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Shockwave (Six Flags Great America)
Encyclopedia
Shockwave was a large roller coaster
manufactured by Arrow Dynamics
at Six Flags Great America
in Gurnee, Illinois
. Standing 170 feet (51.8 m) tall and reaching speeds of 65 miles per hour (104.6 km/h), it opened in 1988 as the world's tallest and fastest looping roller coaster with an impressive seven inversions: three vertical loops, a butterfly corkscrew, and two regular corkscrews. The seven inversions also set a world record; the previous record was six on Vortex at Kings Island
, which had opened the year before.
, which had originally been slated to replace the smaller Whizzer
roller coaster. Since Whizzer was far more popular than Shockwave, the decision was made to keep Whizzer and tear down Shockwave instead. The ride was dismantled and placed into storage behind the park and offered for sale. After attempts to sell the coaster or relocate it to another Six Flags park failed, it was scrapped at the end of Six Flags Great America's 2004 season. To this day, coaster fans lament the decision to replace the intense and classic Shockwave with the tame and uneventful Superman: Ultimate Flight, although the occasional complaints of roughness and demise of Arrow Dynamics all but assured it's ouster from Great America.
; this coaster had exactly the same layout that Shockwave had but was three feet taller and had a top speed of 68 mi/h, and had its camera at the corkscrews, instead of the boomerang. Both records, like those of Shockwave before it, lasted only one year: Viper
opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain
in 1990 and set the records for tallest (188 feet tall) and fastest (70 mph) looping coaster. All three coasters were designed by Arrow Dynamics
, and all three had the same inversions in the same order: three vertical loops, a batwing, and two corkscrews. Viper is nearly identical to the former Shockwave and Great American Scream Machine but has a slightly different ending, different transition between the first two vertical loops, and differently angled corners, creating a more compact ride footprint. Currently, Viper is the only one of these three coasters still open, as Great American Scream Machine has also closed on July 18, 2010, and has since been demolished.
Roller coaster
The roller coaster is a popular amusement ride developed for amusement parks and modern theme parks. LaMarcus Adna Thompson patented the first coasters on January 20, 1885...
manufactured by Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
at Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America
Six Flags Great America is a Six Flags theme park in the Chicago metropolitan area, located in Gurnee, Illinois. It first opened in 1976 as Marriott's Great America. Six Flags purchased the park from the Marriott Corporation in 1984, making it the seventh park in the chain...
in Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee, Illinois
Gurnee is a village in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 28,834 at the 2000 census, and estimated to be 30,772 in 2005. The village borders the city of Waukegan and is considered a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Gurnee is perhaps best known for being the location of...
. Standing 170 feet (51.8 m) tall and reaching speeds of 65 miles per hour (104.6 km/h), it opened in 1988 as the world's tallest and fastest looping roller coaster with an impressive seven inversions: three vertical loops, a butterfly corkscrew, and two regular corkscrews. The seven inversions also set a world record; the previous record was six on Vortex at Kings Island
Kings Island
Kings Island is a amusement park located northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Opened in 1972 by Taft Broadcasting Company and now owned by Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, Kings Island is the most visited seasonal amusement park in the U.S...
, which had opened the year before.
Operational issues
Shockwave was plagued with some operational issues throughout its lifetime. Due to the speed and stress from the train negotiating the first vertical loop, a track fracture developed and needed attention on a regular basis in order to remain safe for operation. The wheels for the ride were quite expensive and, according to some ride operators, wore out quickly, which required a vigilant crew and frequent closures for a period of ten to fifteen minutes for maintenance staff to be dispatched to change them out. The coaster gained a reputation as being an overly intense ride, as evidenced by postings in roller coaster enthusiast newsgroups and forums. Finally, a rumored accident involving a wheel separation in August 2002, coupled with these issues, may have led to the ride being taken down in fall 2002 to make way for Superman: Ultimate FlightSuperman: Ultimate Flight
Superman: Ultimate Flight is a steel flying roller coaster manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard. Themed to the popular comic book character, Superman: Ultimate Flight has been installed at three Six Flags theme parks around the United States. Superman: Ultimate Flight simulates flying like the...
, which had originally been slated to replace the smaller Whizzer
Whizzer (roller coaster)
Whizzer is the name of two identical roller coasters built for the Marriott Corporation for each of their “Great America” parks at their debut in 1976. One was built in Gurnee, Illinois, at Six Flags Great America and the other in Santa Clara, California, at what is now California's Great America....
roller coaster. Since Whizzer was far more popular than Shockwave, the decision was made to keep Whizzer and tear down Shockwave instead. The ride was dismantled and placed into storage behind the park and offered for sale. After attempts to sell the coaster or relocate it to another Six Flags park failed, it was scrapped at the end of Six Flags Great America's 2004 season. To this day, coaster fans lament the decision to replace the intense and classic Shockwave with the tame and uneventful Superman: Ultimate Flight, although the occasional complaints of roughness and demise of Arrow Dynamics all but assured it's ouster from Great America.
Remains of Shockwave
After the installation of Superman: Ultimate Flight, much of Shockwave was demolished and sold as scrap in 2004, although certain pieces can still be found throughout the park today:- Most of the track and supports went to a scrapyard in Zion, IL.
- The red train went to Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
to use for spare parts on this ride's near-identical twin, Great American Scream Machine. - The yellow and blue trains went to Six Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic MountainSix Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
for parts on their similar seven-inversion coaster ViperViper (Six Flags Magic Mountain)Viper is a steel roller coaster made by Arrow Dynamics of the United States. The roller coaster is located in the Baja Ridge area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California....
. - The sign at the ride's entrance was donated to the American Coaster EnthusiastsAmerican Coaster EnthusiastsThe American Coaster Enthusiasts is an organization dedicated to the enjoyment and preservation of roller coasters. Membership is open to anyone with payment of yearly dues, and membership benefits may include discounted admission to certain amusement parks...
' Museum. - Several bolts were auctioned off at a coaster convention.
- A few support poles remain in Great America's employee parking lot.
- The lift motor was installed on the park's Demon roller coaster, also by Arrow.
- The large metal gates that were once part of Shockwave’s entrance were painted black and can be found during Fright FestFright FestFright Fest or FrightFest is a Halloween-oriented event that takes place at some theme parks, notably Six Flags parks, called "Six Flags Fright Fest", and PARC Management-owned parks, called "FrightFest".-General information:...
as part of the entrance to the Seven Sins Cemetery. - A portion of the spiral staircase once used to gain access to a maintenance platform between the 3rd loop and block brake is now used at the base of Whizzer’sWhizzer (roller coaster)Whizzer is the name of two identical roller coasters built for the Marriott Corporation for each of their “Great America” parks at their debut in 1976. One was built in Gurnee, Illinois, at Six Flags Great America and the other in Santa Clara, California, at what is now California's Great America....
lift hill. - An air compressor and a scrap of track are being used as props for Fright Fest.
- The station was moved into the junk/bone yard area near the employee parking lot and was boarded up and is now used for storage.
- The main queue house for Shockwave was retained and is used now as the queue house for Superman: Ultimate Flight.
- A small segment of track was re-fabricated for use on Demon to replace a corroding segment of track.
- A small scrap of the ride consisting of a rail and rail tie was taken from the junkyard by a roller coaster enthusiast. http://flickr.com/photos/jonrev/2769431215/
The ride
On Shockwave, riders were seated and pulled down their over-the-shoulder restraints. They exited the station, rolling over the transfer track, and entered a short drop before making a tight un-banked U-turn toward the lift. Once at the top of the lift, the riders entered the roughly 150-degrees-to-the-left twisting drop, speeding down to the ground. They then climbed up to the first vertical loop, high above the queue line. A roughly 90-degree left turn followed, and then the two consecutive vertical loops. Next, the train rose up and negotiated a very tight left turn into the mid-course/block brake. After a braking, riders went through a zig-zag turn and drop and entered the boomerang/batwing element, getting their pictures taken between the two inversions. Upon exiting the element, the train made a roughly 180-degree turn to the right and entered the two back-to-back "right-hand" or "clockwise" corkscrews. Finally, riders went over a small bunny hill and made a roughly 210-degree turn to the left, entering the long brake run leading to the station.Other information
A year after Shockwave opened, The Great American Scream Machine debuted at Six Flags Great AdventureSix Flags Great Adventure
Six Flags Great Adventure is a theme park in Jackson Township, New Jersey, owned by Six Flags Entertainment Corp., the world's largest amusement park corporation...
; this coaster had exactly the same layout that Shockwave had but was three feet taller and had a top speed of 68 mi/h, and had its camera at the corkscrews, instead of the boomerang. Both records, like those of Shockwave before it, lasted only one year: Viper
Viper (Six Flags Magic Mountain)
Viper is a steel roller coaster made by Arrow Dynamics of the United States. The roller coaster is located in the Baja Ridge area of Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California....
opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Six Flags Magic Mountain is a theme park located in Valencia, California north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 30, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company. In 1979, Six Flags purchased the park and added the name Six Flags to the park's title. In...
in 1990 and set the records for tallest (188 feet tall) and fastest (70 mph) looping coaster. All three coasters were designed by Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics
Arrow Dynamics was a roller coaster and amusement ride design company based in Clearfield, Utah, United States. In 2002, the company went bankrupt but was quickly bought by fellow amusement ride manufacturer S&S Power to form S&S Arrow. During its peak, Arrow Dynamics was responsible for some of...
, and all three had the same inversions in the same order: three vertical loops, a batwing, and two corkscrews. Viper is nearly identical to the former Shockwave and Great American Scream Machine but has a slightly different ending, different transition between the first two vertical loops, and differently angled corners, creating a more compact ride footprint. Currently, Viper is the only one of these three coasters still open, as Great American Scream Machine has also closed on July 18, 2010, and has since been demolished.
External links
- ShockWave on RCDB
- All Things Shockwave Forum post from a former Shockwave Ride-Op.