New Texas Giant
| Texas Giant | |
|---|---|
| File:New Texas Giant promo.jpg Promotional image for the refurbished attraction featuring the new trains, track and logo. | |
| Six Flags Over Texas | |
| Location | Six Flags Over Texas |
| Coordinates | 32°45′23″N 97°04′23″W / 32.75639°N 97.07306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | March 17, 1990 April 22, 2011Renovation |
| Cost | $5,500,000 US $10,000,000 USRenovation |
| General statistics | |
| Manufacturer | Dinn Corporation |
| Designer | Curtis D. Summers |
| Track layout | Twister |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Duration | 2:00[2] |
| Max vertical angle | 79° |
| Capacity | 1600 riders per hour |
| G-force | 4.2 |
| Trains | 3 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train. |
| Texas Giant at RCDB | |
The Texas Giant is a hybrid roller coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. It is currently the tallest wooden-hybrid roller coaster in the world at a height of 153 ft (47 m) which features a 79° drop of 147 ft (45 m), and turns banked up to 95°.[3] The coaster uses a brand new type of all steel track which results in the Texas Giant no longer being a purely wooden roller coaster. The redesigned ride is a steel-tracked coaster with the original wooden support structure (i.e. a hybrid roller coaster)[4] which enables the ride to be much smoother than it was in previous seasons.[5] In addition to new track, the Texas Giant also received new trains and a new control system.[6] The coaster reopened to the public on April 22, 2011 as part of the park's 50th anniversary celebration.[1]
History
The Texas Giant was originally constructed by Dinn Corporation. The wood for the roller coaster construction was purchased from Dean Lumber Company in Gilmer, Texas, as the Dean tags can still be seen on the boards. The trains were manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. The Texas Giant opened on March 17, 1990. At opening it featured three trains which held 28 riders each. After its first year of operation, these seven-car trains were shortened to six-car trains. Also, the double-up turn around feature was converted into a sweeping turn and trim brakes were added before certain high stress areas. In 2006, the ride received new gates in its station. The Texas Giant required major rehabs during the winter months, thus kept it closed for Six Flags Over Texas' Holiday in the Park event. The Texas Giant closed at the end of the 2009 season for extensive renovations which took the entire 2010 season to complete and cost approximately 10 million dollars.[7]
Records and awards
When opened in 1990, Texas Giant had the highest lift of any wooden roller coaster in the world at 143 feet (44 m).[7] It was presented the Golden Ticket Award from Amusement Today for Best Wooden Roller Coaster in the world in 1999.[8]
Gallery
-
The original entrance for Texas Giant. -
The lift hill. -
The first drop. -
One of the original trains on the track -
Texas Giant during renovation
See also
- Mean Streak at Cedar Point, a roller coaster that opened in 1991 which bears similarity to the Texas Giant before it's renovation.
References
- ^ a b "Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Investor Meeting Presentation". Six Flags. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ According to this video the ride starts on 1:20 and ends at 3:20 which is a 2 minute ride
- ^ Rutherford, Scott. Roller Coasters. Lowe & B. Hould Publishers, Ann Arbor, MI. 2003
- ^ Ryan, Jim (2010). "A Giant Facelift". WBAP. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
- ^ Mosier, Jeff (2 November 2009). "Texas Giant roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas rattles into retirement today". Texas Cable News. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ^ "Popular Texas Roller Coaster Due A $10 Million Facelift". KWTX. Retrieved 7 February 2011.
- ^ a b Mosier, Jeff (March 16, 2009). "Six Flags Over Texas to close Texas Giant for renovations in 2010". Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Amusement Today. September 1999.
External links
- Official webpage
- Official video advertising the new ride on YouTube
- Texas Giant Article and photos of this roller coaster.