Six Flags Great America (SFGAm) Discussion Thread

[glouthan]

This report was delayed due to the intense pressure of getting ready for my high school entrance exam -- high schools in Chicago are very competitive! Going on the Goliath construction tour was the only joy in a week filled with homework, school, and test prep. A huge thanks to TPR, Robb and Brandon at Six Flags for organizing this behind the scenes tour. It was worth freezing to death to get a look at the construction on what looks like a great new coaster. We even got to be interviewed by WGN News and it would be fun to make it into the segment on Monday morning. On with the tour...

Heading to the tour!

Six Flags needed to construct this arch in the structure to allow vehicles to pass through in the case of an emergency.

Looks like RMC brought one of their cranes from Idaho to Chicago.

I wonder if they brought the wood as well.

Banked turn under construction.

This hill should deliver some airtime.

Brandon said all the structure is 15% compete and all of the footers are finished - That's the slow work.

I spy the construction cam...

As a shortcut, we headed through the maintenence shop and here is Raging Bull (my favorite coaster in the park) getting some off-season tlc.

The tour concluded with a look at the theming for the ride. The ride entrance looks nice!

Goliath is shaping up to be a great coaster. I hope the wait time signs look like this in the summer!

Edited June 18, 2014 by glouthan

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I figured I'd be the last one to post my trip report, since it took me the longest to get back home! I was the only person there not from Chicago; I was kind of surprised by that fact, and everyone else was surprised I was there at all. Chicago greeted me with a temperature of 4 degrees and a wind chill of -13. Two pairs of my warmest gloves, two hats, two sweaters and a coat, and two pairs of socks, and I was still freezing.

I didn't relish the idea of driving in Chicago snow, so I took the train instead. This is in Sedalia, Missouri, the closest station to me.

Apparently, I'm the only person crazy enough to go to Chicago in January.

I got a souvenir! This is the brand new Amtrak timetable book.

The station is over a hundred years old, originally built for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. It's been newly renovated, though. This shot captures both the old and new.

And here she is. The one and only train to Chicago from the Ozarks.

I got up early to get to the park on Metra. Everything that could go wrong did, and it took me about four hours to get to the park from downtown. Fortunately, I had left at 4 in the morning, so I still got there on time. Well, I got near to where I needed to be, and Cameron came and rescued me. Thanks Cameron! Here is my first look at GOLIATH!

I'm really impressed that these RMC guys are working in this cold. I am totally freezing my butt off right now.

World's smallest Disko coaster. Wheee!

There's Vertical Velocity in the background. I like this shot.

This thing feels so tall when you're right next to it.

One of the PR people remarked that she didn't think anyone had any shots from exactly this angle yet. You can really see a lot of the coaster from here.

That tunnel is really deep, much deeper than it looks in photos. We didn't get too close.

This guy was digging away the whole time we were there, not sure exactly what he was doing though.

Footers. Pretty.

I had a great time. I spent the rest of the day walking around Chicago. I didn't get a whole lot of pictures of the city, though; I didn't want to look too much like a tourist. I got to see Second City in Old Town that evening. What a great show! Chicago really has a lot going on, far too much to see in one day.

The next morning it was time to go home. Bye Chicago! I'll be back this summer, and I'm bringing the whole family this time!

[ArizonaGuy]

Wow. Looks like construction is moving fairly quick despite the weather. Can't wait to see more updates!

[diggerg56]

ytterbiumanalyst....You weren't quite the only person there not from Chicago. I'm from Iowa City, IA, but no matter.

Glad you got to see some of Chicago as well. Great place to visit, especially when it's warmer.

[willthegolfer]

Barely any activity on the webcam today, so I won't post a picture. However, it appears that a new "station" for assembling bents has been put up right next to the track piece.

[marcusleshock]

Hey everybody! It's Marcus Leshock with WGN. Wanted all of you who came out to the Goliath construction tour to know that the segment is going to run on TUESDAY's morning news, not Monday as originally planned.

 

So tune into WGN Morning News on Tuesday from 4-6am to see a construction update on Goliath and hear reaction from some TPR members. Thanks everybody for talking to us! If you are not in Chicago, you can watch live online at wgntv.com/live - and the segment will be posted on our website after it airs. I'll be sure to share it on this board. Thanks again!

[RandallDuell]

What a guy - DeKalb now known for Cindy Crawford, barbed wire and Marcus LeShock.

 

Looking forward to the piece. Will it ever air on the 9 o'clock news?

[CPSFMMCW]

Those are some great photos! glad to see the construction coming along-hopefully we'll see some more track up soon!

[yay101]

So if Iron Wolf's station's frame is going to be gutted, does that still count as Iron Wolf's station, or is it just a new station?

[Guy T. Koepp]

^Oh yeah, Goliath won't count as a new credit if the station isn't altered by at least 50%.

[ytterbiumanalyst]

ytterbiumanalyst....You weren't quite the only person there not from Chicago. I'm from Iowa City, IA, but no matter.

Glad you got to see some of Chicago as well. Great place to visit, especially when it's warmer.

Well, then, I stand corrected. Glad to have met all of you as well; this was the first thing I've done with this group, and you all turned out to be as nice and as nutty as I expected. It was a great experience.

[NAMTABSFGAm]

So if Iron Wolf's station's frame is going to be gutted, does that still count as Iron Wolf's station, or is it just a new station?

Does it matter?

[ytterbiumanalyst]

So if Iron Wolf's station's frame is going to be gutted, does that still count as Iron Wolf's station, or is it just a new station?

No, it's no longer Iron Wolf's station, because Iron Wolf is now in Maryland. That is now Goliath's station, because that's where you'll get on Goliath. And that's what actually matters.

[Guy T. Koepp]

I think Goliath will be the ride, but the station will be an Iron Wolf/Goliath hybrid. I-goliath Wolf. Or I-golf for short.

[XYZ]

I think Goliath will be the ride, but the station will be an Iron Wolf/Goliath hybrid. I-goliath Wolf. Or I-golf for short.

 

Wait, but isn't it Z-Force's station? So, it's Z-I-Golf.

[simaticable]

Now I feel like golfing...

[willthegolfer]

Did somebody say....GOLFING!?

Edited January 27, 2014 by willthegolfer

[Ed Farmer]

So if Iron Wolf's station's frame is going to be gutted, does that still count as Iron Wolf's station, or is it just a new station?

Does it matter?

 

I, for one, refuse to ride it until the matter receives clarification.

[simaticable]

It's a refurbished station belonging to Goliath.

[thedirtyspaniard]

I still haven't quite figured out why everyone is so concerned with the station either... I don't remember X-Flight's station receiving this much attention during construction updates and that thing is a tent..

[GayCoasterGuy]

I think it might count as half of a new station credit for anyone who might be wondering

[palmerleeberry]

It's been awhile since I last left a post on this thread, and I should be more up to date on the progress of this coaster since this will be the first RMC coaster I will ride when I get there this upcoming summer. I was there when I rode my first X-flight and I want to be there to ride my first RMC. Plus to get a few more rides on Whizzer . . .

 

Right now, the area I live in has been under a cold and windy spell for nearly two weeks, and it reminds me of the conditions those construction workers must work in order to get this coaster up and running. Right now, it doesn't look like much, but wait until springtime when everything warms up and the crews are putting in the final touches. When that warm air hits me, I just want to travel, but it won't be until late July by the time I get there.

 

I hope it's worth the wait!

[willthegolfer]

Here is a link to Marcus Leshock's report from the Goliath Construction tour, taken from the WGN website!

 

http://morningnews.wgntv.com/2014/01/28/six-flags-new-coaster-goliath-under-construction-set-to-open-this-summer/

[CPSFMMCW]

cool video, but I think the GP might get confused when they show the goliath at New England. They might look at the picture and wonder if that coaster is coming to the park also. But other than that, construction looks great! RMC for the win

[yay101]

That's a great video! Goliath has received a lot of media attention, much more than X-Flight, since it's a record-breaking ride. That means the crowds are going to crazy this summer! I can't wait!