Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[BrandonR]

If they were planning on leveling out the turn it seems like they would have removed the turn's supports long ago at the rate they've been laying track down. Here's to hoping it will be an upward overbanked turn.

[coastercrutchfield]

I don't think that the 95 degree turn is suppose to be after the double up, but I'm not sure. For what I have seen it's suppose to be later on in the ride.

[christianscoasters]

^And what have you seen?

[coastercrutchfield]

^And what have you seen?

 

I've seen the construction site and the way they built the supports on the first turn it doesn't look like it was made for over banking.

[Hayzle]

They've done no support construction in that area yet it's still left over from the original giant

[coastercrutchfield]

^ They have started. I was there last weekend

[BrandonR]

Well I was there today and all the supports on the turnaround are still definitely from the original ride. They haven't done any new work or re-profiling/rebuilding on the turnaround yet, so it could go either way really.

[coastercrutchfield]

^ I wouldn't imagine it being on the first turn though. It's seems to wide. Idk i'm kind of clueless

[almightyfire]

Can someone explain why the 2nd hill doesnt go taller than what is on the pic? what is supposed to happen there?

[texcoaster]

Can someone explain why the 2nd hill doesnt go taller than what is on the pic? what is supposed to happen there?

 

Double-up.

[texcoaster]

^ I wouldn't imagine it being on the first turn though. It's seems to wide. Idk i'm kind of clueless

 

Also, since the turn would be past vertical, there would be some upward forces in addition to the laterals. Putting the turn on a lower level allows for the structure above the turn to support against those forces, something which would be considerably more difficult to do if the turn is the top of the structure. Not impossible, but more difficult.

[Skycoastin Steve]

Can someone explain why the 2nd hill doesnt go taller than what is on the pic? what is supposed to happen there?

 

Double-up.

 

So where is the 2nd up? It just looks like a REALLY low pull up out of a HUGE drop that goes flat and then immediately into a turn. I gotta say, that's going to hurt like a mofo.

[jarmor]

The turn goes up...

[coastermoosh]

So where is the 2nd up?

 

It hasn't been built yet.

[rcfreak417]

Here's some photos from 7/29. Sorry they are of such bad quality. I did not think of taking a camera with me, so I used my camera on my phone.

 

Just something to note....as I was on the Titan I looked down on the ride. They did start putting ledgers on the back half of the ride (after the first turnaround on the ride). Whatever happens with the turn, the ride will still reach the height at which it used to. Also, the (what used to be) third drop now extends all the way onto the ground. Sorry I couldn't get any pictures.

 

Also, looking at where they have placed some new wood within the old structure, the first turn *might* be an overbanked turn, although it looked like it might only go partially into the old structure, and they would use everything above the track (the old structure) as structure to withstand the upward forces. Just what I thought it looked like.

Overview. Note the new ledgers before the pre-block brake hill.

More overviews. Also, part of the hill before the old brake run has been laid.

View from the oil derrick. You can try and make out where the track is going from here.

More of the turn

The new ledgers on the back left hand side.

These ledgers start at the top (where the coaster used to come from after the first turnaround), but go all the way to the ground now instead of only partially

[CD]

Thanks for the update! This project looks better and better every time we get another look. I will surely be disappointed when the off-season rolls around and there won't be anymore close-up pictures of the progress.

[Houston Thrills]

Thankfully, SFOT only has a 2 month off-season (3 if you count November). Park is open March-December, but they close throughout much of November for private events. Usually close after Halloween and reopen at Thanksgiving.

[coastercrutchfield]

Thanks for the update! This project looks better and better every time we get another look. I will surely be disappointed when the off-season rolls around and there won't be anymore close-up pictures of the progress.

 

Good thing that offseason is only Jan. and Feb. instead of Nov-Apr!

[rcfreak417]

The only thing is, the more and more I see of this ride, the less and less I believe that "only 15% of the ride's original design has been changed." All the drops in the first section of the ride are steeper and all reach the ground (which they never did) before, and there's also two additional airtime hills. Also, just an observation, but looking at trackwork, I'm not completely sure that the old helix will still exist. Unless they make it a downward helix, which would be pretty cool. But who knows? They just seem to keep ripping up more and more of the old structure.

 

I'm most definitely not complaining though. If it makes it a better ride by changing up more than 15% of the layout, so be it. Just an observation

[CD]

^ Ya, it seems like 15% of the layout has already changed with the track thats been laid. There is no way they could make the rest of the layout identical to the old version.

 

I know it isn't true, but it really looks like they are just ripping things out as they go along and saying "this seems like fun." There just doesn't seem to be any consistency with the construction other then "well, we finished the last section... now what?" However, I like how little information was released about the project. It makes these updates very exciting!

[Funky Cold Medina]

Man being gone for two weeks sucks. I can't wait to go and really look at this thing with mine own eyes.

[Zingoman]

^I know it isn't true, but it really looks like they are just ripping things out as they go along and saying "this seems like fun." There just doesn't seem to be any consistency with the construction other then "well, we finished the last section... now what?" However, I like how little information was released about the project. It makes these updates very exciting!

 

HA HA! That is EXACTLY what a friend and I have been saying to each other all summer. It's like they are making it up as they go. There has been so much trial and error while they do it that if the track wasn't prefabricated I would think they were making it all up. They put pieces up, take them down, put them up again, bolt them, unbolt them, move pieces around... It seems very wishy washy. It makes it fun to watch though, and I'm glad to hear the third drop is going all the way down now! I wondered if it would since the fourth one does. Now if we can just get the original double up back I'll be content.

[BrandonR]

Yeah the construction seems to go in bursts. They laid the first drop and double-up in probably a week. And now it seems like very little has been done since then. I'll just chalk it up to it being a new technology and the Giant is somewhat of a prototype...

[Funky Cold Medina]

I was able to go to Six Flags today, and although I got no pictures, I can tell you this.

 

There is track completed right next to the double up after the first drop, which I'm guessing is the turnaround going into what used to be the brake run, and also some track that I think is under the double up itself. Now here's something interesting. There are new signs all around the station and construction site. On the station is a sign reading,

 

"'Giant' Construction

Texas Giant 2011

#1 Wooden (the word wooden is striked out) Coaster

Super Hybrid Coaster (which replaces wooden)"

 

Below that on the same sign it says, "Steepest drop on a wooden coaster at 79 degrees" and something I didn't expect, "Steepest bank on a wooden roller coaster in the world at 112 degrees". This is certainly something not heard before and if it is indeed 112 degrees, then holy **** that will super insane. I will try and get pictures ASAP or hopefully someone will post some.

[Zingoman]

This is fun news! I think photos are in order here for sure!