Texas Giant
Encyclopedia
The Texas Giant is a hybrid roller coaster
located at Six Flags Over Texas
in Arlington, Texas
. It is currently the tallest steel-hybrid roller coaster in the world at a height of 153 ft (46.6 m) which features a 79° drop of 147 ft (44.8 m), and turns banked up to 95°. The coaster uses a brand new type of all steel track which results in the Texas Giant no longer being a purely wooden roller coaster
. The redesigned ride is a steel-tracked coaster with the original wooden support structure (i.e. a hybrid roller coaster) which enables the ride to be much smoother than it was in previous seasons. In addition to new track, the Texas Giant also received new trains and a new control system. The coaster reopened to the public on April 22, 2011 as part of the park's 50th anniversary celebration.
. The wood for the roller coaster construction was purchased from Dean Lumber Company in Gilmer, Texas
, as the Dean tags can still be seen on the boards. The trains were manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company
. The Texas Giant opened on March 17, 1990. At opening it featured three trains which held 28 riders each. After its first year of operation, these seven-car trains were shortened to six-car trains. Also, the double-up turn around feature was converted into a sweeping turn and trim brakes were added before certain high stress areas. In 2006, the ride received new gates in its station. The Texas Giant required major rehabs during the winter months, thus kept it closed for Six Flags Over Texas' Holiday in the Park
event. The Texas Giant closed at the end of the 2009 season for extensive renovations which took the entire 2010 season to complete and cost approximately 10 million dollars. It reopened for the 2011 season in time for the park's 50th anniversary with an all new track design and new trains.
for being rated highest on its list of "Top 10 Wood Roller Coasters of 1999". Following its 2010 renovation, the Texas Giant also won a Golden Ticket Award in 2011 for "Best New Ride for 2011 (Amusement Park)".
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...
located at Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is a major amusement park located in Arlington, Texas , east of Fort Worth and about west of Dallas. It is the oldest park of the Six Flags chain. The park opened on August 5, 1961 following just a year of construction and an initial investment of US$10 million by real estate...
in Arlington, Texas
Arlington, Texas
Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas within the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. According to the 2010 census results, the city had a population of 365,438, making it the third largest municipality in the Metroplex...
. It is currently the tallest steel-hybrid roller coaster in the world at a height of 153 ft (46.6 m) which features a 79° drop of 147 ft (44.8 m), and turns banked up to 95°. The coaster uses a brand new type of all steel track which results in the Texas Giant no longer being a purely wooden roller coaster
Wooden roller coaster
A wooden roller coaster is most often classified as a roller coaster with laminated steel running rails overlaid upon a wooden track. Occasionally, the structure may be made out of a steel lattice or truss, but the ride remains classified as a wooden roller coaster due to the track design...
. The redesigned ride is a steel-tracked coaster with the original wooden support structure (i.e. a hybrid roller coaster) which enables the ride to be much smoother than it was in previous seasons. In addition to new track, the Texas Giant also received new trains and a new control system. The coaster reopened to the public on April 22, 2011 as part of the park's 50th anniversary celebration.
History
The Texas Giant was originally constructed by Dinn CorporationDinn Corporation
Dinn Corporation was a former roller coaster designing and manufacturing company established in West Chester, Ohio in 1983 by Charles Dinn. They are noted for building twelve wooden roller coasters in the United States, including:* Georgia Cyclone* Hercules...
. The wood for the roller coaster construction was purchased from Dean Lumber Company in Gilmer, Texas
Gilmer, Texas
Gilmer is also the name of a county in West Virginia.Gilmer is a town in and the county seat of Upshur County, Texas, United States. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census...
, as the Dean tags can still be seen on the boards. The trains were manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company
Philadelphia Toboggan Company
The Philadelphia Toboggan Company is one of the oldest existing roller coaster manufacturing companies in the world.Mack Rides of Germany dates back to 1781, but it did not start building coasters until 1921 Based in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, it was established in 1904 by Henry B...
. The Texas Giant opened on March 17, 1990. At opening it featured three trains which held 28 riders each. After its first year of operation, these seven-car trains were shortened to six-car trains. Also, the double-up turn around feature was converted into a sweeping turn and trim brakes were added before certain high stress areas. In 2006, the ride received new gates in its station. The Texas Giant required major rehabs during the winter months, thus kept it closed for Six Flags Over Texas' Holiday in the Park
Holiday in the Park
Holiday in the Park is a Christmas-oriented event that takes place at several Six Flags parks.-General Information:Six Flags began the tradition at Six Flags Over Texas in 1985 that ran through late November to early January...
event. The Texas Giant closed at the end of the 2009 season for extensive renovations which took the entire 2010 season to complete and cost approximately 10 million dollars. It reopened for the 2011 season in time for the park's 50th anniversary with an all new track design and new trains.
Records and awards
When opened in 1990, Texas Giant had the highest lift of any wooden roller coaster in the world at 143 feet (43.6 m). It was presented the Golden Ticket Award from Amusement TodayAmusement Today
Amusement Today is a monthly periodical featuring articles, news, pictures, and reviews about all things relating to the amusement park industry, including parks, rides, and ride manufacturers. The magazine, which is based in Arlington, Texas, USA, was founded in 1997 by Gary Slade and Virgil...
for being rated highest on its list of "Top 10 Wood Roller Coasters of 1999". Following its 2010 renovation, the Texas Giant also won a Golden Ticket Award in 2011 for "Best New Ride for 2011 (Amusement Park)".
| Golden Ticket Awards: Top Steel Roller Coasters | |
|---|---|
| Year | 2011 |
| Ranking | |
See also
- Mean StreakMean StreakMean Streak is a wooden roller coaster located at Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. Opened in 1991 and constructed using 1.7 million board feet of treated Southern Yellow Pine, it was one of the tallest, fastest and longest wooden roller coasters in the world...
at Cedar PointCedar PointCedar Point is a 364 acre amusement park located in Sandusky, Ohio, United States on a narrow peninsula jutting into Lake Erie. Cedar Point is the only amusement park with four roller coasters that are taller than...
, a roller coaster that opened in 1991 which bears similarity to the Texas Giant before its renovation.
External links
- Official webpage
- Texas Giant Article and photos of this roller coaster.