Steel Curtain is a steel hypercoaster at Kennywood amusement park in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, that opened to the public on July 13, 2019. Manufactured by S&S – Sansei Technologies and designed by Joe Draves, the ride was built on the site of the former Log Jammer water ride and was created in partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers, taking its name and black-and-gold theming from the team’s legendary 1970s defensive line.
Standing 220 feet tall, Steel Curtain launched as one of the tallest and fastest inversion coasters in the world, headlined by a 197-foot dive-drop element that was the tallest inversion on Earth at the time of its debut. The coaster briefly closed in 2023 for structural reinforcement work before reopening to riders in May 2025.
Stats at a Glance
- Park: Kennywood
- Manufacturer: S&S – Sansei Technologies
- Opened: July 13, 2019
- Height: 220 feet (67 m)
- Top speed: 75 mph (121 km/h)
- Length: 4,000 feet (1,200 m)
- Inversions: 8 or 9, depending on how the banana roll is counted
- Drop: 205 feet (62 m)
The Ride Experience
Riders board one of two trains with six cars seating 24 total before climbing a chain lift hill to the 220-foot summit. What follows is a rapid-fire sequence of airtime moments and inversions packed into roughly two minutes, including a zero-G stall, a corkscrew, and the signature 197-foot dive drop that made headlines as the world’s tallest inversion when the ride debuted.
The coaster’s black-and-gold color scheme and Steelers branding tie the experience directly to Pittsburgh’s football identity, making it a rare theme park attraction built around a specific NFL franchise rather than a generic thrill theme.
Engineering and History
Steel Curtain replaced the Log Jammer log flume and became the marquee addition to Kennywood’s Steel Curtain Country area. Its combination of height, speed, and inversion count made it an instant standout among S&S’s coaster portfolio when it opened in 2019.
In 2023, the park closed the ride for structural reinforcement, a project that kept Steel Curtain offline for nearly two years before it reopened to guests in May 2025, restoring one of Kennywood’s signature modern attractions.
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Steel Curtain FAQs
How tall is Steel Curtain at Kennywood?
Steel Curtain stands 220 feet (67 meters) tall, making it one of the tallest coasters in Pennsylvania.
How many inversions does Steel Curtain have?
Steel Curtain has either eight or nine inversions depending on counting method, since its banana roll element can be counted as one or two inversions.
Why is it called Steel Curtain?
The ride is named after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famous 1970s defensive line, built in partnership with the NFL team and themed in black and gold.
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Photo: Roller Coaster Philosophy / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.