Dorney Park's refurbished wooden coaster Thunderhawk still thrills

He's more than 90 years old and a bit creaky. But the old guy still has it.

Dorney Park this year refurbished its wooden roller coaster, Thunderhawk. It now boasts new cars and fresh white paint on its tracks.

We took it for a test drive before the South Whitehall amusement park opens for the season Saturday, April 30.

For starters, Thunderhawk looks good. Its cars now have a retro-looking burgundy and gold design. At night, Thunderhawk will be outlined in new white light bulbs.

But the real test is the ride. Does Thunderhawk, the eighth-oldest coaster in the country, still deliver?

The new cars definitely give a smoother ride. But aficionados needn't worry: Thunderhawk still has all the shakes and rattles of a traditional wood coaster.

The ride still creaks as the train is pulled up the 80-foot high first hill. At the top, the view of the 65-foot drop gives the illusion that you are going nearly straight down.

It may not be as high as the neighboring Steel Force coaster, which looms above, but the 45 mph trip down packs a punch.

The most exciting part, though, may be the following hills, which whip you around curves on a sharply banked track. Reaching the top of the second hill gives a surprising jolt of air time.

Thunderhawk was called simply The Coaster when it debuted in 1924. It was designed by Herbert Schmeck, one of the pioneers in roller coaster design. Its original cars were made by Philadelphia Toboggan Co.

The new cars, which have individual lap bars, were made by the same company, now called Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. Located in Hatfield, Montgomery County, it claims to be the country's oldest roller coaster company.

Mike Fehnel, vice president of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, believes the cars are the fourth set made for the coaster.

"There are very few roller coasters from the 1920s left," Fehnel said, "and we wanted to celebrate it and draw attention to its history."

Thunderhawk is the second-oldest ride in the park. The Whip, which has cars that speed around the ends of an oval track, opened in 1920.

As visitors wait in line, they'll see four new signs that detail the history of the ride.

The Coaster originally had an out-and-back design. It was reconfigured in 1930 to the current figure eight shape, which shortened the ride but raised its main lift hill and created its steeply banked curves.

In the 1960s, The Coaster was rethemed with the "Alfundo" logo on the front of the trains. Alfundo was a clown mascot whose name stood for ALlentown has FUN at DOrney. A tunnel was added as the ride went under a pavilion.

In 1989, the ride was named Thunderhawk. The pavilion was eventually removed.

Thunderhawk is one of seven coasters at the park. It may not be as big or fast as the new rides, but it still is a lot of fun.

Dorney Park is open Fridays to Sundays through May 27, when the park opens daily for the season. Wildwater Kingdom opens May 28.