The Thrill Of It All
The Diamondback roller coaster at Kings Island is the park’s first hyper coaster, designed by Bolliger and Mabillard (more commonly known as B&M). Its features are:
| Date: | April of 2009 |
| Track Length: | 5,282’ |
| Maximum Height: | 230’ |
| Length of First Hill: | 222’ |
| Length of First Drop: | 215’ |
| Length of Other Drops: | 193’, 131’, 129’, 110’, 106’ |
| Total Drops: | 10 |
| Fastest Speed: | 80 miles per hour |
| Ride Time: | Three minutes |
| Hourly Capacity: | 1,620 riders |
| Number of Trains: | Three |
| Vehicles: | Four passenger with panoramic view; two each front/rear offset |
| Vehicle Length: | 8’ – 0 ¼” |
| Train Length: | Eight vehicles; 71’ – 10 ¼” |
| Train Width: | 7’ – 1 ¼” |
| Ride Structure: | 1,503 tons |
| Track: | 852.5 tons |
| Supports: | 650.5 tons |
| Foundations: | 1.100 cu. yards concrete and 130 tons of reinforcing steel |
| Braking System: | Combination of magnetic, water and mechanical |
| Acres Covered: | 10 |
| Design and Construction: | Design by Bolliger and Mabillard Foundations by Modern Day Concrete Construction Ride erection by Adena Corporation Station by Adena Construction |
| Investment: | $22 million |
About The Designer
Bolliger & Mabillard Consulting Engineers (more commonly known and B&M) is a roller coaster design consultancy based in Monthey, Switzerland. The company was founded in 1988 by Walter Bolliger and Claude Mabillard, with Bolliger acting as president and Mabillard as vice president. The company started with four employees and has since grown to more than 30 people, comprised primarily of engineers and draftsmen.
Since 1990, B&M have designed a number of ground-breaking and critically acclaimed roller coasters. In fact, B&M features 20 of the top 50 roller coasters on the Amusement Today Golden Ticket Awards Top 50 Steel Coasters List for 2007, four of which are listed in the top 10. They have more coasters than any other ride manufacturer on the list.
B&M roller coasters are renowned for their smooth ride, comfortable seats and restraints, reliability, low maintenance, impeccable safety record and ride capacity.
As of 2008, B&M has more than 70 roller coasters operating worldwide. Diamondback will be Kings Island’s first B&M coaster.
