American Eagle (roller Coaster) - Overview

Overview

Soaring high above the County Fair section of the park, this massive dual-track wooden racing coaster spans almost the entire southern edge of the park. The out-and-back design features a very recognizable 560-degree helix at the turnaround point and a first drop that dips 20 feet (6.1 m) below ground level. An original design feature was a set of holding brakes that would perch trains at the top of the lift hill for a brief moment, giving riders a bird's-eye view before releasing them to soar down the 147-foot (45 m)-tall (45 m) first drop at a 55-degree angle. Use of the holding brakes was short-lived and the brakes themselves were eventually removed so that the trains just go right down the drop. The ride was also originally designed to run with a total of six trains; however, that number has since been reduced to four (two per track). American Eagle uses three-bench, five-car trains built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The trains were originally designed with single-position lap bars but are now equipped with individual lap bars and seatbelts, making the trains on both American Eagle and Viper similar.