Volume 1, No. 8. May 18, 2001
It's a roller coaster!
Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown,
Pennsylvania, announces the arrival of Talon, May 3, 2001. Measurements:
3,110 feet long (942 meters), 135 feet high (41 meters), 58 mph (93 kmh). Delivered
by Bolliger and Mabillard.
If all births were this easy. "Normally
people dread putting in a major ride until it's done," said John Albino, vice
president and general manager of the park. "It was a pleasure putting this up
because everything went so smoothly." From B&M's cooperative design team to
the company's penchant for meeting every deadline, Talon was already
running the first of April, despite the Northeast's ultra-wet spring. Even the
landscaping was nearly completed by the time the local media crews and coaster
enthusiasts arrived on Thursday for a low-key opening ceremony. "We don't need
a gimmick to push this ride," said Mark Sosnowsky, Dorney's public relations
manager. "It really speaks for itself."
And spoke loudly on the public debut two days later. Rides on the first train
were sold off as a fund-raiser for the Lehigh Valley Hospital Pediatrics Clinic,
the first and last row seats going for $1,000, the rest costing $250. The general
public tended to head straight for the ride upon entering the park, and two
full trains ran throughout the sunny, warm day. "I couldn't custom order better
weather than that," Sosnowsky said. "It was perfect coaster riding weather."
And Talon carried the day.
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