Goliath (La Ronde)

Goliath
Statistics
Park	La Ronde
Location	Montréal, Québec, Canada
Status	Operating
Opened	May 13, 2006
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Type	Sit-Down Hyper
Model	Mega Coaster
Riders per train	36
Lift/Launch system	Chain Lift
Height	174 feet (53 meters)
Drop	170 feet (51.8 meters)
Top speed	68.3 mph (109.9 km/h)
Length	4038 feet (1230.8 meters)
Duration	1:36
Inversions	0
Steepest drop	70°
Cost	$18,700,0000CAD
Height Restriction	54 inches (137 cm)

Goliath is a Bolliger & Mabillard sit-down hyper roller coaster located at La Ronde in Montréal, Québec, Canada. It was the longest, tallest, and fastest roller coaster in Canada until in May 2008, it was surpassed by Behemoth at Canada's Wonderland, also made by Bolliger & Mabillard.

At 18.7 million CAD, it is the largest investment in a single ride by La Ronde since the park's opening in 1967.

History

Speculation that La Ronde would be building a new roller coaster began in the second half of 2004. Rumors that the roller coaster would be manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard emerged in September 2005. Construction for the roller coaster by Martin & Vleminckx began in September 2005 with land clearing and foundation pouring. The $18.7 million Goliath was announced on October 26, 2005. By mid-November, the storage bay was constructed with track pieces for the brake run and station being installed soon after. Construction on the lift hill continued throughout December and was topped off (the highest piece the lift hill) on December 21. The first drop was completed by mid-January 2006 followed by the first camelback hill which was completed by the end of February. After the second and third camelback hills were installed, the turnaround was completed in mid-March.The three camelback hills and banked turns leading back to the station were installed by the end of March marking the completion of installing track. The trains were also delivered in late March. After the cars were put on the track in April, testing began. Once testing was complete, Goliath opened to the public on May 13, 2006.

Records it broke

When Goliath opened, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. Two years later, when Behemoth opened at Canada's Wonderland, Goliath lost both records.

Ride Experience

After being dispatched from the station, the train immediately begins to climb the 174.8 feet (53.3 m) lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops back down 170.6 feet (52.0 m) at a 70-degree angle. The train then makes a banked right turn leading into the first of three consecutive camelback hills; each at a height of 121.4 feet (37.0 m), 95.2 feet (29.0 m) and 78.8 feet (24.0 m) (every hill is smaller than the previous one). Following the third hill, the train enters a 75.5 feet (23.0 m) left hand turnaround that makes the train face the opposite direction that it came. After dropping back down to the ground, the train goes over another three camleback hills; each at a height of 68.9 feet (21.0 m), 59.1 feet (18.0 m) and 52.5 feet (16.0 m). Then, the train makes an upward 45.9 feet (14.0 m) right banked turn, immediately followed by a downward left banked turn. After another 42.7 feet (13.0 m) left banked turn, the train rises back up and goes over a small bump before entering the final brake run. The train then makes a 180-degree right turn leading back to the station. One cycle of the ride lasts about three minutes.

Design

Goliath's layout

Goliath takes riders outside the park, to the eastern point of Île Sainte-Hélène, before rushing back into the park, over a series of hills and drops, finishing in a smooth ending in the station house, located near the Tour de Ville swing ride. The coaster has a very straight forward out and back layout until the latter portions of the ride where the layout has a few quick transitions during its return towards the station from the left to the right side and a heavily banked left turn leading into the final brake run.