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Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread


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Looks great so far!

 

Does anyone remember how long Outlaw Run took to install? I'm just curious when it will open, and I'm not sure it will be ready by opening day...

 

They are aiming for Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day 2014 is May 26th so probably May 24th is when it'll open. Brandon Bruce told me that they're planning on having a season pass exclusive opening like they did with X-Flight so it might open a week early just for season pass holders.

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^ From what I understand, weather has to be significantly bad to slow down, or halt work on a Roller Coaster. They will work in wind, rain, and snow. I don't know any of this for a fact, its just what I've come to understand, but judging from the Gatekeeper Construction I'd say its pretty true.

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^I've never been to the park but I imagine anyone who would feel a sense of loss over the absence of a notoriously rough B&M stand-up when potentially one of the greatest wooden coasters ever built is being put in its place probably has a concussion.

 

There's something curious about dismissing a ride that you've never ridden in favor of a ride that no one has yet ridden (and in fact, currently exists in the form of some footers and sticks sticking out of the ground). In all liklihood, Goliath will be a great ride, and it's no secret that Stand-Ups don't have a sparkling reputation among many coaster people- but I can think of a few coasters that I like, but might have never bothered riding if I just went by what people said.

 

If I had never ridden a B&M stand-up, and if this was RMC's first coaster, I might agree with you. However, I feel I have enough information to make that determination without having ridden either of the coasters involved. Kind of like how we've determined that the Earth revolves around the sun even though we've never, you know, been to the sun.

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^ From what I understand, weather has to be significantly bad to slow down, or halt work on a Roller Coaster. They will work in wind, rain, and snow. I don't know any of this for a fact, its just what I've come to understand, but judging from the Gatekeeper Construction I'd say its pretty true.

 

That's a steel coaster. Were talking about working with a wooden structure that is 165 feet tall. It's a little more complex with the wind. I'm pretty sure that's part of the reason they're waiting until March to top the ride off. RMC doesn't tighten the bolts that hold the supports in the footers until they're finished with the track work. They probably don't think it's safe to do this with the tallest parts of the structure (lift and tallest overbank) until the wind dies down in the spring. If the wind doesn't die down in March or April, that's where delays in construction are going to come.

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If I had never ridden a B&M stand-up, and if this was RMC's first coaster, I might agree with you. However, I feel I have enough information to make that determination without having ridden either of the coasters involved. Kind of like how we've determined that the Earth revolves around the sun even though we've never, you know, been to the sun.

 

I think a more accurate comparison would be not bothering to watch Pulp Fiction or Inglorious Basterds because you've seen Jackie Brown and Django Unchained and not liked them, but to each his own. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

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I feel I must make a correction to an earlier post in this thread. The station that will be used for Goliath was built NEW for Iron Wolf in 1990. The station originally used for Z-Force was moved to Rolling Thunder in 1989, and was scrapped after that ride was moved to The Great Escape after the 1995 season. This misconception has appeared in various forums and must be corrected. Thank you!

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I feel I must make a correction to an earlier post in this thread. The station that will be used for Goliath was built NEW for Iron Wolf in 1990. The station originally used for Z-Force was moved to Rolling Thunder in 1989, and was scrapped after that ride was moved to The Great Escape after the 1995 season. This misconception has appeared in various forums and must be corrected. Thank you!

 

I got that info straight from the park. They said the base of the Z-Force station was recycled and then the Wolf station was then built there. Perhaps they mean the queue line was reused for Iron Wolf or they're wrong altogether. Thanks for the correction though. I corrected my earlier post. I wasn't born in that era so I never got to see Z-Force.

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I'm planning to visit Wisconsin Dells in 2014 which include flying in and out of Milwaukee, and I will definitely be visiting Six Flags Great America. Goliath looks like it'll be one wicked coaster, plus it'll be the first coaster of its kind that I've ever rode on ( Hades 360 will become #2 ) Just like X-Flight was the first wing coaster I've ever rode, Goliath will be the first RMC I've ever rode.

 

And I want to ride Whizzer one more time!!!

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So.. I drove by SFGAm today, and I've got to say that what's been built of Goliath looks a lot bigger in pictures than it does in real life. That isn't to say it isn't actually big or isn't going to be impressive. However, the only place outside the park where you can see the ride from is the employee lot, otherwise it's not distinguishable or visible. I'm excited for how much the skyline is going to change in the back corner of the park once the overbanked turns and the first hill go up. It will stand out for sure then, but for now it's a work in progress.

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Driving up to the park off Washington St.

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While this isn't a great picture of progress so far, I think it gives a fair idea of the relative height of what's been built.

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What looked like some of the concrete footers were still sitting off to the side in the storage area, not sure if these are spares or have yet to be placed.

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Stacks of wood presumably for Goliath.

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About the Iron Wolf discussion above, I believe people think they are the same station because they are in the exact same location. If you look at those pics though, the Iron Wolf station is clearly taller, and the stair case is different. I believe they reused the foundation from the Z-Force station for Iron Wolf, but the actual station was reused for Rolling Thunder. Unfortunately the only picture I can find is this one....

 

 

Here you can see how the station is the same as Z-Force, just painted in different colors.

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Let's look at the timeline here. Z-Force opened in July 1985, closed after the 1987 season and was moved to Georgia. Rolling Thunder, moved to Great America from Great Adventure, opened in 1989. The park moved the entire Z-Force station to serve for Rolling Thunder which lasted through the 1995 season. Iron Wolf opened in 1990 with a new station. I was 35 when Z-Force opened and was going to the park nearly 20 times a season and personally witnessed all of this action. Please know that park employees are not always knowledgeable on history of the park. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard park employees misquote on park history. I have been going there every year since the park opened in 1976. As a sidelight, Whirligig was originally in the spot where Goliath is going, and was moved to Yankee Harbor to make room for Z-Force.

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Let's look at the timeline here. Z-Force opened in July 1985, closed after the 1987 season and was moved to Georgia. Rolling Thunder, moved to Great America from Great Adventure, opened in 1989. The park moved the entire Z-Force station to serve for Rolling Thunder which lasted through the 1995 season. Iron Wolf opened in 1990 with a new station. I was 35 when Z-Force opened and was going to the park nearly 20 times a season and personally witnessed all of this action. Please know that park employees are not always knowledgeable on history of the park. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard park employees misquote on park history. I have been going there every year since the park opened in 1976. As a sidelight, Whirligig was originally in the spot where Goliath is going, and was moved to Yankee Harbor to make room for Z-Force.

 

This is interesting stuff, and makes a lot of sense. I don't recall walking past the former Z-Force site and noticing the station sitting there, by itself, for those two years now that I think about it. Seeing Iron Wolf's station sitting there, as it has, does make me think that I'd have noted the empty Z-Force station sitting there.....and looking at pictures of Rolling Thunder's station, it all seems to add up. It's fascinating that you're the first guy I've seen bring this up.

 

As far as Whirligig being over there, I did post this picture earlier in the thread (that's the rides stripped down "stalk" in the background):

 

You'll remember that they had to not only remove Whirligig but also LITERALLY scoot the train station down a bit to make way for Z-Force's station and track!

 

Anyway, interesting stuff.

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