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Goliath (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)

Coordinates: 29°35′56″N 98°36′28″W / 29.59889°N 98.60778°W / 29.59889; -98.60778
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Goliath
Previously known as Gambit at Thrill Valley, and Batman: The Ride at Six Flags New Orleans
The lift, drop, and first loop of Goliath.
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Park sectionLos Festivales
Coordinates29°35′56″N 98°36′28″W / 29.59889°N 98.60778°W / 29.59889; -98.60778
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 18, 2008[3]
Six Flags New Orleans
Park sectionDC Comics Super Heroes Adventures
Coordinates30°02′59″N 89°56′05″W / 30.049732°N 89.934758°W / 30.049732; -89.934758
StatusRemoved
Opening dateApril 12, 2003 (2003-04-12)[1]
Closing dateAugust 21, 2005 (2005-08-21)[1]
Thrill Valley
StatusRemoved
Opening date1995 (1995)[2]
Closing dateMay 6, 2002 (2002-05-06)[2]
General statistics
TypeSteel – Inverted
ManufacturerBolliger & Mabillard
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelInverted Coaster - Batman[3]
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height105 ft (32 m)
Drop80 ft (24 m)
Length2,693 ft (821 m)
Speed50 mph (80 km/h)
Inversions5
Duration2:00
Capacity1400 riders per hour
G-force4
Height restriction54 in (137 cm)
Trains2 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Goliath at RCDB

Goliath is a steel inverted roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard currently operating at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas since April 18, 2008. In the roller coaster's lifetime, it has operated at two other amusement parks: Thrill Valley from 1995 to May 6, 2002, and Six Flags New Orleans from April 12, 2003 to August 21, 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Goliath's highest point is 105 feet (32 m), the trains can reach a top speed of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h), and the length of the track is approximately 2,693 feet (821 m).

History

Thrill Valley (1995—2002)

Batman: The Ride at Six Flags New Orleans in 2004.

Goliath originally opened at Thrill Valley in Japan as Gambit in 1995.[2] The ride operated at the park for about 7 years before closing on May 6, 2002.[2] The ride was dismantled and transported to Six Flags New Orleans.[1]

Six Flags New Orleans (2003—2007)

Six Flags New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Batman: The Ride can be seen at the bottom left of the image.
See also: Six Flags New Orleans and Batman: The Ride

In 2002, Six Flags took over the lease of Jazzland and renamed the park to Six Flags New Orleans.[4] After the take over, Six Flags announced major changes coming to the park included the arrival of Gambit, but now named Batman: The Ride. The roller coaster was built in one of the new area's Six Flags had constructed for the 2003 season after the acquisition, DC Comics Super Hero Adventures. The ride re-opened at Six Flags New Orleans on April 12, 2003.[1]

On August 21, 2005 before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Six Flags closed the park as a safety precaution.[5] Due to substantial flooding, many of the park's rides were damaged beyond repair causing the park to remain standing but not operating.[6] In 2007, Six Flags moved Batman: The Ride to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, considering it to be the only salvageable ride due to its elevated station platform and corrosion-resistant support structure, which caused it to make it through Hurricane Katrina relatively unscathed.[7][8][9]

Six Flags Fiesta Texas (2008—present)

In 2007, Batman: The Ride was dismantled and moved to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Before reconstructing the ride, the track was repainted and the roller coaster was renamed Goliath. It opened on April 18, 2008.[9][10]

The roller coaster is also currently sponsored by Snickers.[10]

Ride experience

After departing from the station, the train immediately begins to climb the 105-foot (32 m) chain lift hill.[3] Once at the top, the train makes a sharp 80-foot (24 m)[3] downward right turn into the roller coasters first element, a vertical loop, reaching a top speed of approximately 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[3] After exiting the loop, the train then goes through a zero-g roll before entering a second loop. The train then goes up a rightward helix before backing a downward left turn into a corkscrew. After a sharp left turn, the train enters another corkscrew. Upon exiting the corkscrew, the train makes a right turn into the brake run which leads directly back to the station where the current riders unload and the next load.[3][11] One cycle of the ride lasts about 2 minutes.[3]

Track

Goliath has a track length of about 2,693 feet (821 m) and reaches a top height of 105-foot (32 m).[3][1][2] The track colours of the roller coaster when it was known as Gambit at Thrill Valley are not known. When it was known as Batman: The Ride at Six Flags News Orleans the track featured black and orange track with grey supports. Today, at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, the ride has blue track and yellow supports. Friction brakes are used to control the speed of the train at the end of the ride.[11] The track was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators located in Batavia, Ohio.[12]

Also, Goliath is a clone of several other Bolliger & Mabillard roller coasters (over half at Six Flags parks) with the only difference being that the track is "mirrored" from the other clones.[13] Coincidentally, one of those clones is The Great White at the SeaWorld San Antonio amusement park which is also located in San Antonio, Texas.[14]

Trains

Goliath operates with two generic steel and fiberglass trains with seven cars each. Each car seats four riders in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.[3] The supports for the seats are orange, the actual seats are black with a yellow over-the-shoulder restraint connected to each one, and the coverings for the wheels are orange, blue, and yellow.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Marden, Duane. "Batman: The Ride  (Six Flags New Orleans)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e Marden, Duane. "Gambit  (Thrill Valley)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Marden, Duane. "Goliath  (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  4. ^ Six Flags New Orleans (14 November 2002). "Six Flags to Fly Over The Crescent City in 2003". Press Release. RCDB. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  5. ^ "Six Flags New Orleans". Modern Day Ruins. September 6, 2012. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  6. ^ "Six Flags, silenced by Katrina, creates uproar in New Orleans". USA Today. May 31, 2009. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  7. ^ "New Orleans: Six Flags New Orleans". Six Flags. Archived from the original on 27 March 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2010.
  8. ^ Betz, Jonathan (September 27, 2012). "Six Flags' Flashback coaster will live on (somewhere else)". kvue.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  9. ^ a b Six Flags New Orleans (9 September 2007). "Goliath Soars into Six Flags Fiesta Texas Bringing Major Park Coaster Count to Eight". Press Release. RCDB. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Goliath". Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Retrieved 2011-01-07.
  11. ^ a b "Goliath Front Seat on-ride HD POV Six Flags Fiesta Texas". wwwCOASTERFORCEcom. February 8, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  12. ^ Guido, Anna (November 7, 2005). "Steel plant's business on fast track". Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on January 7, 2006. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
  13. ^ "Batman (Model)". Roller Coaster Database. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  14. ^ Marden, Duane. "Great White  (SeaWorld San Antonio)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  15. ^ Marden, Duane. "Goliath Train  (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
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