Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[Funky Cold Medina]

Maybe if I didn't have a bitchy sister who would let me take my phone in the park we would've had these.

[Zingoman]

It's ok folks! I"ve got it covered!

 

Quite a few signs are up for Giant now, and in other news Shockwave lost it's Axe motif and is now sporting Got2BGlued ads instead. I don't have Shockwave photos but plenty of Giant ones. Have a look see!

This in on the midway about halfway back to the ride from the park entrance. Can anyone confirm that this illustration is actually the original one used in 89 and 90 to promote the ride? I think it is, and if so I applaud the throwback to the ride's roots. Very fun stuff.

here is the one on the station

Here is one of several strung along the fence heading to Titan

here is just to show you where they have the banners at the ride.

This one is over near the other end of the park near the Rockin Rocket, and Aquaman. It's one of only two I noticed in the park away from the ride itself, but there very well may be a couple more.

Moving on to the ride now here is the lower bunny hill, now tracked, behind the double up.

the track is finally working it's way up to the drop leading into the bunny hill.

And another progress report graphic

[BrandonR]

W-o-w. Another relatively tiny bunny-hop after a big drop. This ride is going to be insane.

[PKI Jizzman]

W-o-w. Another relatively tiny bunny-hop after a big drop. This ride is going to be insane.

 

My thoughts exactly!

[Houston Thrills]

Can't wait to get back up to Arlington in a couple weeks so I can see this thing in person again.

[Funky Cold Medina]

Heck yes Zingo that's exactly what we were looking for.

[KCForce]

It's ok folks! I"ve got it covered!

 

Quite a few signs are up for Giant now, and in other news Shockwave lost it's Axe motif and is now sporting Got2BGlued ads instead. I don't have Shockwave photos but plenty of Giant ones. Have a look see!

 

I wasn't too thrilled about the car wraps, but said there was one product that I wouldn't be too upset about, if it appeared on Shock Wave and that is Got2BGlued. See the picture and you'll understand why. Okay, back to the Giant. Peace.

Appropriate for your "do" when riding any of Anton's rides!

[rcfreak417]

Lol...they are still advertising it as the steepest ____ on a wooden coaster. Oh well. Whatever it is, it'll still be good.

 

Just a thought, probably not practical, but it would be cool if the 112 degree banked turn was in place of where the old helix was. Right over the lift hill. They did tear down the entire structure. But I guess as far as support strength goes, it would probably be cheaper to put it towards the opposite side of the ride where there is still a lot of structure left. Just thought it would be cool if you were going up the lift hill and a car came by almost 180 degrees above your head. Again, probably not practical but a cool thought.

[BrandonR]

I like how on one sign they proclaim steepest drop on a wooden coaster, then on another sign they have "#1 Wooden Coaster" with "wooden" crossed out and "super hybrid" instead... So they acknowledge it's not a wood coaster on one sign, then say it is one to claim a record on another.

[chickenbowl]

This is looking so sweet. I am truly looking forward to the finished product of this ride. If it's as cool as it looks now, I might just have to make a trip out to Texas! I am anticipating the rest of the layout.

[CorkscrewFoley]

It looks like Texas Giant is going to have some insane PR airtime. I definitely can't wait for this to be finished (I know it opens next year, but you catch my drift).

[Textitan08]

Anyone know if the new track is gonna have catwalks?

[mightbeawannabe]

^I would think not. They won't need to do as thorough inspections because the steel won't warp or separate (loose nails or something like that). But who knows? I could be completely wrong. haha

[cedarpointfangirl]

I just thought this was interesting little piece that popped up on SFoT Facebook page this morning, Its part of a Six Flags blog..Just a little bit from the man who has taken care of The Giant since its existence..It shows how much he really loves and enjoys his job..enjoy..

 

I’ve seen the sunrise more times than I can recall from one hundred feet off the ground. It’s that hour before dawn that’s the perfect time to start my daily climb on the Texas Giant. I make sure to always stop for a moment to watch the big red ball rise above Dallas. The Giant is still asleep, but I’ve come, with my coworkers, to wake her up. For those of you who don’t know, The Texas Giant is a legendary wooden rollercoaster at Six Flags Over Texas. The track resembles a coiled snake perched one hundred feet above the ground on wood legs. It has terrified the timid and scared the pants off the brave ever since it opened in 1990. Once it drops you off of the 150-foot lift, the white, hot, adrenaline won’t stop pumping thru your veins until the train screams back into the station. Some people cheer, some

people cry.

 

Armed with climbing harnesses and a 30-pound tool pouch, we make our assault every operating morning. After nineteen years there’s only me and one other man that has stepped out on that ride on its opening day. My job has never been easy but it’s also never been dull.

Maintaining the Giant has been a thrill of its own. I could write a book about the cast of characters I’ve spent so many midnight hours alongside. I could tell stories of the pilots, doctors, lawyers and such that have met me and exclaimed: “You work on the Texas Giant?!”

 

I’ve also played guitar and sang for the past 20 years, kind of like an out-of-control hobby. After recording four CDs and once opening for the famed Willie Nelson, I can’t help but think back to a radio interview I did on the island of Guam (half way around the world from Texas.) I had been flown there to play for the grand opening of a new 30 million dollar aquarium/restaurant/club. During the interview the DJ opened the line for callers and the first caller asked me “Wow, do you really work on the

Texas Giant?”

 

I’ve always been proud to work on The Giant, and proud of the work that I’ve accomplished. The Texas Giant is now closed, undergoing major changes that will transform it into an altogether new ride to open in 2011. I’ll be there for the grand reopening, not just to celebrate, but to do my job. There’s no other work like it and I want to see the sun come up on another day of pure excitement.

 

My name is Brian Houser and I’m a carpenter at Six Flags Over Texas.

Took this Sunday on my way back from Rangers ballpark..I like this angle, it really shows the degree of drop on this thing! I have to say, I am really getting excited!!

[mudvayneimn]

That side profile is very reminiscent of Millennium Force's drop...on a smaller-scale of course. I can't wait to get back to the park next year to ride this one!

[Funky Cold Medina]

^I would think not. They won't need to do as thorough inspections because the steel won't warp or separate (loose nails or something like that). But who knows? I could be completely wrong. haha

 

 

Yeah I disagree with this statement, as you can see on the turnaround before the lift hill, there are catwalks (at least one side has catwalks) starting to make their way around the track. And just because it's steel doesn't mean it won't have problems or not be inspected.

 

[BrandonR]

Well of course there is going to be catwalks there, in case they need to evac passengers on the lift. I have my doubts there will be catwalks along the entire track.

[RailBlazer]

Well of course there is going to be catwalks there, in case they need to evac passengers on the lift. I have my doubts there will be catwalks along the entire track.

 

The steel pieces that hold the catwalks and handrail go all the way down the first drop on the right side of the track (if you are on the ride) and then continue on the left side of track on the first part of the double up. My guess is they will be there for most, if not all of the ride, but only on one side of the track.

[chadster]

^ agree. They are still going to need to inspect the bolts that connect the steel to the wooden structure and also to make sure the wood isn't splitting or rotting. So, I'm pretty confident they will have catwalks on at least on side. 100% steel coasters don't need the structure inspected but a few times per year. I understand the track on B&M's get a once over once a week at most parks, with the lift hill and brake runs getting a looksee everyday, not sure about the other manufacturers.

[BrandonR]

I think it's also interesting how when the original press release came out it stated banked turns up to 95 degrees, and now the signs state up to 112. Perhaps reinforcing the idea that they really are making it up as they go.

[jmicha]

^It kind of reminds me of the turnaround on Voyage and how some of it changed during construction, such as the addition of the second 90 degree turn.

 

I'm curious as to what the structure for the overbank is going to look like since obviously it has never been done on a wooden coaster before. Hopefully it is something that will be integrated into other projects in the future since I don't see why it wouldn't be able to be applied to an all wooden coaster.

[Funky Cold Medina]

While I wasn't able to get pictures, I went to the Rangers-Red Sox game yesterday and parked in the Six Flags parking lot, and I saw what looked like catwalks making their way up on the right side of the lifthill. I may try and get pictures when I go back sometime hopefully in the next week (as I will be busy with band camp this week).

[texcoaster]

^It kind of reminds me of the turnaround on Voyage and how some of it changed during construction, such as the addition of the second 90 degree turn.

 

I'm curious as to what the structure for the overbank is going to look like since obviously it has never been done on a wooden coaster before. Hopefully it is something that will be integrated into other projects in the future since I don't see why it wouldn't be able to be applied to an all wooden coaster.

 

It could be possible.... but it won't happen on an all-wood coaster. The track could support it if and only if the train keeps its proper speed and centrifugal force keeps the train pushing on the track properly.

If it stalls during a 112 deg bank, though, then all of that weight changes direction and you're relying on just the upstop rail to hold it all together. The regular track has multiple layers to support the weight and force of the train, but the upstop rail is just the top layer of wood plus a steel runner. While it's possible that it might hold, I wouldn't want to trust my life to it.

Upstop rails work fine for relatively light, very short-time stress, but a whole train hanging from it? Not good.

[Zingoman]

Texas Giant relied on it's upstops as much as any coaster out there if not for some of the airtime definitely in a lot of the laterals on the curves. The last leg of the ride pretty much had the road wheels in the air on the right hand side of the train. This new track system will be more than capable of holding a train , but it's not going to stall on the overbank. that like saying a ride would roll back on a bunny hill. It will be designed with plenty of speed, and I don't understand this catwalk debate.

 

Steel coasters get inspected too. I am confident that Giant will have catwalks along 95 percent of the ride. Steel track does not mean few inspections. Gemini gets a thorough inspection along its STEEL tracks with CATWALKS twice a week, and they often do find things to work on along the way. Giant will be a far more dynamic ride than Gemini and will most likely have daily inspections along the entire course.

[texcoaster]

Texas Giant relied on it's upstops as much as any coaster out there if not for some of the airtime definitely in a lot of the laterals on the curves. The last leg of the ride pretty much had the road wheels in the air on the right hand side of the train.

 

That's still very different than a stalled train hanging by the upstops. In the laterals, the majority of the forces were sideways, not straight up against the upstops, even in the flying carpet section.

 

This new track system will be more than capable of holding a train , but it's not going to stall on the overbank. that like saying a ride would roll back on a bunny hill. It will be designed with plenty of speed, and I don't understand this catwalk debate.

 

When things go right, it will of course sail through the overbanked turn with considerable speed. Things don't always go right, though. Wheel assemblies can fail (Expedition GeForce), stuff can get caught up under the train (that pancho on the Eurofighter), and numerous other mishaps that can cause a train to lose proper speed and stall. It's rare, but such occasions have to be considered when designing a ride. It's this very thing that kept the infamous Arrow suspended corkscrew coaster from becoming a reality.