Montaña Rusa (La Feria Chapultepec Mágico)

Montaña Rusa is a wooden roller coaster at La Feria Chapultepec Mágico in Mexico City, Mexico. In 1993, it was renamed Serpiente de Fuego (Serpent of Fire) but later it was changed back to Montaña Rusa.[1] For several years, Montaña Rusa held the record of world's tallest roller coaster.[2][3] With the conversion of Medusa at Six Flags México into a hybrid rollercoaster in 2014, Montaña Rusa is the only wooden roller coaster in Mexico.[4]

Montaña Rusa
Montaña Rusa (coaster in foreground)
La Feria Chapultepec Mágico
Location	La Feria Chapultepec Mágico
Coordinates	19°24′59″N 99°11′44″W
Status	Closed
Opening date	22 October 1964
Closing date	13 October 2019
General statistics
Type	Wood
Manufacturer	National Amusement Devices
Designer	Aurel Vaszin, Edward Leis
Height	110 ft (34 m)
Drop	80 ft (24 m)
Length	4,000 ft (1,200 m)
Inversions	0
Montaña Rusa at RCDB Pictures of Montaña Rusa at RCDB

Montaña Rusa, 2015

History

Montaña Rusa was constructed in 1964 by International Amusement Devices, Inc. and was designed by Aurel Vaszin and Edward Leis.[1] Aspects of the coaster's design served as an inspiration for the designers of future roller coasters, such as Screamin' Eagle and Colossus.[3] In the 1980s, Montaña Rusa underwent a major $800,000[5] renovation and refurbishment for safety and ride comfort.[6] Following the work, the original coaster builder responded with a tongue-in-cheek remark that he was "at least 80 percent sure" that roller coaster passengers would remain in the trains' seats.[7]

In 2006, Luis Felipe Santamaría set a record for roller coaster endurance by riding on Montaña Rusa for a total of 1,333 consecutive rides. He did not leave the train, and only briefly stopped for medical checks. Santamaría both ate and slept on the roller coaster.[8]

Layout and ride experience

The layout of Montaña Rusa is unusual in that it has a big PP for a racing coaster, but it is, in fact, a Möbius loop coaster. This coaster design means that a left-track ride will result in a return on the right-track side and vice versa; it also means that the coaster has a continuous track of 8,000 feet (2,400 m).[1] Montaña Rusa is one of only a handful of such coasters in the world.[6][9] In 1979, roller coaster expert Robert Cartmell rated it as being the 8th best roller coaster in North America—as well as rating it the "most brutal", a characteristic that stemmed partly from Mexico City's 7,350 feet (2,240 m) altitude.[10] As of July 2013, the cost of a single ride is 20 pesos.[11]

References

1. Marden, Duane. "Montaña Rusa  (La Feria Chapultepec Mágico)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
2. Swanson, Bob (19 May 1968). "Mexico's Cheapultepec Park: Family Fun!". Chicago Tribune. p. G18.
3. Cartmell, Robert (1987). The Incredible Scream Machine: A History of the Roller Coaster. Popular Press. ISBN 0879723424.
4. Marden, Duane. "List of Mexican roller coasters by height". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
5. "Roller Coaster to Reopen". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. 4 September 1986. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
6. Rutherford, Scott (2004). The American Roller Coaster. MBI Publishing Company. ISBN 0760319294.
7. Romero, Pedro (2007). Night+Day Mexico City. ASDavis Media Group. ISBN 0977624560.
8. "Dio 1.333 vueltas en montaña rusa por un concurso" [1,333 He rollercoaster round in a contest]. Infobae (in Spanish). EFE. 9 March 2006. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
9. Marden, Duane. "List of Möbius roller coasters". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
10. "His 10 Most Thrilling Rides". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. 25 June 1979. p. 4. Retrieved 1 July 2013.
11. "Montaña Rusa" [Roller Coaster]. La Feria Chapultepec Mágico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 1 December 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2013.

Preceded by Cyclone	World's Tallest Roller Coaster 1964–1966	Succeeded by Giant Coaster
Preceded by Cyclone	World's Tallest Wooden Roller Coaster 1964–May 1976	Succeeded by Colossus