ENGINE NO. 7
This launched Gerstlauer family roller coaster is perfect for kids & younger thrillseekers.
As our first "true" coaster during our visit to Dollywood on 3/28/18 (Blazing Fury doesn't really count), I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of pep in this innocuous ride. Debuting in 2014, it's one of the newest additions at the park and is quite popular.
After a brief 15 minute wait in the queue themed like a firehouse, I suggested to Nichole C that we spend the extra 5-10 minutes for the front row. This turned out to be a great decision, as FireChaser Express has a few neat tricks up its sleeve, such as:
+ a tire propelled launch immediately out of the station, from 0-16mph in just over 1 second. That's paltry compared to the insanity of Top Thrill Dragster's 0-120mph hydraulic launch in 4 seconds, but again, remember this is a family coaster. Gentle thrills, people.
Following a few curves, a standard lift hill pulls the train to a height of 78ft. A series of modest drops and banked turns brings the bright red fire engine train into a rickety shed that appears to be a dead-end......or is it?
+ a brief scene unfolds on the passengers' left side, lasting 30 seconds or so. Sparklers ignite an *actual* fire, which quickly spreads toward the front of the train. It's here where a giant prop firework dubbed "Big Bertha" topples over and smoke pours from its lit fuse.
It's at this point that the 14-rider train is launched __backwards__ from 0-20mph in 2 seconds. Surprise, bitches!! After this, you've got a few more drops and a final helix with some nice lateral G's before the brake run. One full cycle lasts roughly 2 minutes and 19 seconds.
An interesting note about FireChaser is its unusual station. It's the only roller coaster I know of (and believe me, I know a LOT of coasters) that features multiple trains but a 2-way loading platform. Trains return to the station backwards, like on Mr. Freeze @ SFOT and SFSL. This is made possible by a series of transfer tracks that flip over to allow other trains to pass, not unlike what actual trains use on railroads.
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FINAL VERDICT:
As with nearly everything at Dollywood, the theme on FireChaser Express is great. Both parents and their chill'uns can have fun riding, though serious coaster fanatics will enjoy the double launches just as much.
It's not too intense for scardy-cats and not too tame for adrenaline junkies. If the rest of the roller coasters at the park weren't so damn good, I'd rank FCE much higher. But it's still a B-L-A-S-T!
Eric S's Dollywood coaster ranking = 6th out of 7. read more