (139 m) and can go 128 miles per hour (206 km/h). It first opened on May 21, 2005. To get up 456 feet, the train is launched by a machine to 128 miles per hour in 3 seconds. The train goes up the tower, and back down. At the bottom the train goes over a hill while it is slowing down. Soon it is going slow enough to be able to arrive safely back where it started. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the time it is launched. On November 11th, 2024, park operators abruptly announced that Kingda Ka would be retired.[2]
| Kingda Ka | |
|---|---|
 Kingda Ka prior to the addition of Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom | |
| Six Flags Great Adventure | |
| Location | Six Flags Great Adventure |
| Park section | The Golden Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 40°08′21.18″N 74°26′11.39″W / 40.1392167°N 74.4364972°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | May 21, 2005 |
| Cost | $25,000,000 |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched |
| Manufacturer | Intamin |
| Designer | Werner Stengel |
| Model | Accelerator Coaster |
| Track layout | Strata Coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Hydraulic launch |
| Height | 456 ft (139 m) |
| Drop | 418 ft (127 m) |
| Length | 3,118 ft (950 m) |
| Speed | 128 mph (206 km/h) |
| Duration | 0:28 |
| Max vertical angle | 90° |
| Capacity | 1,400 riders per hour |
| Acceleration | 0 to 128 mph (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds |
| G-force | 5 |
| Height restriction | 54–77 in (137–196 cm) |
| Trains | Four trains, with five cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows (except for the last car), for a total of 18 riders per train. |
 Flash Pass Available | |
| Kingda Ka at RCDB Pictures of Kingda Ka at RCDB | |
History
changeIn the past, Kingda Ka has been struck by lightning and shut down for almost a whole year. The launch cable snapped once and the ride was shut down for a while. Something happened to the braking fins so they shut down the ride. It also can get shut down by weather. The train is made so that if it rolls back it gets placed back to be launched. This happens when the hydraulic launch system does not get enough power to get over the hill or the brakes on the top off the hill stop you too much. In November 2024, Six Flags Great Adventure announced that Kingda Ka would be removed to make way for a brand new, multi record breaking roller coaster, coming to the park in 2026.
Story
changeKingda Ka is named for a 500-pound mythical tiger. A tiger in the safari was named after the roller coaster. It is surrounded by bamboo to make it look more real. It also plays music.
Features
change The ride has 4 trains with 5 cars. They are 9 rows in each car that can hold 18 people and there are 2 people in each row. Each seat has shoulder harnesses and buckles that keep the shoulder harness down to make sure passengers are safe. At the top, passengers are weightless for a second, and after riders enjoy a beautiful view, it is followed by a drop.
Restrictions
changePassengers must be 4´7 to ride Kingda Ka.
Problems
change
The train may sometimes experience a rollback after it is launched. A rollback happens when the train doesn't make it to the top of the hill and rolls back down the track. The launch track has magnetic brakes so that the train doesn't go back to the station.
References
change- ↑ "Stakotra". Archived from the original on 2016-09-22. Retrieved 2014-08-23.
- ↑ Brant, Mike BrantMike (2024-11-15). "Clues reveal what new coaster may look like at Six Flags, NJ". New Jersey 101.5. Retrieved 2024-11-16.