PNE's new Playland launch coaster vehicle unveiled at Orlando convention

PNE's new advanced launch coaster vehicle for Playland unveiled at Orlando convention

The new advanced "Lightning" vehicle for Playland's future launch roller coaster. (Zamperla)

The advanced new roller coaster technology that will be used at Playland amusement park in Vancouver was showcased earlier this week in Florida at the world’s largest trade show for attractions and rides.

Italian ride designer and manufacturer Zamperla revealed their brand new “Lightning” vehicle for Playland’s new unnamed launch roller coaster ride, opening in Summer 2024. The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE), the owner and operator of Playland, first announced it had reached an agreement to buy the new ride from Zamperla in a press conference on November 4.

Engineers with Zamperla told an audience this past Tuesday, November 15 at the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo (IAAPA) in Orlando that the Lightning vehicle’s advanced design features include a body made of aluminum and a lack of any steel or welding. Its innovative design will reduce its clients’ annual operating and maintenance costs for such thrill rides.

As well, it was noted that the vehicle’s seat design is larger — more friendly for people with larger bodies.

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“We take responsibility for every project from start to finish… Zamperla is building a bridge to the future in some of the most innovative roller coasters around,” said Antonio Zamperla, the CEO of the namesake company, during the event.

“We have the largest roller coaster engineering teams in the industry, and our roller coaster business unit has the in-house capability to design everything.”

Unveiling of the new state-of-the-art Lightning vehicle for Playland’s future launch roller coaster:

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In addition to the new ride vehicle, the Playland launch coaster will use new linear synchronous motor (LSM) technology. LSM uses electromagnetic propulsion without any moving parts, which is used to launch a roller coaster train at high speeds very quickly. In a matter of nanoseconds, the polarity on the track is reversed from positive to negative — completely without touching the train. Such technology is increasingly favoured over older linear induction motor (LIM) technology.

According to Zamperla and the PNE, the new Playland ride will be Canada’s fastest roller coaster of its kind.

Playland’s new coaster will have a track length of 1,247 ft (380 metres), a maximum height of about 60 ft (18 metres), a single 27-ft-long (8 metres) train with three Lightning vehicles carrying 12 passengers, a launch acceleration of 1.3G, and a 60-foot (18-metre) first drop. In addition to building the coaster structure, the ride area will feature very significant theming.

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coater at Playland. (PNE)

Construction on the new launch coaster will begin in 2023 on the existing northern end of Playland, within an area that was previously the footprint of the previous Corkscrew coaster, which was removed in 2019 in preparation for the PNE’s plan to expand and redevelop Playland into a theme park.

“This ride is going to be such a significant addition to our park. But the addition of this launch coaster is going to allow us to thrill coaster enthusiasts from Canada and around the world for generations to come,” Shelley Frost, the president and CEO of PNE, told the IAAPA audience.

“It is also an important signal of the expansion and redevelopment of our park that’s coming in the years ahead.”

Zamperla also worked with PNE in recent years on the development of seven other Playland rides, including Playland’s new Gryphon-type ride, named “Skybender,” which opened this past summer to replace aging rides.

#PNE IS BUILDING CANADA’S FASTEST LAUNCH ROLLER COASTER AT #PLAYLAND! 🎢

Here’s the full fly-through animation. Opening in 2024.https://t.co/Py0u3NPW6r pic.twitter.com/EqwTdZlZ7S

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) November 4, 2022

Artistic rendering of the new launch roller coater at Playland. (PNE)

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