rollercoaster
Not to be confused with Mind Bender at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Mindbender
Mindbender_(Galaxyland_Amusement_Park)_-_OnRide_(480p)
General
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'
'
Park Galaxyland
Location CanadaEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
Status Defunct
Operated
Operated December 20, 1985 - July 2021
Opened
Opening
Cost
Height restriction
Statistics
Manufacturer Schwarzkopf
Builder
Designer
Type
Type
Model
Riders per train 12
Riders per hour 430
Lift/launch system Friction wheels
Height 145 feet
Drop 127 feet
Top speed 60 mph
Length 4198 feet
Dimensions
Duration 1:13
Inversions 3
Steepest drop
Maximum g-force 5.2

Mindbender was a sit-down roller coaster at Galaxyland Amusement Park in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This ride was known for its intensity (pulling around 5.2 Gs), being the tallest indoor rollercoaster, and a tragic accident in 1986.[1]

History

The ride was manufactured by Schwarzkopf and opened at Galaxyland on December 20, 1985. The entirety of the coaster and the amusement park were located indoors within the West Edmonton Mall.

Accident

On June 14, 1986, operators heard a "strange" noise coming from Mindbender's train while it was in operation. The coaster was shut down twice, but no problems were detected. Later, the last car lost its wheel assembly, causing it to derail and hit the track many times. The impacts caused the lap bars to open and 4 people were abruptly ejected from their seats. The train lost momentum as the last car was no longer connected to the track and hit one of the foundations of the loop. 3 people died and 4 people were severely injured.[2]

Closure

The ride was re-opened in January 1987 and continued operating until July 2021. It was officially decommissioned on January 30, 2023.[3][4] The track was dismantled over the course of the year as the mall sought to redevelop the space occupied by the coaster.[5]

Design

Elements

Trains

This coaster featured 3 cars per train. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows in each car for a total of 12 riders per train. The yellow train that continued to operate on the ride was not the original involved in the accident; its length had been shortened from 4 to 3 cars after the accident.

The front cars of the ill-fated train were disposed of, and the remains of the last car was destroyed by being cut into small pieces by a wielders torch, and then discarded.

After Mindbender's closure in 2023, the remaining train cars were sent to Indiana Beach to be used on All American Triple Loop.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ Survivor of 1986 West Edmonton Mall roller-coaster crash wants tribute by Chris Purdy, Global News. 2016-12-21.
  2. ↑ Le tragique ACCIDENT de Mindbender (roller coaster) - EDB World #91 (French) by EDBattraction, YouTube. 2021-04-25.
  3. ↑ Galaxyland announces closure of the Mindbender, West Edmonton Mall. 2023-01-30. Archived 2023-01-30.
  4. ↑ Mindbender roller coaster closed after 37 years at West Edmonton Mall by Karyn Mulcahy, CTV News. 2023-01-30.
  5. ↑ Here's what's left of West Edmonton Mall's Mindbender by Karyn Mulcahy, CTV News. 2023-10-13.

External links