New column installed on Fury 325 roller coaster at Carowinds to replace damaged one

The cranes are gone and a new support column has been installed on Carowinds’ largest roller coaster by Friday afternoon after the original pillar cracked, shutting down the ride last month.

The new steel support pillar for Fury 325 was delivered Thursday by Bolliger & Mabillard. Based in Switzerland, B&M built Fury 325, as well as three other coasters at Carowinds.

By Friday, a new gray beam had been installed. The support beam weighs 6,000 to 7,000 pounds, according to Carowinds.

However, don’t expect the ride to open just yet.

Fury 325 will undergo a series of rigorous inspections and tests before N.C. Labor Department’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau approves reopening the ride.

Work to install the new support pillar began Wednesday. By Thursday, the pillar had been removed and one large crane was holding up the track while a second crane appeared to act as a brace underneath the track.

The Charlotte amusement park was alerted about the pillar fracture on one of the park’s most popular rides after a Carowinds guest spotted it on June 30 as riders flew by on it. Carowinds then shut down the coaster.

Cranes secured the coaster’s track while the existing column was removed from its foundation using hydraulic jacks, Carowinds said. Once removed, grout pockets werecleaned and the damaged column was taken to a secure area of the park.

NC begins Carowinds roller coaster review after ‘rare’ crack found. Here’s what we know.

“Every step of the process, from material delivery to installation, will be carefully monitored and adjusted as necessary to uphold the integrity of the structure,” Carowinds said in a statement. The 408-acre amusement park straddles the state line for the Carolinas.

Carowinds said its technicians run daily inspections for mechanical, structural and electrical components, but it is still unclear when the fracture first appeared.

Because of the ride’s structural failure, Carowinds said last week that it is changing how it inspects rides daily, including using drone cameras to examine hard-to-reach areas. It’s unclear if ride inspection changes are for Fury 325, all of its roller coasters or all of its rides.

Tests and inspections before Fury 325 runs again

Following the installation, extensive tests and inspections will be made by park officials, Fury 325’s manufacturer, the state and a third-party testing firm to make sure it exceeds all required specifications.

Then, Carowinds plans to operate the ride for 500 full cycles while performing more tests and inspections. The state Labor Department will then inspect the ride before it is approved to reopen.

On Friday, Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson told The Charlotte Observer the crack in the weld grew over time but how or causes have not yet been determined. “This type of issue incident is rare,” Dobson said.

All amusement rides at permanent locations, such as Carowinds, are licensed and inspected on an annual basis prior to the park opening by N.C. Labor Department’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau.

The annual state inspection of Fury 325 was on Feb. 23 and found only minor issues related to signage.

About the Fury 325 roller coaster

Fury 325 made its debut in 2015. It features a 1.2-mile track reaching top speeds of 95 mph and a height of 325 feet with three 32-passenger open air trains.

It’s been named the best steel roller coaster in the world for six years in a row by industry publication Amusement Today.