Morey’s Piers formally announced today plans to open Runaway Tram, a new family coaster, in the summer of 2019.
Runaway Tram will stand 40 feet tall and will reach a top speed of about 29 mph during its 922-foot-long course. It will feature one train with 10 two-person cars. To make room for the new coaster, the park is moving seven rides and reconfiguring the Surfside Pier, where the ride will be built. In total, Morey’s Piers is investing roughly $4 million in the ride.
Attraction design company JRA is designing the custom train and station, which features a retro, seaside boardwalk aesthetic.
Check out our recent interview with JRA’s Rick O’Connell.
The coaster is a variation of Zierer’s “Force” family coaster model. It will be the second of its kind following Legoland Billund’s Flying Eagle, which opened this year.
Watch a 360-degree POV video of that coaster in action below:
Runaway Tram will be themed after the Wildwood Sightseer Tramcar, an icon of the Wildwood Boardwalk since it debuted in 1949.
First built for the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the trackless trains take passengers along the two-mile boardwalk while echoing the famed, prerecorded phrase “watch the tramcar please.”
“The Wildwood Sightseer Tramcar is a beloved sight on the boardwalk, and it made complete sense to pay homage to this Jersey shore staple as we celebrate 50 years on the piers,” said Jack Morey, second-generation partner of Morey’s Piers.
“To keep our family business ever-evolving, we strive to create innovative new experiences for our guests that honor the history of Wildwood.”
Runaway Tram will be Morey’s Piers’ seventh roller coaster. The seaside amusement park opened in New Jersey in 1969.
More information is available at Morey’s Piers’ website.
Recent Discussion