The Voyage, the highly-ranked wooden coaster at Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana, is expected to feel faster and a lot smoother in 2010 thanks to a new set of trains.
Engineered by the same team that designed the record-breaking coaster, the trains’ wheels are engineered to steer through curves as they move along the track, creating a smoother ride and less wear on the track. The Gravity Group tested a prototype of the new ‘Timberliner’ train at Holiday World last spring.
Unusually on a wooden coaster, the seats are ergonomically designed for greater comfort, including an exclusive seat-suspension design. The padded seats will also accommodate wider-hipped and longer-legged riders.
“When the engineers at The Gravity Group told us they designed Timberliner trains with The Voyage in mind, they definitely got our attention” says Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari president Will Koch. “Since the trains will ‘track’ better, riders will experience a much smoother Voyage. That also means there will be less ‘rolling friction,’ so the ride will quite possibly be even faster when it reopens in May.”
The Voyage is 1.2 miles long and provides a record 24.2 seconds of “air time” plus five underground tunnels. The new trains, which will each seat 28 riders, will be assembled in Indianapolis. The Gravity Group is headquartered in Cincinnati.
