 Mar. 23rd, 2006 -- The Internet, "American Idol," Tivo, iPod: What do they all have in common? They were all born after Paramount’s Carowinds racing wooden roller coaster Thunder Road.
On March 23, the only racing coaster in the world that travels through two states, celebrated its 30th birthday with cake, balloons and a 30-cycle marathon on the coaster. Thirty sets of twins were on hand to kick off the marathon on the coaster, with festivities beginning around 10:30 a.m. Despite chilly conditions, the riders were excited and ready to ride the coaster “Fast as lightnin”. Some of the twins were actually riding Thunder Road for the first time.
The 1976 Philadelphia Toboggan Company and Curtis D. Summers designed racer similar to Paramount’s Kings Dominion’s Rebel Yell was running great and hardly looked its age.
 The coaster was originally themed after the Robert Mitchum movie of the same name. The film dramatized the life of moonshiners in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. When it opened, one train looked like a police car and the other looked like a moonshiner’s car.
An actual moonshine still (a large copper kettle used in the making of illegal alcohol during the days of Prohibition) was also on site the first years of operation.
 The original coaster trains were reportedly so heavy that they were causing a lot of damage to the track, so now the coaster runs four PTC trains for less strain on the coaster and a higher capacity.
 Here’s wishing for another 30 years of operation to Thunder Road!
Paramount’s Carowinds opens for the 2006 season March 25.
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