Thousands of thrill-seekers have enjoyed Playland’s new ThunderVolt launch coaster since it first opened five weeks ago.
Today marks the end of Playland’s regular summer amusement park operating season, just before its overnight transition to the PNE Fair, which begins tomorrow, Saturday, August 16, 2024.
As the PNE Fair kicks off, a new wave of riders are expected to experience the flagship attraction, which is the most significant investment the PNE has ever made in a permanent ride.
The project’s total cost of $16 million includes the over $1 million large battery system that provides the ride with its adrenaline-kicking launch of 1.3 G, as in G force. This propels the train from 0 km/hr to 72 km/hr within about two seconds through the launch tunnel. The launch acceleration of 1.3 G is equivalent to the first stage of the Saturn V rocket launch or the acceleration of the Bugatti Veyron.
The coaster name “ThunderVolt” captures the ride’s electrifying burst of speed.
My front-seat footage on the brand new #ThunderVolt launch coaster at #Playland.
The launch speed of 1.3Gs is exhilarating.
I ended up riding this 3 times back-to-back-to-back. #PNE https://t.co/mPZP33NI2m pic.twitter.com/n0CWBR5Nn0
— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) July 5, 2024
This state-of-the-art launch system uses linear synchronous motor (LSM) technology — a highly advanced propulsion system that uses electromagnetic propulsion without any moving parts. The polarity on the track is reversed from positive to negative in just nanoseconds, which is more advanced than the current common use of linear induction motors (LIM) for similar launch coaster rides.
In an interview with Daily Hive Urbanized, Rob Crema, the PNE’s project lead, says the LSM is powered by five battery banks that act as capacitors.
This removes the need to undergo more expensive and complicated electrical infrastructure upgrades at Playland, as the existing BC Hydro grid serving the area does not have the capacity to reach the charge needed for ThunderVolt’s launch.
Instead, the BC Hydro grid slowly recharges the launch-powering batteries, which takes approximately one minute to do so between launches.
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
“We didn’t have enough power or existing power to power the ride launch without the capacitors. So the incoming power charges up these capacitors, the capacitors reach full charge, and then the power is converted from AC to DC power. Then that goes through the electromagnetic launch system,” Crema told Daily Hive Urbanized, sharing that the equipment comes from a German supplier.
“In Europe, it’s quite common that these capacitor systems actually can provide power back to the grid. But in Canada there’s a whole set of regulations that we have to follow, so we’re not doing that. We’re not backfeeding BC Hydro, and we have protection in place so that doesn’t happen. There’s all these special regulations and modifications we had to make to the system in order for it to meet Canadian standards.”
Unintentionally backfeeding into BC Hydro’s grid from ThunderVolt’s surge could potentially cause the power to go out across large swaths of Vancouver and Burnaby, but there are safeguards in place to prevent this from ever happening.
The batteries and other electrical equipment are housed in a small building between the launch tunnel and the rider queuing area. This structure is hard to miss, with “HIGH VOLTAGE” and “DANGER” signs plastered over its ThunderVolt-branded skin.
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
The ride was designed and built by Italian manufacturer Zamperla, and this was the company’s first experience using capacitors.
The coaster track is refurbished from a previous ride at the Miragica theme park in Italy. After the theme park closed in 2018, Zamperla acquired the ride — originally known as Senzafiato — to refurbish and redesign it to its own train specifications. This also includes replacing the entire original launch system with Zamperla’s new LSM launch technology.
“It was one of the few rides of this calibre we could purchase that would actually fit within our footprint at that corner of the Playland site,” said Crema.
Furthermore, ThunderVolt’s 1.3 G launch acceleration is significant not just in Canada but globally. It is a small but mighty ride that punches above its weight.
Canada’s only other launch coaster is the 2005-built Backlot Stunt Coaster at Canada’s Wonderland in Toronto. Although it has far higher G forces on other segments of the ride due to its gravity-fed, taller, and steeper drops, its LIM launch acceleration is only about 0.6 Gs.
The Incredicoaster (previously named California Screamin’) at Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim also has a LIM launch acceleration of 0.6 Gs, while the Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort has a LSM launch acceleration of 0.9 Gs.
The Xcelerator at Six Flags’ Knott’s Berry Farm uses a hydraulic launch system and can accelerate to 1.6 Gs.
The Maxx Force coaster at Six Flags Great America in Illinois has the fastest launch acceleration in North America and the world. It uses a compressed air launch system and accelerates at 1.9 Gs.
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
PNE’s ThunderVolt launch coaster at Playland. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)
After ThunderVolt’s 1.3 G launch, the ride train soars upwards to reach a maximum ride height of about 60 ft (18 metres) before beginning a series of roller-coaster twists and turns. The track’s total length is 1,247 (380 metres).
Based on Daily Hive Urbanized’s timing of the ride, the entire experience is about 40 seconds from launch to the train’s return to the station.
ThunderVolt is also the first Playland ride to receive extensive theming, part of the longer-term strategy to significantly expand Playland and evolve it from an amusement park to a theme park.