Lightning Rod (roller coaster)

Lightning Rod is a hybrid roller coaster located at Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), the ride is themed to hot rod cars from the 1950s and opened to the public on June 13, 2016. Initially marketed as the first launched wooden roller coaster of its kind, Lightning Rod was later modified for the 2021 season, with over half of its wooden Topper Track being replaced with RMC's steel I-Box track. Prior to the conversion to steel, Lightning Rod was considered the fastest wooden coaster in the world reaching a maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h).

Dollywood originally planned for the ride to open at the beginning of the 2016 season, but it was delayed due to a problem with its magnetic launch system. Lightning Rod operated in limited capacity for much of its inaugural season and has been plagued with issues over the years that led to frequent closures. For the 2024 season, the trains were replaced, and the launch system was removed in favor of a high-speed chain lift to improve reliability.

Planning for a new roller coaster at Dollywood park (in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee) began in 2014; park officials selected a hilly, wooded site for the construction of a new roller coaster. This rugged section of terrain was to be a key factor in the coaster’s unique layout and ride experience. Dolly Parton herself publicly announced the plans for the roller coaster during a press conference on August 7, 2015. Upon Mrs. Parton’s announcement and confirmation, this ride (estimated to cost $22 million) was slated to be the largest investment, on any one attraction, in Dollywood's history. The project was just one part of a multi-year, $300-million park expansion, which was initiated in 2013. The park hired Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) to design and manufacture the new coaster.

Construction of Lightning Rod commenced in May of 2015, when workers began laying footers for the ride. Plans focused on revitalizing the Jukebox Junction area of the park (open since 1995), with Lightning Rod as its primary attraction. The area would maintain its 1950s theming, with the entire section showcasing a design aesthetic unique to that era within the Sevierville and East Tennessee region. The project included interior renovations and an outdoor seating area at Red's Diner; a hot rod-themed retail store called Hi Octane; a chicken sandwich truck; and an airstream trailer selling Dippin' Dots ice cream.

Ahead of Lightning Rod's opening, Mayfield Dairy released a co-branded ice cream flavor called "Smoky Mountain Fudge", advertising the coaster. On February 3, 2016, Dollywood invited press members to preview Lightning Rod. Lightning Rod was scheduled to open with the park on March 15, 2016, but the opening was postponed. On March 24, 2016, Fred Grubb (of RMC) said that the roller coaster's magnetic launch system (developed by Pennsylvania-based Velocity Magnetics) would not be able to “perform at the level required” for proper operation. Mr. Grubb did not elaborate any further on the nature of the problem, nor did he offer an estimate or a timeline for the delay.

Lightning Rod opened occasionally for "technical rehearsals", where select guests could experience the ride. It officially opened to the public on June 13, 2016. After several days of operation, Dollywood closed Lightning Rod on June 18, 2016. The closure was necessitated because RMC had recalled a part used in several of its rides, including Lighting Rod. The ride reopened in limited capacity on June 22, 2016. Park officials later clarified that the ride was operating in "technical rehearsal" status, meaning it would close periodically for maintenance. On September 5, 2016, Dollywood announced that the ride was again fully operational.

By 2017, the ride had gained a reputation for unreliability, although local news station WBIR-TV disputed this, saying: "It is not true that the ride is down more often than not." Lightning Rod closed in early July 2018 and did not reopen until October 10, 2018. The park did not specify the reason for the closure, but Director of Public Relations Pete Owens stated it was not related to the launch. After it reopened, guests noticed changes to the lead car of each train as well as new wood along portions of the ride's structure.

In late September 2020, Lightning Rod closed again, this time for the remainder of the season. Rocky Mountain Construction began work to make major unspecified modifications to the attraction. Park officials subsequently confirmed that a portion of Lightning Rod's wooden Topper Track was being replaced with steel I-Box Track, making the coaster a hybrid of wood and steel. The trains had put too much stress on the wooden track in several sections, including the launch. It reopened with the rest of the park in March 2021. RCDB updated the roller coaster's classification from wood to steel, reporting that 57 percent of the track had been converted. In September 2023, Dollywood announced another extended closure beginning at the end of the month to replace the ride's launch system with a chain lift hill, and to replace the trains. The changes were intended to improve overall reliability and ride experience, and the park clarified that the ride would retain its maximum speed of 73 mph (117 km/h).