Steel Curtain Reopening With More Steel

(West Mifflin) IAAPA News - After being closed for a year and a half for modifications, IAAPA News reports that the Steel Curtain coaster at Kennywood in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, will reopen to the public on Saturday, May 24 for the first time since July 2023.

The 220-foot-tall roller coaster, which the park claims is the tallest in Pennsylvania, is wrapping up a 13-month structural modification project intended to increase its efficiency.

“It all comes down to reliability,” says Kennywood General Manager Ricky Spicuzza about the necessity of the modifications. “Guests shouldn’t be guessing if Steel Curtain is going to be open.”

Since opening in July 2019, the flagship, nine-inversion roller coaster has proven highly rated and popular with guests, but it’s structural motion—a normal part of any roller coaster—caused frequent periods of downtime, including an incident in July 2023 that closed the ride for the remainder of the season.

According to Spicuzza, the 128-year-old park was increasingly concerned that this movement would reduce Steel Curtain’s service life if unaddressed.

In Spring 2024, Kennywood announced that the ride would remain closed the entire season while engineers developed a permanent solution. 

Kennywood worked with the ride’s manufacturer, S&S Worldwide, and third-party engineers Ingenieurbüro Stengel GmbH and Glynn Group to evaluate the ride.

In Fall 2024, the park began a process to reinforce the support structure.

Work included the construction of three additional structural columns, along with several dozen additional structural members placed in high stress areas.

Each is intended to decrease structural movement, reduce maintenance expenses, and provide a more reliable ride. 

Despite the challenges that led to the modifications, Spicuzza maintains a positive perspective on the experience.

“This industry is about maintaining partnerships, and we were both dedicated to resolving the issue,” referring to S&S Worldwide, which began a recommissioning process in early May. 

TÜV, the German organization also known as the Technical Inspection Association, was tapped to provide a final inspection. “We have the problem fixed,” confirms Spicuzza.