SFOT Temporarily Closing Texas Giant in2010

[AV Matt]

But it's very difficult to run three trains today due to slow ride ops and stupid guests with all of their valuable lose articles. Titian especially has trouble efficiently running three trains. Rides like this would be better off with only two trains and no block brake. The ride would be much more exciting and there should be no stacking and a minor drop in capacity (if any).

That said, the midcourse brake on Titan (and Goliath) is NEEDED to keep the riders from dying in the subsequent helix. I can't imagine the G's in that thing without coming to a near complete stop on the midcourse first. Even crawling off the brake, the helix is the most powerful moment of positive G's I've experienced on over 500 coasters.

[rjholla2003]

I never will understand why they have a midcourse block brake on some rides. It just ruins the momentum of the entire ride.

http://capital2.capital.edu/admin-staff/dalthoff/blocking.html

[B-mac]

thanks matt and reggie. That makes it much clearer. So how rough does the Texas Giant get?

[AV Matt]

It gets pretty rough! lol  On its bad days it makes Rolling Thunder seem pretty darn smooth, but on its good days, it's not much worse than Rolling Thunder, yet fast and furious like El Toro's twister section before the two dead hills at the end. Sorry for the bit of a run-on sentence there.

[B-mac]

They should use the timberliners on the Texas Giant, if it gets that rough.

[AV Matt]

Since Six Flags isn't willing to put enough effort into frequent track TLC, yes, they certainly should put Timberliners on the Giant. I'd rather that ride run consistently well than occasionally amazing and often terrible. It was terrible when Rob and Chuck were with me in 2007.

[PcMan]

Six Flags Over Texas introduces new track design for Texas Giant renovation (Mar. 3, 2010) The Texas Giant's $10 million makeover officially got underway this week at Six Flags Over Texas.
Check out the RED TRACK  yes its steel not 9 layer laminated wood



During a press introduction Wednesday, the Arlington, Texas park, debuted the newest in track design for the traditional wooden coaster with the unveiling of Iron Horse Coaster track. The steel I-beam design is the result of three years of engineering. The Chinchillian Red painted track is not bent, but is cut, then welded together in 40 to 53-foot lengths before being bolted to the Texas Giant's wooden support structure. The new track design does not use any wood on the track bed, nor does it use any track bolts. A newly engineered galvanized ledger design, that the Iron Horse Coaster track bolts to, acts as the spine/backbone for the steel railed track. Weight of the new track is said to be about the same as the former 9-ply wooden track complete with steel track and track bolts.

The park also announced that when the new Texas Giant opens in spring 2011, it will stand 153 feet tall, 10 feet taller than it is now, feature a 79-degree first drop and will incorporate numerous 95-degree banked turns throughout the ride. The coaster will also be faster, reaching speeds of 65 mph.

"This ride is going to take the entire industry by storm," said Steve Martindale, Six Flags Over Texas park president. "Six Flags has built a reputation for developing original ride concepts and the Texas Giant will be our crowing jewel." Construction of the super hybrid coaster will be done by Rocky Mountain Construction Group of Hayden, Idaho.

Other details about the Texas Giant's renovation have yet to be to be announced.

source
http://www.amusementtoday.com/

[AV Matt]

LAME. It's no longer a wood coaster.

[CoasterPrince]

79 degree first drop?!? Will this be the best woodie in America soon if not the world!

[kingdakafan]

LAME. It's no longer a wood coaster.

so is it now a hybrid like Gemini?

[nitrorox1414]

wait im confused what is the red thing?

[GADVwow]

Track....

[nitrorox1414]

Ohhh I kindof see in the picture now

[dkny6363]

This whole thing is very strange.

[GADVwow]

...which is what many in the US said about El Toro as it was being built...

[WadeJ]

I'm sorry but this is crap.  Glad I already rode it over 20 times.

[kingdakafan]

I never will understand why they have a midcourse block brake on some rides. It just ruins the momentum of the entire ride.

http://capital2.capital.edu/admin-staff/dalthoff/blocking.html

The Rule:
Thou shalt not allow more than one train to occupy any block, at any time, for any reason, lest thy trains collide resulting in much wailing and gnashing of teeth.

the last half is prob the reason for them

[Bubba Z]

Now I really don't care if i miss it this summer. It's no longer the real thing.

[rjholla2003]

As I said on ThrillNetwork:

If Six Flags calls this a woodie, and everyone follows suit, can I call The Voyage and Hades steel?  But I do appreciate that the steel rails are wooden rail-shaped. Shall we call them...Stwooden?

[Steve]

I wish I went on it...

[nitrorox1414]

Wasnt it like Rolling Thunder, like pothole wise?

[AV Matt]

No it just shook you all night long, sometimes too much. But it was a wild, out of control woodie. Now it's going to be like Gemini and Excalibur.

[GADVwow]

Compare and contrast Hercules and/or Son of Beast...

[Robert T Ackerman]

Now I really don't care if i miss it this summer. It's no longer the real thing.

Shockwave back seat and Mr Freeze are the lick. You'll be fine

[kingdakafan]

if you didnt already know apparently the new trains are supposed to be made by (wait for it...) Gerstlauer. ugh.