Kennywood’s Steel Curtain wins best new roller coaster award

Frank Carnevale
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 1:23 p.m. | Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019 1:23 p.m.

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Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review

Ron Mazur of Bethel Park claps as he and other ride one of the first rides of the Steel Curtain during a media event for the new coaster at Kennywood Park on Friday, July 12, 2019. “It’s an absolutely amazing ride,” said Mazur, a roller coaster enthusiast.

Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review

Gavin Virag and father Jack Thompson sit in the front car of the Steel Curtain for the first ever public ride during a media event for the new coaster at Kennywood Park on Friday, July 12, 2019. Thompson was one winner of a Kennywood contest to take part in the event.

Kristina Serafini | Tribune-Review

People ride the brand new Steel Curtain during a media event for the new coaster at Kennywood Park on Friday, July 12, 2019.

Kennywood’s Steel Curtain kicked off the year with plenty of anticipation and topped off the summer with an honor.

The Steel Curtain roller coaster took the Best New Roller Coaster award on Saturday night at an industry event at the Silverwood Theme Park in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Kennywood posted several tweets proclaiming the award.

We won!! #SteelCurtain voted the best new roller coaster of 2019! https://t.co/gpbTye6f4R

— Kennywood Park (@Kenny_Kangaroo) September 8, 2019

We won! #SteelCurtain voted the Best New Roller Coaster of 2019! Such a thrill and honor to represent @Kenny_Kangaroo and bring this award back for the 412. #GTA2019 #HereWeGo pic.twitter.com/BzDFGvSUPz

— Kennywood PR (@Kennywood_PR) September 8, 2019

Drowsily heading back to Pittsburgh with this beauty! The Golden Ticket Award for Best New Roller Coaster! #GTA2019 #SteelCurtain pic.twitter.com/fibdPsL0oZ

— Kennywood PR (@Kennywood_PR) September 8, 2019

The Steel Curtain opened this year in the new Steelers Country section of the part, which was done in a collaboration between the park and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The coaster takes riders 220 feet above the Monongahela River and then drops them through nine inversions and speeds reaching about 75 mph. The ride last about two minutes.

Kennywood claims it is the tallest roller coaster in Pennsylvania.

The Golden Ticket Awards are presented annually to honor the best in the amusement industry and are calculated from a poll conducted by Amusement Today.