The ride
Steel Curtain is a steel roller coaster built by S&S - Sansei Technologies at Kennywood in Steelers Country, Pennsylvania, having opened to the public in 2019. After 7 seasons of operation it remains one of the defining attractions on the Kennywood midway, drawing repeat riders who track every subtle change to its trains, restraints and station soundtrack.
On paper the ride is a serious thrill machine. It climbs 220 ft above the park before pitching forward into its first descent. That opening drop measures 205 ft, long enough to pin riders against their restraints and pull a prolonged moment of weightless airtime over the lap-bar. Trains reach a top speed of 75.0 mph before the first turnaround, where the layout opens up into a sequence of lateral and vertical elements. In total the track stretches 400 ft, giving the experience a distinctly long-form feel rather than the punchy one-and-done character of many modern compact coasters. The layout includes 8 inversions, which is a notable count for any modern installation and a defining part of how the ride photographs from the queue. enthusiast trip-planning resources
Coasters from S&S - Sansei Technologies have a recognizable signature in track shaping, train design and the way transitions are paced. Riders familiar with other S&S - Sansei Technologies installations will pick up on the same DNA in Steel Curtain's layout, particularly through its station design and the sound profile of the running gear.
Plan to ride Steel Curtain early in the day or during the final hour before park close, when standby waits at Kennywood typically drop. Because top speeds exceed 60 mph, secure loose articles before queuing — phones, hats and sunglasses are best left in a locker or zipped pocket. If sensitivity to inversions is a concern, request a back-row seat where the transitions feel smoother and the forces are distributed more evenly. The climb to the lift hill summit offers an unmatched view of Kennywood and the surrounding area — a quiet thirty seconds worth savoring before the first drop. Single-rider lines and early-entry ticketing programs, when available at Kennywood, are usually the fastest ways to get repeat rides on a busy day. broader coaster community archives
In CoasterVault's ranking tables, Steel Curtain currently appears in our 29th position for fastest coasters, 19th position for tallest coasters, 154th position for longest tracks, 1st position for most inversions, 31st position for biggest drops lists, reflecting where its core stats place it among operating coasters in the United States. These rankings move whenever a new installation opens, so the position should be read as a snapshot rather than a permanent record.