New Texas Giant | |
---|---|
Previously known as Texas Giant | |
Six Flags Over Texas | |
Location | Six Flags Over Texas |
Park section | Texas |
Coordinates | 32°45′23″N97°4′23″W / 32.75639°N 97.07306°W |
Status | Operating |
Opening date | April 22, 2011 |
Cost | $10 million |
Replaced | Texas Giant |
General statistics | |
Type | Steel |
Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
Designer | Alan Schilke |
Model | I-Box – Custom |
Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
Height | 153 ft (47 m) |
Drop | 147 ft (45 m) |
Length | 4,200 ft (1,300 m) |
Speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
Inversions | 0 |
Max vertical angle | 79° |
Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
Trains | 3 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
New Texas Giant at RCDB |
New Texas Giant is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. It originally opened as Texas Giant, which was the tallest wooden coaster in the world when it debuted in 1990. Manufactured by Dinn Corporation and designed by Curtis D. Summers, Texas Giant operated for nearly two decades and was highly-ranked in Amusement Today magazine's annual Golden Ticket Awards. Before its refurbishment, the ride's popularity declined over the years as it gained a negative reputation for increasing roughness.
Texas Giant closed in 2009 for a major refurbishment by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC). It reemerged as New Texas Giant in 2011. While the coaster retained much of the original wooden support structure, the wooden track was replaced with steel featuring RMC's I-Box track technology. The renovated hybrid coaster saw an increase in height from 143 to 153 feet (44 to 47 m) and drop length from 137 to 147 feet (42 to 45 m), as well as a steeper drop angle of 79°. New Texas Giant also increased the angle of multiple banked turns producing steeper angles.
New Texas Giant was well-received, winning Best New Ride in the 2011 Golden Ticket Awards and ranking highly in industry polls. A fatal incident occurred on July 19, 2013, and resulted in modifications to the ride's restraint system.
In September 1989, Six Flags announced the hiring of Dinn Corporation to build two new wooden roller coasters, [1] with Curtis D. Summers as the designer. [2] One would go to Six Flags Over Texas as The Texas Giant and the other would go to Six Flags Over Georgia as Georgia Cyclone. [1]
Construction had already started in June 1989. [3] The Texas Giant was constructed using over 900,000 board feet (2,100 m3) of wood. [4] The trains were manufactured by Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters. [2] The Texas Giant officially opened on March 17, 1990. [2] At opening, the ride was the world's tallest wooden roller coaster, standing 143 feet (44 m) high. [5]
Following the ride's opening it had several modifications and renovations, which included reprofiling parts of the ride, shortening the seven-car trains to six-car trains, and performing maintenance on the wooden track. [6] Six Flags Over Texas performed over 1,200 feet (370 m) of trackwork on the ride in the 2008–2009 offseason, with the ultimate aim of improving the ride's smoothness. Although the maintenance did improve the ride, park officials needed a more permanent solution. Initial speculation indicated the ride would be removed entirely from the park; however, Six Flags Over Texas denied any intention or consideration to do so. [7] In March 2009, the park announced the closure of Texas Giant prior to a $10 million renovation. [5] Following Fright Fest for that year, the ride closed on November 1, 2009. [7] [8]
Renovations began almost immediately and involved the removal of all of the wooden track and modifications to some of the support structure. [7] On March 3, 2010, Six Flags Over Texas and Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) unveiled the steel I-Box track which would be used on the refurbished ride. The track was developed over the course of three years by RMC owner Fred Grubb, and Ride Centerline, LLC engineers Alan Schilke and Dody Bachtar. [9] [10] The steel track was designed to be a replacement for any existing wooden track structure, with the rail shape, approximate weight, and dimensions remaining the same. [9] [11] Schilke designed the modifications to the layout, giving specifications to Grubb for manufacturing at RMC's Idaho plant. There, two-dimensional plates of steel were machine-welded to form the three-dimensional track parts. [9] The redevelopment saw much of the track get reprofiled; the lift hill was increased by 10 feet (3.0 m), the first drop was steepened to 79 degrees, and several overbanked turns (ranging from 90° to 115°) were added. [7] [11] In October 2010, Six Flags announced that the renovated ride would be called the New Texas Giant. [12] It opened on April 22, 2011. [8]
As the name suggests, New Texas Giant is located within the Texas section of Six Flags Over Texas. [13] It was Rocky Mountain Construction's first installation of I-Box track. [9] New Texas Giant operates with three trains manufactured by Gerstlauer. [8] [9] There are three trains (colored red, blue, and black) themed to 1961 Cadillac Devilles. [14] Each train is made up of six cars, each seating riders in two rows of two. [8] Riders are restrained through the use of an individual hydraulic lap bar and a seat belt. [8] [15]
The original Texas Giant by Dinn Corporation was 10 feet (3.0 m) lower in height than its Rocky Mountain Construction counterpart. The refurbished New Texas Giant features a steeper and longer first drop, and therefore achieves a faster maximum speed. [2] [8] Additionally, a 540° helix after the mid-course brake run was converted into a 180° turnaround, resulting in its track length being shortened by approximately 400 feet (120 m). [2] [16] [17] [18]
Statistic | Texas Giant [2] | New Texas Giant [8] [16] |
---|---|---|
Years | 1990–2009 | 2011–present |
Manufacturer | Dinn Corporation | Rocky Mountain Construction |
Designer | Curtis D. Summers | Alan Schilke |
Track | Wood | Steel |
Height | 143 ft or 44 m | 153 ft or 47 m |
Drop | 137 ft or 42 m | 147 ft or 45 m |
Length | 4,920 ft or 1,500 m | 4,200 ft or 1,300 m |
Speed | 62 mph or 100 km/h | 65 mph or 105 km/h |
Max vertical angle | 53° | 79° |
Trains | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters (PTC) | Gerstlauer |
The New Texas Giant begins with a right turn out of the station. This leads directly to a 153-foot-tall (47 m) chain lift hill. Once at the top, riders drop 147 feet (45 m) at an angle of 79°. A double up leads into a 90° overbanked turn, a dip and a 95° overbanked turn. Another dip and rise leads the train into a 115° overbanked turn. The exit from the overbanked turn leads into a small air-time hill, which delivers the greatest negative g-force on the ride, before ascending up into the mid-course brake run. The train drops from the brake run and continues through a series of low-to-the-ground air-time hills and directional changes. This runs through three separate tunnels, finishing with the final brake run and short path back to the station. [16] [17]
The original Texas Giant was well received, though its popularity had declined towards the end of its operation. Following its 2010 renovation, the ride's popularity returned.
In Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards Texas Giant ranked as the number one wooden roller coaster for 1998 and 1999. [19] [20] Its ranking slowly declined to position 32 in 2009, its final year of operation as a wooden roller coaster. [21] Following its 2010 renovation, the New Texas Giant again ranked highly in the Golden Ticket Awards (this time amongst steel roller coasters), achieving ranks of 6 and 5 in 2011 and 2012, respectively. [22] [23] The ride also won a Golden Ticket Award for being the Best New Ride of 2011. [22]
Year | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranking | 1 [19] | 1 [20] | 3 [24] | 8 [25] | 8 [26] | 10 [27] | 9 [28] | 12 [29] | 14 [30] | 20 [31] | 28 [32] | 32 [21] |
Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ranking | 6 [22] | 5 [23] | 6 [33] | 8 [34] | 10 [35] | 16 [36] | 9 [37] | 23 [38] | 26 [39] | 36 [40] | 42 [41] |
On July 19, 2013, a 52-year-old woman fell to her death while riding New Texas Giant. The ride was closed indefinitely pending further investigation. [42] [43] [44] The park completed its investigation stating on September 10, 2013, that mechanical failure was not to blame. The ride reopened on September 14, 2013, after redesigned restraint bars, pads, and seat belts were installed on all three trains. [15] [45] The incident resulted in the introduction of seat belts as a precaution on other roller coasters throughout the Six Flags chain. [46]
El Toro is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. Designed by Werner Stengel and manufactured by Intamin, the ride opened to the public on June 11, 2006. Intamin subcontracted Rocky Mountain Construction to build the ride, and the coaster's track was prefabricated, allowing for quicker installation and lower construction costs. El Toro is the main attraction of the Mexican-themed section of the park, Plaza Del Carnaval. It replaced another roller coaster, Viper, which closed following the 2004 season.
The Giant Dipper is a historic wooden roller coaster located at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, an amusement park in Santa Cruz, California. The Giant Dipper, which replaced the Thompson's Scenic Railway, took 47 days to build and opened on May 17, 1924, at a cost of $50,000. With a height of 70 feet (21 m) and a speed of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h), it is one of the most popular wooden roller coasters in the world. As of 2012, over 60 million people have ridden the Giant Dipper since its opening. The ride has received several awards such as being named a National Historic Landmark, a Golden Age Coaster award, and a Coaster Landmark award.
Steel Vengeance, formerly known as Mean Streak, is a steel roller coaster at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio. The roller coaster, originally constructed by Dinn Corporation as a wooden roller coaster, was rebuilt by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and opened to the public on May 5, 2018. It is a hybrid coaster, using RMC's steel I-Box track and a significant portion of Mean Streak's former support structure. Upon completion, Steel Vengeance set 10 world records, including those for the tallest, fastest, and longest hybrid roller coaster.
Screamin' Eagle is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. When it opened on April 10, 1976 for America's Bicentennial celebration, Guinness World Records listed it as the largest coaster at 110 feet (34 m) high and as the fastest coaster at 62 mph (100 km/h). The ride is a modified 'L'-Shaped Out And Back. The Screamin' Eagle was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters and was the last coaster designed by John Allen, who was a designer of roller coasters, believed a coaster should inspire awe, not only from a ride full of thrills, but also from its magnificent beauty. Originally Allen wanted to design a coaster to replace the Comet at Forest Park Highlands, but lack of funds prevented him from doing such. The Screamin' Eagle is reminiscent of the Comet, mirroring its L-shape, but to a much larger scale.
Iron Rattler is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio. The ride originally opened in 1992 as Rattler, the tallest wooden roller coaster in the world. It was converted to steel in 2013 by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC), led by designer Alan Schilke, and reopened as Iron Rattler. RMC installed their patented I-Box track onto Rattler's existing wooden structure, increasing the drop height from 124 to 171 feet and the maximum speed from 65 to 70 mph. A notable addition to its layout was a zero-g roll inversion, which was a first among hybrid coasters made of wood and steel.
The Boss is a wooden roller coaster located in the Britannia section of Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. It opened on April 29, 2000, and was manufactured by Custom Coasters International. It features a lift hill height of 122 feet (37 m) and a first drop of 150 feet (46 m). Prior to the 2018 season, it also featured a 570-degree helix.
Storm Chaser is a steel roller coaster located at Kentucky Kingdom in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Designed by Alan Schilke and manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) at an estimated cost of $10 million, the ride opened to the public on April 30, 2016. It features three inversions, a 78-degree drop, and a maximum speed of 52 mph (84 km/h) utilizing RMC's patented I-Box track technology.
Viper is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, which opened in 1995. Viper is a mirrored replica of the Coney Island Cyclone and is the only roller coaster ever to be built directly by Six Flags. It was built by Rygiel Construction.
Colossos - Kampf der Giganten, German for Colossos: Battle of the Giants, is a wooden roller coaster located at Heide Park in Soltau, Lower Saxony, Germany. Manufactured by Intamin, the roller coaster opened as simply Colossos in 2001. Unlike traditional wooden coasters, its track was prefabricated, laser-cut in a factory to a high degree of precision, with sections designed to snap together like Lego pieces. Some of its planks were tightly bonded in multiple layers instead of traditionally nailed together by hand. The roller coaster closed in 2016 due to deteriorating track conditions and reopened in 2019 after refurbishment.
Wildcat's Revenge is a hybrid roller coaster located at Hersheypark in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. The ride originally opened in 1996 as Wildcat, a wooden coaster manufactured by Great Coasters International (GCI). The wooden coaster was the first from GCI and served as the anchor attraction of the Midway America section of the park. It cost $5.6 million to construct and was built on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) plot of land that had previously been used for parking. The ride traversed a 90-foot lift hill and twelve banked turns, subjecting riders to forces of up to 3.5 Gs. From 1998 to 2009, Wildcat ranked among the top 50 wooden roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today. Wildcat initially received critical acclaim, but it gained a negative reputation for its increasing roughness.
Hades 360 is a hybrid roller coaster at Mt. Olympus Water & Theme Park in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. When it opened in 2005, the coaster was known as Hades; it was renamed in 2013 when the 360 degree roll was installed. It is the largest roller coaster in the park. Hades 360 is a rarity among wooden roller coasters due to its 360 degree roll, 110-degree over banked turn, and steep 65-degree drop as well as its 90-degree banked turn, as drops and angles this steep are generally not included on wooden roller coasters due to structural limitations. The ride was designed by The Gravity Group.
American Thunder is a wooden roller coaster located in the 1904 World's Fair section of Six Flags St. Louis in Eureka, Missouri. Opened on June 20, 2008, the coaster was originally named after and themed to the famous motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel. It was renamed American Thunder for the 2011 season. To help promote the opening of the then-Evel Knievel Roller Coaster, Knievel's son, Robbie Knievel, jumped a Honda CR-500 motorcycle over 25 Dodge Chargers on July 3, 2008.
Superman The Ride is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. Built by Liechtensteiner manufacturer Intamin, the hypercoaster opened to the public as Superman – Ride of Steel in 2000. It features a 208-foot (63 m) lift hill, a 221-foot (67 m) drop, and a maximum speed of 77 mph (124 km/h). In 2009, the park changed the name to Bizarro, named after a DC Comics character portrayed as the antithesis of Superman. In accordance with the theme change, the coaster's track and supports were repainted with a purple and dark blue color scheme, and other special effects were added. In 2016, the Six Flags reverted to the original theme, but instead of restoring the name, it was changed to Superman The Ride. A virtual reality feature was added the same year, which created an optional 3D experience for passengers, but was removed prior to the 2017 season.
Tremors is a wooden roller coaster located at Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho. It features four underground tunnels, the first of which goes under the ride's gift shop.
Medusa Steel Coaster, formerly known as simply Medusa, is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags México in Mexico City. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and designed by Alan Schilke, the ride opened to the public on 14 June 2014. It was originally a wooden coaster constructed by Custom Coasters International that debuted in June 2000. The wooden track was completely removed and replaced with RMC's I-Box track technology, a steel conversion that resulted in a new track layout with increased speed and the addition of three inversions. Medusa was generally well-received, ranking several times in the top 50 among steel roller coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today.
Outlaw Run is a wooden roller coaster located at Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. Designed by Alan Schilke, Outlaw Run is the first wooden roller coaster manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and became the first wooden coaster with multiple inversions. It features a 162-foot (49 m) drop, three inversions, and a maximum speed of 68 mph (109 km/h), making Outlaw Run the sixth-fastest wooden coaster in the world. Its 81-degree first drop is also the fourth steepest in the world among wooden roller coasters.
Goliath is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and designed by Alan Schilke, the roller coaster features RMC's Topper Track design and opened to the public on June 19, 2014. Goliath initially set three world records among wooden coasters, having the longest drop at 180 feet (55 m), the steepest angle of 85 degrees, and the fastest speed of 72 mph (116 km/h). It still holds the record for the longest drop and fastest wooden roller coaster. In addition, the ride also features two inversions and a maximum descent that reaches 15 feet (4.6 m) below ground level.
Lightning Rod is a steel 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 getting 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).
Twisted Timbers is a hybrid roller coaster located at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia. It originally opened as a wooden coaster named Hurler in 1994, designed and manufactured by International Coasters, Inc. It is an exact clone of Hurler at Carowinds. The ride closed for "extensive maintenance" in 2015 according to the park, which later teased in 2016 that Hurler was being replaced.
A hybrid roller coaster is a category of roller coasters where the track is made out of one material, either steel or wood, and the support structure is made from another. Early hybrid coasters include mine train roller coasters from Arrow Development, which feature a steel track with a wooden support structure. Becoming increasingly more common are hybrids with wooden tracks and steel supports, such as The Voyage at Holiday World.
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