Phantom's Revenge

Kennywood Entertainment Company president Henry Henninger wanted a record-breaking steel coaster in the late 1980s, and working with Arrow Dynamics, the park found a way to fit one into the compact site vacated by the outgoing Laser Loop. Steel Phantom opened on May 10, 1991 as the world's fastest and steepest roller coaster, with a second drop longer than its first — an unusual reversal for the era — plunging riders through the Thunderbolt's wooden structure before four inversions closed out the layout.

The ride's over-the-shoulder restraints and rough transitions through those inversions drew persistent complaints, and within days of opening Kennywood had to install additional trim brakes after riders reported neck strain from the excessive speed through the loops. Steel Phantom held the title of world's fastest coaster until 1996, but declining popularity led Kennywood to announce its closure in March 2000.

D.H. Morgan Manufacturing spent the 2000–2001 offseason re-profiling the ride entirely: all four inversions were removed, the second drop was lengthened from 225 to 228 feet, the overall track grew from 3,000 to 3,200 feet, and the uncomfortable over-the-shoulder restraints gave way to simpler lap bars. The rebuilt coaster reopened on May 19, 2001 as Phantom's Revenge, trading Steel Phantom's raw speed and looping intensity for smoother, airtime-heavy pacing.

More than two decades later, Phantom's Revenge is widely regarded as a dramatic improvement over its predecessor and remains one of the most acclaimed steel coasters in the Pittsburgh region.