The Raven (roller coaster)

Wooden roller coaster at Holiday World
On May 6, 1995, The Raven was opened to riders for the first time. The roller coaster debuted with a single 24 passenger train made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The ceremonial first train was dispatched with one empty seat, after Leah Koch, the daughter of park President Will Koch, opted not to ride. The seat was instead reserved for the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe, who had published his poem "The Raven" exactly 150 years earlier. In order to accommodate and store the second train when it was not being used, a transfer track was built along the straightaway prior to the lift hill. A transfer track allows a portion of the track to be moved and redirected to a storage bay. This allows an unused train to be stored during normal operation and also provides an additional area for maintenance crews to inspect the roller coaster train. The change to two train operation also necessitated a change in the roller coaster's control system. Prior to 2005, the ride was operated manually by the ride operator, who had to push a button to release the brakes and position the train in the station. This type of control system allowed the ride to be operated by a single ride operator. In 2005, an automatic control system was added. The automatic control system automatically controls braking, positioning, and the block system, which prevents the two trains from colliding with each other. This type of control system also necessitates that two ride operators be present to dispatch the train from the station. During the 2020 2021 off season, The Raven was given a refurbishment. The ride's trains were repainted with wings on both sides and 25% of the track was replaced.

The total ride experience on The Raven lasts approximately one minute and thirty seconds. Immediately at the bottom of the first drop is a above ground tunnel. After exiting the tunnel the train goes back up another hill before making a slight turn to the right and heading back down again for the ride's second small drop. Following the second drop the train crests the top of a small hill in preparation for a large, sweeping right turn over Lake Rudolph. This turn is considered one of the more photogenic elements of the ride. The turn over Lake Rudolph is a full 180° turn and sends the train back uphill before making a left turn so that the train is now parallel to the top of the second hill. At this point the train dips down and returns uphill in a simultaneous left turn.

The Raven uses two red, 24 passenger trains made by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. Each train is made up of six cars that hold four riders each. Each car has two rows holding two riders each. Each row has a seat divider that separates the two riders in that row and ensures each rider remains in a position allowing their restraints to work effectively. The Raven's safety restraints include an individual ratcheting lap bar and an individual, two point lap belt. An investigation following the accident showed that Fellner's safety restraints were working properly and that there were no mechanical deficiencies on the roller coaster. However, Fellner's family filed a lawsuit in 2005 against Holiday World and the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, the manufacturer of the roller coaster train. The lawsuit was settled out of court in 2007; terms of the settlement were not disclosed.