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	he SAFECO FIELD roof is unique in the world. When it opens, it moves almost completely off the bowl, leaving fans inside to bask in the benefits of an outdoor ballpark - sunshine, open air, and spectacular views of the great Pacific Northwest scenery. Moving along two sets of steel tracks, three separate panels roll to the east on 128 wheels to open the roof. When open, the arched panels stack over the railroad tracks at the ballpark's edge. Two smaller end panels tuck under the larger center panel, forming a grand arch similar to the old railroad stations found throughout Europe. To close, the roof rolls back in the opposite direction, acting like an umbrella over the fans and the field to protect against rainy weather but preserving the open-air environment. Because the roof sits on legs mounted on wheeled-mechanisms, the roof forms a canopy over the bowl so that, even when the roof is closed, the open sides provide views of the city. Roof Statistics Weight Over 11,000 tons Longest span 655 feet Size 8.9 acres Height 224 feet from field to deck surface of center panel 269 feet from field to highest point on highest truss Power 10 horsepower motors, mounted on 96 of the 128 wheels, operating on electrical DC current Time to open/close 10-20 minutes Speed of opening Normal speed: 60 feet per minute Slow speed: 32 feet per minute Stopping speed Normal stop: 5-10 seconds Emergency stop: 3 seconds Pieces of steel structure 12,800 Roof materials Bottom layer Middle layer Top layer 3" corrugated metal with fiberglass insulation in ridges gypsum board PVC membrane Interesting Roof Facts It would take 54,500, 36-inch diameter umbrellas to cover the surface of the roof. During a heavy rainstorm, 9,500 gallons of water come off of the roof each minute. The roof contains enough steel to build a 55-story skyscraper
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