POWDER KEG

Silver Dollar City

Powder Keg is somewhat different from other launch coasters I’ve ridden in that it uses compressed air in lieu of a hydraulic launch, linear induction motor or linear synchronous motor.   At the outset of the ride, the train is moved over to the left from the track in the loading station to a launch track.   With a certain amount of fanfare – there are flashing stoplights – the train is launched from 0 to 53 mph up a 98-foot lift hill, at which point it drops 110 feet.  (The ride ops at the time that I rode were claiming that the launch is from zero to 60 and that the drop is 119 feet; Roller Coaster Database says 53 and 110, so take your pick.)    It then goes through a series of turns and drops.  Somewhat unusually, there is a second lift hill about three quarters of the way through the ride.  I found this to be a very smooth, fun ride with a lot of kick but can’t say that Powder Keg blew me away.  3 out of 5 stars.  Photograph by Jeremy Thompson, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.  For more information about rides at Silver Dollar City, visit

www.silverdollarcity.com