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The Thunderbolt Isn’t Just a Roller Coaster, It’s a Pittsburgh Rite of Passage

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The Thunderbolt Isn’t Just a Roller Coaster, It’s a Pittsburgh Rite of Passage


In a city known for its quirky regional dialect, Pittsburgh’s Kennywood amusement park has worked its way into the local lexicon. When a fellow yinzer tells you that “Kennywood’s open,” they either mean that the gates are opening for the first time each spring—or that your fly is down. And while most Pittsburghers have ventured to larger parks like Cedar Point, Six Flags, and Busch Gardens to check out some of the world’s most daring thrill rides, the majority of us locals will still claim that our hometown coasters are the best around. Kids in this city grow up picnicking with classmates in the shady groves at the park, and parents are more likely to measure their child’s growth milestones by which rides they are eligible for than by tick marks on a door frame.

I grew up going to Kennywood. As a parent myself now, I’ve begun taking my four kids to the park—even splurging on season passes so we can ride over and over or pop on down for a quick evening of fun. This summer several of my kids were finally tall enough for my favorite ride in the entire park, a wooden coaster called the Thunderbolt.

Kennywood

I will never forget the first time I was tall enough to queue up for the Thunderbolt, one of the oldest rides in the park. I had spent years of my childhood watching it race past the sidewalk, rattling the ground and shaking the vegetation as it jostled past, and I almost chickened out the first time I was eligible to squeeze into the car. Its white frame swoops and dips along the Monongahela River as it jerks riders around like only a wooden coaster can. Despite the fact that most of the other wooden coasters in the park allow young children to board, the Thunderbolt has a tall height requirement of 52 inches. I have a vivid memory of my mom spiking up my best friend’s hair to see if we could sneak her on with me when she was a mere quarter inch too short (it didn’t work).

This summer, as I hopped into line with my tall-enough kids, my nine-year-old daughter pointed out a plaque mounted on the facade. It read, “National Historic District: Once named the King of Coasters by The New York Times, the Thunderbolt opened in 1968. Its unique design uses the first two and last two dips of the Pippin, with the lift hill structure and helix turns added that year. The trains, also from the Pippin, are still in use today.”

My curiosity was thoroughly piqued. By the sight of the plaque, it was not new. I just had never noticed it before. King of Coasters? The Pippin?

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The Thunderbolt roller coaster in the 1970s
Photo courtesy of Palace Entertainment

I decided to reach out to Palace Entertainment, which owns Kennywood Park and several other local amusement and water parks. It turns out the history of this local classic is storied and fascinating. Lynsey Winters, the communications director for the park, told me the ride did indeed first open in 1924 under the name “the Pippin.” This is the coaster my own parents first rode, before it was reimagined as the Thunderbolt. For the 1968 season, the track was redesigned in-house by Andy Vettel, Sr.

The most daring part of the ride—the drop into the ravine along the river—was part of the Pippin. Vettel added a lift hill and several helix turns in the middle of the ride that upped the thrill factor significantly. Three of the Century Flyer trains still in use on the ride have been racing around the track since the 1950s, without much change. It’s not a huge surprise; when you settle into the car and the bar drops, it feels barely secure, though I’ve not flown out yet. Smaller riders actually “get air” on some of the larger drops, though my now-middle-aged body now wedges itself securely in place.

Thunderbolt roller coaster sign
Heinz History Center

Winters explained that the plaque, which commemorates the New York Timesnaming the ride the “King of Coasters” in 1974, put Kennywood on the world stage for the first time. “It’s also credited as having an essential role in the ensuing worldwide coaster boom,” she told me.

This history and worldwide notoriety certainly make our loops around the Thunderbolt feel more special, as if we are cruising along on a piece of history. At the same time, I’ve loved this ride for as long as I can remember because it is ours. Through decades in a sooty steel town trying over and over to reinvent itself, a few things have remained consistent: We are good at football and even better at thrill rides.

As a kid riding the Thunderbolt, I always worried I would fly out of my seat. As an adult, I simply schedule a massage for the day after I choose to ride it. Clambering aboard the Thunderbolt secures local kids a bravery card amongst their friends as they discuss who has done it, and who has yet to go through this rite of passage. My own kids have now earned these bragging rights. And through the years, the Thunderbolt speeds on.

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Meg St-Esprit is a contributor for Thrillist.





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Pittsburg, PA

Pittsburgh leaders set aside another building to house homeless amid push to shut down encampments

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Pittsburgh leaders set aside another building to house homeless amid push to shut down encampments


Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey held a press conference on Monday about his plan for homeless housing, addressing the work that’s already been done and his plans to convert new spaces into places for the unhoused.

During this first phase, Gainey said the city has worked with Allegheny County and its Department of Human Services.

Gainey said in 2024, 16 homeless people who lived on trails died.

“We were forced to space people out of shelters and ultimately pushed people outside,” Gainey said. “Not having a safe, dignified space to call home is a hard way for anybody to live – anybody. And not anything any human should be subjected to.”

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Gainey says his goal is to have all people experiencing homelessness off the river trails by this winter. The city has already moved 100 people indoors.

Channel 11 also learned of a new facility on the North Side at the former McNaugher School in Perry South.

As Channel 11 has previously reported, the city has already changed the former Vincentian De Marillac nursing home facility in Stanton Heights into transitional housing. City officials say right now there are 40 beds they expect people to soon move into. The city also plans to add 50 transitional housing units and says 20 more beds will be coming in the new year.

>>> 11 Investigates Exclusive: Transitional housing facility opens despite pending legal action

Gainey says this facility is different from previous emergency shelters.

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“Your bed is your bed. Once you are given a bed the bed is your bed,” he said. “It’s not a place people are asked to leave at 7 a.m. in the morning and then report back in line each and every day to have a spot.”

Gainey says these moves give the homeless a pathway to safety and dignity and there will be county support services helping them out along the way.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW





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Penguins Gets Injury Update on Top Trade Piece

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Penguins Gets Injury Update on Top Trade Piece


The Pittsburgh Penguins have a chance to be the center of attention as the NHL trade deadline approaches with multiple players possibly one the move. Most notable among them is top defenseman Marcus Pettersson who is likely going to be a top trade target from the Penguins roster.

Pettersson’s trade stock might slide a bit, however, as the Penguins announce he will be out of the lineup on a week-to-week basis with a lower-body injury. Pettersson was an early exit in the Penguins overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators, after taking a tough bump into the boards.

After just over six minutes of ice time, Pettersson left the game and did not return, forcing the Penguins to play short-handed on the blue line for most of the night.

The Penguins have been on a good run as of late with a 6-3-1 record in their last 10 games and are starting to flirt with a playoff spot. That’s a huge difference from seeing losing streaks pile up and being just a point out of last in the Eastern Conference.

The East is finally starting to show signs of separation in the standings, and the Penguins are above water for the moment.

Losing Pettersson might make things tough, however, as he is by far their best defensive defenseman. Proving to be capable of playing with either Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson, the Penguins have gotten outstanding defensive work from Pettersson over the last couple of seasons.

The 2024-25 season hasn’t been as kind to Pettersson, but he’s still a top name. The early struggles of the Penguins, and Pettersson in the final year of his contract makes him a perfect trade candidate with the deadline still to come.

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The Penguins have not yet made any corresponding moves to fill the gap that will be left in Pettersson’s spot. They have plenty of defensemen on the roster and have been impressed by the play of top defensive prospect Owen Pickering.

Make sure you bookmark Breakaway OnSI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!





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Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles

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Winners and losers from the Pittsburgh Steelers' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles


PHILADELPHIA — The Pittsburgh Steelers fell to the Philadelphia Eagles in tough fashion Sunday. While they did clinch a playoff berth with losses from the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts, between injuries and some key parts that fell flat in their play, they have questions to answer.

So, here are the winners and losers from Sunday’s game:

Winner: Pat Freiermuth

Pat Freiermuth is the first tight end since Heath Miller to score three touchdowns in three straight games. What a dazzling last few weeks he has put together, and all of the praise should go to him because Freiermuth has found his groove. The Steelers have started working with him more on the vertical plane, and it has unlocked another level to Freiermuth’s game.

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Is he perfect? No. But it is becoming clear that Freiermuth is an excellent seam buster who can take all the different routes on the vertical plane, including on his touchdown. Add in a leap in his blocking, and Freiermuth is on an upward trend despite most players going downward.

Loser: Najee Harris

Tough day at the office for Najee Harris, who had the huge fumble on the toss play that hit him right in the hands. Harris had to catch that ball, and even on his six runs, he did not maximize the runs often. The run game struggles are often schematic, but Harris had as poor of a game as he has had since he entered the NFL.

Right now, Jaylen Warren looks more dynamic and is in the groove. He is fully healthy and ready to go, so the Steelers should give him even more of a workload.

Winner: T.J. Watt

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The ankle injury aside, Watt gave Lane Johnson all kinds of trouble, which speaks to the type of player Watt is and has become. You want to know why no one leaves Watt on an island? Just look at what he did to Johnson in this game.

Johnson often looks great and has no worries each week, but Watt won consistently in this one, getting a forced fumble and two sacks. Watt got the better of Johnson far more than Johnson would have liked, and it led to one of the worst games of Johnson’s career, but all of that is drawn to Watt and his play.

Loser: Missed tackles

This can encompass a lot of different players. Patrick Queen missed more than a few tackles. Donte Jackson whiffed on Kenneth Gainwell on a third down that should have been a stop. Joey Porter Jr. had one of the worst tackling games of his career and turned the clock back to last year after it felt like he had taken the step forward needed in that area. The Steelers’ tackling was a huge part of giving the Eagles first downs by breaking tackles in the open field and that needs to be nipped in the bud now.

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