Iron Rattler
| Iron Rattler | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Six Flags Fiesta Texas | |
| Park section | Crackaxle Canyon |
| Coordinates | 29°35′55″N 98°36′47″W / 29.59861°N 98.61306°WCoordinates: 29°35′55″N 98°36′47″W / 29.59861°N 98.61306°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Opening date | March 14, 1992 May 25, 2013Renovation |
| General Statistics | |
| Type | Steel |
| Manufacturer | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | Alan Schilke |
| Model | Custom |
| Track layout | Terrain |
| Lift/launch system | Chain |
| Height | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Drop | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Length | 3,266 ft (995 m) |
| Speed | 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Inversions | 1 |
| Duration | 1:52 |
| Max vertical angle | 81° |
| Capacity | 850 riders per hour |
| Iron Rattler at RCDB Pictures of Iron Rattler at RCDB |
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Iron Rattler is a steel roller coaster located at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio, Texas. The ride is a redesigned version of The Rattler, utilizing some of the original wooden support structure but featuring a new steel track. The distance between the lowest and highest points of the first drop was increased from 124 to 171 feet (38 to 52 m) and the drop was made steeper by changing the angle to 81 degrees. The resulting modifications increased the speed of the trains from 65 to 70 miles per hour (105 to 110 km/h). It is also the first hybrid wood and steel roller coaster to feature an inversion — in the form of a barrel roll.[1]
The new Iron Rattler was designed by Alan Schilke and built by Rocky Mountain Construction.[2]
History
The Rattler (1992–2012)
The Rattler was constructed by Roller Coaster Corporation of America. When the coaster debuted on March 14, 1992, it was the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in the world, with a height of 179 feet (55 m), a first drop of 166 feet (51 m) and a top speed of 73 mph (117 km/h), outdoing its then rival, Mean Streak at Ohio's Cedar Point. Designer John Pierce stated that the original plans kept changing as Gaylord insisted on having the tallest wooden coaster in the world.[3] It held this title until 1994, when The Rattler's first drop was drastically shortened from 166 to 124 feet (51 to 38 m), resulting in a reduction of its top speed from 73 to 65 miles per hour (117 to 105 km/h).[4]
On July 9, 2012, Six Flags Fiesta Texas announced that The Rattler would close on August 5, 2012, giving locals and enthusiasts a little less than four weeks to take their last rides.[5][4] At the end of the operating day on August 5, 2012, park personnel and select enthusiasts took the final ride, after which, The Rattler, as a wood coaster, ceased operation.[6]
Iron Rattler (2013–)
In January 2012, the Spokane Journal of Business in Spokane, Washington conducted an interview with Rocky Mountain Construction. In the interview, it was stated that The Rattler would be completely refurbished in 2013 with new track and trains in a manner similar to that used by the company on the New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas in 2011.[7][8]
On August 30, 2012, Six Flags Fiesta Texas officially announced that they would revamp The Rattler into Iron Rattler for the 2013 season. The renovation was performed by Rocky Mountain Construction. Iron Rattler features Rocky Mountain Construction's I-Box steel track on some of the original wooden coaster supports, Rattler-themed trains supplied by Gerstlauer, and a barrel roll.[1][9] The National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives announced on April 16, 2013, they would be auctioning off the first ride of Iron Rattler on the evening of May 17, 2013 and proceeds going towards the museum.[10] Also a soft-opening was held to the media on May 15, 2013. The grand opening of the Iron Rattler is May 25th, 2013.[11][12]
Ride experience
Iron Rattler is Rocky Mountain Construction's second installation of I-Box track,[9] and the first to feature a barrel roll inversion.[11]
Layout
The themed Rattler train exits out of the station and turns around under Road Runner Express, where it then goes up the chain lift hill, before dropping a 171 feet (52 m) drop at an angle of 81°. Then heads back up over the quarry where the train does an over-banked turn before dropping back down off the quarry wall. After that it goes back up and will do a zero-g-roll across the quarry wall to three over-banked turns (where the giant 900° helix used to be) before dropping back off the quarry towards and back into the tunnel.[9]
Iron Rattler features four over-banked turns at top speeds of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h).[11]
Location
Iron Rattler is located in the Western-themed Crackaxle Canyon area of Fiesta Texas, sitting next to the Road Runner Express and The Gully Washer.
Comparison
| Statistic | The Rattler[13] | Iron Rattler[14] |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Roller Coaster Corporation of America | Rocky Mountain Construction |
| Designer | John Pierce | Alan Schilke |
| Track | Wood | Steel |
| Height | 179 feet or 55 metres | 180 feet or 55 metres |
| Drop | 124 feet or 38 metres | 171 feet or 52 metres |
| Length | 5,080 feet or 1,550 metres | 3,266 feet or 995 metres |
| Speed | 65 miles per hour or 105 kilometres per hour | 70 miles per hour or 110 kilometres per hour |
| Inversions | 0 | 1 |
| Max vertical angle | 61.4° | 81° |
Trivia
The Rattler was featured in the 1992 movie, Blank Check, where Preston Waters (Brian Bonsall) watches his friends ride the coaster, since he didn't have enough tokens to ride.[15]
References
- ^ a b Morton, Neal (August 30, 2012). "Steel up for Iron Rattler". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
- ^ Seifert, Jeffrey (2013). "2013 North American Park Preview". Amusement Today 17 (2): 6–7.
- ^ Baldwin, Tim (2000). "Defanged — A Rattler Perspective". RollerCoaster! Magazine (Mission, Kansas: American Coaster Enthusiasts) 21 (2): 21–25. ISSN 0896-7261.
- ^ a b Pack, William (July 9, 2012). "Fiesta Texas' famed Rattler is going silent". MySanAntonio. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
- ^ Six Flags Fiesta Texas (July 9, 2012). "Last Chance to Ride The Rattler as it Slithers Away". Press Release. Six Flags. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ^ Rutherford, Scott (2012). "Parks removing icons to gear up for 2013 new rides". Amusement Today 16 (6.1): 10.
- ^ McLean, Mike (January 19, 2012). "North Idaho roller coaster maker expands to accommodate innovations". Spokane Journal of Business. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ Alvey, Robb (November 16, 2011). "IAAPA 2011 Trade Show Part 3 Orlando Florida Theme Park Review Rocky Mountain Sally". Theme Park Review. YouTube. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c Thompson, Mike (2012). "Rattler to get the kinks ironed out". ACE News (Zanesville, Ohio: American Coaster Enthusiasts) 25 (1): 6.
- ^ National Roller Coaster Museum and Archives (April 16, 2013). "The NRCMA is holding an auction to...". Facebook. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
- ^ a b c Morton, Neal (May 15, 2013). "Enthusiasts get a shaky first ride on Iron Rattler". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "171-foot free fall! Natalie Tejeda's hilarious scream down Iron Rattler". kens5.com. May 15, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Rattler". Database Entry. Roller Coaster DataBase. Archived from the original on 9 December 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ Marden, Duane. "Iron Rattler (Six Flags Fiesta Texas)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved 16 November 2012.
- ^ Rattler featured in Blank Check
External links
- Iron Rattler on Six Flags Fiesta Texas Official Website
- A video (POV) of The Rattler taken after its heavy re-profile
- A video (POV) of The Rattler taken before its heavy re-profile
- A video clip from NBC News when The Rattler made its debut
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