Goliath (La Ronde)

Goliath is a steel coaster roller coaster at La Ronde located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Designed by Bolliger & Mabillard, it reaches a maximum height of 174.8 feet (53.3 m), a speed of 68.4 miles per hour (110.1 km/h) and a track length of 4,038.8 feet (1,231.0 m). Construction commenced in September 2005, and the roller coaster opened to the public on May 13, 2006. Goliath was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada until it was surpassed by Behemoth (another Bolliger & Mabillard roller coaster), at Canada's Wonderland's in 2008. Six Flags announced that Goliath would be hooked up with Virtual Reality for a New Revolution experience for the 2016 season,[1] which was previously made as a world premiere in 2013 by a Montreal VR company. [2]

Goliath
Most of Goliath's layout
La Ronde
Location	La Ronde
Coordinates	45.527812°N 73.536299°W / 45.527812; -73.536299
Status	Operating
Opening date	May 13, 2006 (May 13, 2006)
Cost	$18,700,000
General statistics
Type	Steel
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Model	Hyper Coaster
Track layout	Out and back
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	174.8 ft (53.3 m)
Drop	170.6 ft (52.0 m)
Length	4,038.8 ft (1,231.0 m)
Speed	68.4 mph (110.1 km/h)
Inversions	0
Duration	3:00
Max vertical angle	70°
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Trains	2 trains with 9 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 36 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Goliath at RCDB Pictures of Goliath at RCDB

History

Speculation that La Ronde would be building a new roller coaster began in the second half of 2004. Rumors that the roller coaster would be manufactured by Bolliger & Mabillard emerged in September 2005.[3] Construction for the roller coaster by Martin & Vleminckx[4] began in September 2005 with land clearing and foundation pouring.[5] The $18.7 million Goliath was announced on October 26, 2005.[6] By mid-November, the storage bay was constructed with track pieces for the brake run and station being installed soon after. Construction on the lift hill continued throughout December and was topped off (the highest piece the lift hill) on December 21. The first drop was completed by mid-January 2006 followed by the first camelback hill which was completed by the end of February. After the second and third camelback hills were installed, the turnaround was completed in mid-March.[5] The three camelback hills and banked turns leading back to the station were installed by the end of March marking the completion of installing track. The trains were also delivered in late March. After the cars were put on the track in April, testing began.[7] Once testing was complete, Goliath opened to the public on May 13, 2006.[8]

When Goliath opened, it was the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Canada. Two years later, when Behemoth opened at Canada's Wonderland, Goliath lost both records.[6][9]

Ride experience

After being dispatched from the station, the train immediately begins to climb the 174.8 feet (53.3 m) lift hill. Once at the top, the train drops back down 170.6 feet (52.0 m) at a 70-degree angle. The train then makes a banked right turn leading into the first of three consecutive camelback hills; each at a height of 121.4 feet (37.0 m), 95.2 feet (29.0 m) and 78.8 feet (24.0 m) (every hill is smaller than the previous one). Following the third hill, the train enters a 75.5 feet (23.0 m) left hand turnaround that makes the train face the opposite direction that it came. After dropping back down to the ground, the train goes over another three camleback hills; each at a height of 68.9 feet (21.0 m), 59.1 feet (18.0 m) and 52.5 feet (16.0 m). Then, the train makes an upward 45.9 feet (14.0 m) right banked turn, immediately followed by a downward left banked turn. After another 42.7 feet (13.0 m) left banked turn, the train rises back up and goes over a small bump before entering the final brake run. The train then makes a 180-degree right turn leading back to the station.[10] One cycle of the ride lasts about three minutes.[6]

Characteristics

Track

The steel track of Goliath is approximately 4,038.8 feet (1,231.0 m) long, and the height of the lift is 174.8 feet (53.3 m) high.[8][6] It is made up of 150 foundations, 300 pilings, 106 supports and 850 anchor bolts.[6] The roller coasters has no inversions though it does feature seven camelback hills.[10] The track is painted red with yellow rails while the supports are painted blue. It was manufactured by Clermont Steel Fabricators located in Batavia, Ohio.[11][12]

Though Goliath is a B&M Hyper Coaster (the model name for this type of B&M roller coaster), the roller coaster is technically not classified as a Hypercoaster. A Hypercoaster is any roller coaster that reaches a height over 200 feet (61 m); Goliath reaches only 175 feet (53 m).[13][14][15]

Trains

Goliath operates with two steel and fiberglass trains. Each train has nine cars which can seat four riders in a single row, for a total of 36 riders per train; each seat has its own individual lap-bar restraint.[8][16] The structure of the trains are colored yellow, red and blue. The seats are blue and the restraints are yellow.[16]

Awards

In Goliath's opening year, it was voted the 37th best steel roller coaster in Amusement Today's Golden Ticket Awards.[17] The roller coaster peaked at position 23 in 2011.[18] It did not place in the top five new roller coasters for 2006.[17]

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters

Year	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
Ranking	37[19]	37[20]	28[21]	25[22]	30[23]	23[24]	25[25]	23[26]	26 (tie)[27]	36[28]	31[29]	41 (tie)[30]	41[31]

References

1. "New Revolution Virtual Reality Coaster |". www.sixflags.com. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
2. Source: https://forums.oculus.com/viewtopic.php?t=3291
3. Hart, Lance. "La Ronde (Screamscape)". Screamscape. Archived from the original on October 31, 2005. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
4. "Bolliger & Mabillard". Martin & Vleminckx. Archived from the original on 15 February 2014. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
5. "Goliath Construction (September 2005 - March 2006)". La Ronde. Archived from the original on March 24, 2006. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
6. Marden, Duane. "La Ronde announces the construction of Goliath, Canada's tallest and fastest roller coaster". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
7. "Goliath Construction (November 2005 - May 2006)". La Ronde. Archived from the original on October 18, 2006. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
8. Marden, Duane. "Goliath  (La Ronde)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
9. Veczan, Adrien (August 4, 2009). "Big picture month: Canada's Wonderland". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on August 19, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
10. "Goliath Front Seat on-ride HD POV La Ronde, Montreal, Canada". wwwCOASTERFORCEcom/YouTube. September 26, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
11. Guido, Anna (November 7, 2005). "Steel plant's business on fast track". Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on January 7, 2006. Retrieved August 10, 2013.
12. "Scott & Carol Present: Getting On Track With B&M". NewsPlusNotes. December 11, 2008. Archived from the original on February 26, 2013. Retrieved August 12, 2013.
13. Bullock, Joel. "What is a Hyper Coaster?". The Coaster Critic. Archived from the original on May 30, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
14. "MAGNUM XL-200". Ultimate Rollercoaster. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
15. "Hyper Coaster". Bolliger & Mabillard. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
16. Marden, Duane. "Goliath Photo Gallery". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
17. "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-05.
18. "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-19.
19. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
20. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 11 (6.2): 36–37. September 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
21. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 12 (6.2): 36–37. September 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
22. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 13 (6.2): 32–33. September 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
23. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 14 (6.2): 34–35. September 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
24. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 15 (6.2): 38–39. September 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
25. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
26. "2013 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (6.2): 34–35. September 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
27. "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
28. "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
29. "2016 top 50 steel roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
30. "2017 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
31. "2018 Top 50 Steel Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2015.

External links

• Official website