Krake

Krake (German for "octopus") is a steel Dive Coaster roller coaster at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. It is the first roller coaster of its kind in Germany. At a cost of 12 million euros, the roller coaster features floorless trains, 476 m (1,562 ft) of track, and a maximum height of 41 m (135 ft). The attraction officially opened to the public on April 16, 2011.

Krake
One of Krake's trains in the splashdown element
Heide Park
LocationHeide Park
Coordinates53.024703°N 9.879049°E / 53.024703; 9.879049
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 16, 2011 (2011-04-16)
Cost€12,000,000
General statistics
TypeSteel – Dive Coaster
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
ModelDive Coaster
Track layoutOut and back
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height41 m (135 ft)
Length476 m (1,562 ft)
Speed103 km/h (64 mph)
Inversions1
DurationUnder two minutes
Max vertical angle87°
Height restriction140 cm (4 ft 7 in)
Trains3 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 6 across in 3 rows for a total of 18 riders per train.
Krake at RCDB

History
Krake's splashdown area during construction

Speculation that Heide Park would be getting a new roller coaster began in late 2009 after it was revealed that the park was working on a project code named "Ungetüm 2011" (translates to "Monster 2011").[1][2] In September 2010, track pieces from manufacture Bolliger & Mabillard began to be delivered to the park which then led to rumours that the new roller coaster would be a Dive Coaster.[3] On October 31, 2010, Heide Park officially announced Germany's first Dive Coaster, Krake.[4][5][6][7]

Construction was handled by RCS, a German construction company.[8] Beginning with the splashdown area, construction later progressed into the Immelman loop and station areas.[9][10] In late January 2011, the final piece of track (top of the first drop) was installed.[11] After testing and a ribbon cutting ceremony, Krake opened on April 16, 2011.[8][12]

After the original advertised octopus mouth (where riders would drop through) that was to be placed at the bottom of the first drop was never built, the public began to question why the park didn't follow through with what they advertised.[13][14] In response, the mouth was constructed during the following off-season.[13]

Experience
Aerial view

Queue

Krake's queue is divided into two sections. The first section is only used during busier days and isn't paved, but rather filled in with gravel. The second section is a paved path that leads the roller coaster's station.[15]

Ride

Krake is based on a pirate theme and features riders being "eaten" by an octopus.[5]

Once the floor drops and the front gate opens, the train is dispatched straight into the 41-metre (135 ft) lift hill. Once at the top, the train continues going straight for a short period before making a left turn into the holding brake. After about three seconds, the train descends the 87-degree drop and reaches a speed of 103 km/h (64 mph). At the bottom, the train enters the "monster's" mouth, followed by a splashdown. Then, the train goes through an Immelmann loop. After going over an airtime hill, the train makes a banked right turn into the final brake run. The train makes a left turn into the brake run before entering the station. One cycle lasts just under two minutes.[7][16][17]

Characteristics

Track

The steel track of Krake is approximately 476 m (1,562 ft) long, and the height of the lift is approximately 41 m (135 ft) high. The colour of the track is black while the supports are dark brown.[18] Also, the entire track weighs a total of about 700 tonnes (690 long tons; 770 short tons).[5][6]

Trains

Krake operates with three floorless steel and fiberglass trains. Each train has three cars that can seat six riders in a single row for a total of 18 riders per train.[7][8] The seats are black and each have a brown over-the-shoulder restraint.[8] On each train, there are a pair of tubes that allow the water to be shot into the air as the train reaches the bottom of the first drop.[6] Also, the trains for the roller coaster were manufactured in Switzerland.[9]

Reception

Jurnan Schilder's review from Theme Park Tourist was mostly positive but said that the story of the ride could have been further improved, "[The story] could have been developed more fully to improve the waiting experience and to make the rollercoaster make a little more sense", and overall rated the roller coaster four out of five stars for its "wow" factor.[15]

Awards
Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best steel-Tracked Roller Coaster[19]
Year201120122013
Ranking No poll118147

The roller coaster has never placed in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.[20]

See also

References
  1. "Heide Park is planning an "Ungetüm 2011"". Ultimate Roller Coaster. February 10, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  2. "Speculation: "monster" 2011". Heide Park Forum. November 14, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  3. "Diving Into Heide Park In 2011". NewsPlusNotes. September 21, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  4. "Heide Park Announces Krake for 2011". NewsPlusNotes. October 31, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  5. "Heide-Park baut Deutschlands ersten Dive Coaster (Heide-Park is building Germany's first dive coaster)". Wallstreet Online (in German). November 1, 2010. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  6. ""Krake" erobert Heide-Park Soltau ("Octopus" conquered Heide-Park Soltau)". Norddeutscher Rundfunk (in German). February 24, 2011. Archived from the original on April 24, 2011. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
  7. "Krake" (in German). Heide Park. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  8. Marden, Duane. "Krake  (Heide Park)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  9. "Krake Growing at Heide Park". NewsPlusNotes. December 16, 2010. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  10. "Time For A Krake Update". NewsPlusNotes. January 16, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2013.
  11. "The Completed Krake". January 29, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2013.
  12. "Photo TR: Opening Day Krake at Heide Park". Theme Park Review. April 16, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  13. "Heide Park Completing Krake Theming". NewsPlusNotes. February 21, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  14. "Krake Is Creepy!". NewsPlusNotes. April 12, 2011. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  15. Schilder, Jurnan (April 27, 2011). "Review: Krake at Heide-Park". Theme Park Tourist. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  16. "Krake Roller Coaster POV B&M Dive Machine Heide Park Germany". themeparkreviewTPR (YouTube). November 17, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  17. "Krake Onride POV". Denny Robl (YouTube). June 5, 2011. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  18. "With Germany's first dive coaster - OCTOPUS - flying high". Heide Park World. April 15, 2011. Archived from the original on April 4, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  19. Hawker, Mitch. "Steel Roller Coaster Poll 13 Year Results Table (1999–2013)". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  20. "Issue Archive". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. Retrieved June 30, 2013.
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