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by | Mar 16, 2018 | Hosta

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Hakugei (白鯨, White Whale) is a steel roller coaster at Nagashima Spa Land in Mie Prefecture, Japan. It was originally a wooden roller coaster known as White Cyclone (ホワイトサイクロン, Howaito Saikuron) manufactured by Swiss company Intamin, and it operated from 1994 to 2018.[1] It was refurbished by American company Rocky Mountain Construction, which replaced the ride's wooden track with steel track and modified the ride layout, including the addition of three inversions. The renovated ride reopened on 28 March 2019.[2]

History

White Cyclone

Closer aerial view of White Cyclone

Before White Cyclone's construction in 1994, there had been only one wooden roller coaster ever built in Japan. This roller coaster, Jupiter, opened in 1992—after the Japanese government relaxed height restrictions on wooden structures.[3] Another wooden coaster, White Canyon, opened in 1994—the same year as White Cyclone. In 2013, the roller coasters Jupiter and White Cyclone were two of only four operating wooden roller coasters in Japan,[4] and of only 13 operating wooden roller coasters in Asia.[5]

White Cyclone was constructed of enough Alaskan timber to build nearly a thousand homes.[6] The ride was particularly fast for a wooden roller coaster and featured many common elements such as helices, large drops and smaller bunny hills.[3] The roller coaster had a double out-and-back track layout and used trains manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company.[7] White Cyclone closed on 28 January 2018.[1]

Hakugei

Rocky Mountain Construction refurbished the roller coaster using its patented I-Box Track technology.[8] The ride's height and speed were increased and three inversions were added to the layout. The refurbished ride reopened as White Whale (白鯨, Hakugei) on 28 March 2019.[2]

Statistic White Cyclone[1] Hakugei[2]
Years 1994–2018 2019–present
Manufacturer Intamin Rocky Mountain Construction
Track Wood Steel
Height 42.4 m or 139 ft 55 m or 180 ft
Length 1,700 m or 5,600 ft 1,530 m or 5,020 ft
Speed 102 km/h or 63 mph 107 km/h or 66 mph
Inversions 0 3

References

  1. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "White Cyclone  (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Marden, Duane. "Hakugei  (Nagashima Spa Land)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 30 March 2019.
  3. ^ a b Urbanowicz, Steven J. (2002). The Roller Coaster Lover's Companion: A Thrill Seeker's Guide to the World's Best Coasters. New York: Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-2309-3.
  4. ^ RCDB list of wooden roller coasters in Japan
  5. ^ RCDB list of wooden roller coasters in Asia
  6. ^ Heacox, Kim (2006). The Only Kayak. Guilford, CT: Globe Pequot. ISBN 1-59228-894-4.
  7. ^ Ultimaterollercoaster's listing for White Cyclone
  8. ^ "White Cyclone at Nagashima Spa Land Closes For RMC Treatment - Coaster101". Coaster101. 2018-01-31. Retrieved 2018-03-12.

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