Zoomerang (Alabama Adventure)
Encyclopedia
Zoomerang is a Vekoma
Boomerang
roller coaster
that operates at Alabama Adventure in Bessemer, Alabama
. It originally opened in 1988 as Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane
, Australia
. It closed after only one season before opening as Demon in 1992 at Wonderland
in Sydney
. It operated until the park closed in April 2004, where it then made the trip to its current home.
and features 7 cars, seating 4 per car (28 total). It is red, and in 2006 airbrushed flames were added to the sides as well as a new airbrushed logo on the front of the train. The train was repainted purple with green stripes for the 2009 season.
Vekoma
Vekoma Rides Manufacturing B.V. is a roller coaster and thrill ride designer with its facilities based in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1926 by Hendrik op het Veld under the name "Veld Koning Machinefabriek" and had first manufactured agricultural machinery and mining equipment...
Boomerang
Boomerang (roller coaster)
Boomerang is a model of roller coaster built by Vekoma, and named after the hunting implement based on the traditions of the Indigenous Australians...
roller coaster
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
that operates at Alabama Adventure in Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer, Alabama
Bessemer is a city outside of Birmingham in Jefferson County, Alabama, United States eight miles west of Hoover. The population was 29,672 at the 2000 Census, but by the 2009 U.S...
. It originally opened in 1988 as Titan at World Expo Park in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. It closed after only one season before opening as Demon in 1992 at Wonderland
Wonderland Sydney
Wonderland Sydney was a theme park in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The park was the largest one in the southern hemisphere. It remained open for almost nineteen years and was the premier theme park in New South Wales for much of its life, but it closed in 2004...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. It operated until the park closed in April 2004, where it then made the trip to its current home.
History
Following the 2004 season, Southland Entertainment Group announced that VisionLand would introduce a new steel coaster for the 2005 season. Originally slated for inclusion for the 2006 season, its opening was moved up due to demand and improved attendance numbers. The name Zoomerang was announced in February 2005 and was chosen from a field of over 6,500 suggestions in a name the ride contest. The ride officially opened on May 8, 2005.Ride
The ride starts with the train being pulled backwards up the first lift via cable. At the top it is released where it then passes through the station at 48 miles per hour (77.2 km/h). It goes through three inversions then goes up a second chain lift. The train is released and travels the course in reverse.Train
The train was built by Arrow DynamicsArrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
and features 7 cars, seating 4 per car (28 total). It is red, and in 2006 airbrushed flames were added to the sides as well as a new airbrushed logo on the front of the train. The train was repainted purple with green stripes for the 2009 season.