Goliath (Six Flags Great America)

Goliath is a wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois. Manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and designed by Alan Schilke, the roller coaster features RMC's Topper Track design and opened to the public on June 19, 2014. Goliath initially set three world records among wooden coasters, having the longest drop at 180 feet (55 m), the steepest angle of 85 degrees, and the fastest speed of 72 mph (116 km/h). It still holds the record for the longest drop. In addition, the ride also features two inversions and a maximum descent that reaches 15 feet (4.6 m) below ground level.

Goliath
Goliath's 180 feet (55 m) drop
Six Flags Great America
LocationSix Flags Great America
Park sectionCounty Fair
Coordinates42.366111°N 87.931111°W / 42.366111; -87.931111
StatusOperating
Soft opening dateJune 18, 2014 (2014-06-18)[1]
Opening dateJune 19, 2014 (2014-06-19)[2]
Cost$10,000,000[3]
ReplacedIron Wolf, and Z-Force
General statistics
ManufacturerRocky Mountain Construction
DesignerAlan Schilke
ModelTopper Track – Custom
Lift/launch systemChain lift hill
Height165 ft (50 m)
Drop180 ft (55 m)
Length3,100 ft (940 m)
Speed72 mph (116 km/h)
Inversions2
Duration1:45
Max vertical angle85°
Capacity24 riders per hour
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Trains2 trains with 6 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 24 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Single rider line available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Goliath at RCDB
Pictures of Goliath at RCDB

Goliath was constructed over a nine-month period on the site previously occupied by Iron Wolf, a steel roller coaster removed in 2011 and relocated to Six Flags America. Goliath's opening allowed Great America to claim the title of having the most wooden track in one park, a recognition that was later claimed by Kings Island. Following its record-breaking debut, the coaster was well-received by the media and enthusiasts, and it has consistently ranked in the top 25 among wooden coasters in the annual Golden Ticket Awards publication from Amusement Today.

History

On August 5, 2011, Six Flags Great America announced on their official Facebook page that the Iron Wolf would be closing permanently on September 5, 2011.[4][5] The ride was subsequently removed and relocated to Six Flags America, where it reopened as Apocalypse: The Last Stand. For a brief period, Great America did not release any definitive plans for the site's replacement.[6]

In early August 2013, Six Flags Great America released a teaser campaign entitled "Follow the Journey".[7][8] Later that month, it was revealed Six Flags Great America would be building a 165-foot-tall roller coaster (50 m), with plans to lobby the local zoning committee to exceed the 125-foot (38 m) height limit imposed on the park.[8][9][10][11] The official announcement for Goliath came on August 29, 2013, where it was revealed the new wooden roller coaster would be manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction (RMC) and open in 2014.[12] As part of the announcement, the ride's statistics were released, along with a concept computer-animated video demonstrating the ride's layout.[12][13][14] Situated on the site of the former Iron Wolf, Goliath would utilize a majority of the station and line queue from the former ride, lengthening the station to accommodate the longer twelve-row trains.[15][16]

Final design photos were released on Great America's Facebook page on February 21, 2014.[17][18] These revealed a design change in Goliath's lift hill, which was modified to an all-steel structure as opposed to the original wood design. Another computer-animated video was also released on the park's official YouTube channel the same day.[19]

Construction began in September 2013, employing a crew of approximately 35 workers by RMC.[20] The team worked 11-hour days, six days a week through winter in occasional sub-zero temperatures finishing in May 2014,[20] which amounted to approximately 40,000 man hours.[21] The lift hill was topped off on May 16, 2014,[6] with the first test run taking place two weeks later on May 31.[22] Lightning struck a small section of the ride's station on June 6, 2014, causing it to catch fire briefly before being extinguished.[1] There were no reported injuries or major damage.[1] After testing was completed, Goliath officially opened to the public on June 19, 2014.[2][20]

Characteristics

Goliath is Rocky Mountain Construction's second wooden roller coaster, following the opening of Silver Dollar City's Outlaw Run in early 2013.[23] Although the ride is located in the County Fair section of Six Flags Great America,[14] the name and theme of the ride was chosen purely on the basis of the ride's size and scale.[15] The 3,100-foot-long (940 m) ride stands 165 feet (50 m) tall; however, the ride drops a total of 180 feet (55 m) at an angle of 85° into an underground tunnel. Goliath features two inversions, two overbanked turns, and a top speed of 72 miles per hour (116 km/h).[13][15] Because Goliath was built in such a small space, the lift hill is abnormally steep at an angle of 45°.[24] The entire track has been filled with grout to allow a quieter and smoother ride experience. The ride was designed by Alan Schilke.[25]

Track
Goliath's zero gravity stall inversion

The 3,100 feet (940 m) of track is made of six layers of laminated wood, with a steel square tube acting as the topmost layer of track.[21] The steel square tube is known as Topper Track and is found on many roller coasters that Rocky Mountain Construction has renovated, as well as Outlaw Run.[26][27] This track style is designed to reduce the maintenance typically required for a wooden roller coaster and to provide a smoother ride experience.[21] Rocky Mountain Construction spent four years developing technology to allow them to twist beams of wood, that make up the lower layers of the track.[28] This track configuration allows for more dynamic roller coaster elements to be performed on a wooden roller coaster.[21]

Trains

Goliath operates with two trains manufactured by Rocky Mountain Construction. Each train is made up of six cars, with riders being arranged in two rows of two for a total of 24 riders per train.[15] This configuration caters for approximately 800 riders per hour. The trains feature polyurethane wheels, allowing for a quieter ride. Riders are restrained through the use of an individual lap bar, shinbar, and seatbelt.[13][29]

Ride experience
A train going through an overbanked turn on Goliath

The ride begins with a left turn out of the station before ascending the 165-foot-tall (50 m) chain lift hill at a 45° angle. From the highest point, trains drop 180 feet (55 m) at an angle of 85°, 15 feet (4.6 m) below ground level, reaching their top speed of 72 miles per hour (116 km/h). After this, cars ascend to a height of 125 feet (38 m) for an overbanked turnaround, followed by a descent back to the ground and a small air-time hill. A dive loop is next, where riders are inverted before descending a half loop. The track then enters the second inversion, a zero gravity stall, where the train is suspended upside-down as it crests over a hill underneath the lift hill. This element is followed by a second overbanked turnaround, leading to the brake run and a short path back to the station.[30][31] One cycle of the ride takes approximately 105 seconds to complete.[15]

Records

Goliath claimed three Guinness World Records upon opening. The ride's 180-foot-tall (55 m) drop at 85° is both the steepest and longest in the world for wooden roller coasters. Goliath was also the fastest wooden roller coaster in the world, with a top speed of 72 miles per hour (116 km/h).[13][14] This record was surpassed by Lightning Rod at Dollywood by a single mile per hour at 73 mph in Spring 2016.[32] After Goliath opened, Six Flags Great America had the most wooden roller coaster track of any amusement park in the world.[33] However, this record was later surpassed by Kings Island with the opening of Mystic Timbers in 2017.[34]

Reception

The opening of Goliath was widely reported across the world,[35][36][37] with those experiencing the ride giving positive reviews. Jessica D'Onofrio of ABC7 Chicago stated Goliath was the smoothest roller coaster she had ever been on, describing it as "a great adrenaline rush".[2] Marcus Leshock of WGN-TV commended the uniqueness of the zero-g stall element, stating "it's something I've never really felt on a coaster before". He describes hanging upside down as a "really nice, fun, exhilarating feeling" without feeling disoriented.[6] Reviewing the ride for Shaw Media, Taylor Trimby of American Coaster Enthusiasts described Goliath as a wonderful ride, stating "You don't have time to prepare for anything. ... You're twisting and turning. ... It's great".[38] Anthony Murphy of Theme Park Insider praised the ride for being "one of the most intense roller coasters" he has ever ridden.[29]

Golden Ticket Awards: Best New Ride for 2014
Ranking
3[39]
Golden Ticket Awards: Top wood Roller Coasters
Year201420152016201720182019
Ranking 23[40]14[41]13[42]13[43]19[44]27[45]
gollark: Oh, and THEY could never do evil things!
gollark: Consider the possibilities of repressive governments with access to this sort of information. Like China, actually.
gollark: You just don't want to use them.
gollark: There are perfectly good free things WITHOUT THE SPYING.
gollark: ... no, it's not?

References
  1. "Minor Fire Reported Near New Six Flags Great America Roller Coaster". NBC. June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  2. Figalora, Sarah (June 19, 2014). "Six Flags Opens Goliath, a Record-Breaking New Roller Coaster". Good Morning America. ABC News. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  3. "Goliath rises in Great America skyline - Chicago Tribune".
  4. Six Flags Great America (August 5, 2011). "After a long 21..." Facebook. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  5. Coasterholic14 (August 6, 2011). "Six Flags Great America Losing Long-time Stand-Up Coaster". COASTER-Net. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved August 23, 2011.
  6. Koss, Nick (August 15, 2014). "Goliath: Documenting a Giant Six Flags Great America 2014". YouTube. Cutback Productions. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  7. "Six Flags Great America Follow the Journey 2014". Six Flags Great America. YouTube. August 1, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  8. Casas, Gloria (August 19, 2013). "Great America Planning to Add New Coaster in 2014". Patch Media. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  9. "Agenda of the Regular Meeting of the Gurnee Planning and Zoning Board – August 21, 2013". The Village of Gurnee. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  10. Moran, Dan (August 18, 2013). "Proposal for new roller coaster at Great America is on the table". Lake County News-Sun. Archived from the original on August 29, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  11. "Great America gets OK on 150-ft.-high coaster". Chicago Sun-Times. Wrapports LLC. June 12, 2010. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2010.
  12. "Goliath | New for 2014 at Six Flags Great America". August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
  13. McCoppin, Robert (August 29, 2013). "Six Flags boasts latest ride will be world's fastest wooden rollercoaster". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  14. "New Great America roller coaster Goliath due in 2014". WLS-TV. American Broadcasting Company. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on December 19, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  15. Salemi, Hank (August 29, 2013). "Goliath – Media Event – Q & A". YouTube. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  16. Marden, Duane. "Iron Wolf  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved May 11, 2014.
  17. "Drum roll please... Six Flags Great America unveils final design artwork for Goliath, The World's Fastest Wooden Roller Coaster with Tallest and Steepest Drop!". February 21, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2014.
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  21. Snyder, Elizabeth (June 26, 2014). "Go Goliath: Record-setting wooden coaster opens at Six Flags". Kenosha News. United Communications Corporation. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  22. "Goliath – Six Flags Great America FIRST TEST RUN". YouTube. May 31, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
  23. Marden, Duane. "Roller Coaster Search Results  (Rocky Mountain Construction)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  24. Schilke, Alan (June 25, 2014). "Alan & Scott Ride Goliath". NewsPlusNotes (Interview). Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  25. Schilke, Alan (20 November 2013). "Alan Schilke Interview". NewsPlusNotes (Interview). Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  26. Baldwin, Tim (April 2013). "Outlaw Run charges into Silver Dollar City" (PDF). Amusement Today. 17 (1): 1, 4. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  27. "Georgia Cyclone: A Classic "Woodie"". Six Flags. Archived from the original on 6 November 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2012.
  28. Leshock, Marcus (15 March 2013). "Outlaw Run: Record breaking wooden roller coaster opens at Branson's Silver Dollar City". WGN-TV. Tribune Broadcasting. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  29. Murphy, Anthony (June 21, 2014). "New record-setting wooden coaster, Goliath, opens at Six Flags Great America". Theme Park Insider. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  30. Marden, Duane. "Goliath  (Six Flags Great America)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  31. Leshock, Marcus (August 22, 2013). "Record-breaking wooden roller coaster coming to Six Flags Great America: How big will it be?". WGN-TV. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  32. "Dollywood announces Lightning Rod for 2016 with record breaking coaster!". Behind The Thrills. Behind The Thrills. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  33. "Medusa & Goliath: Rocky Mountain screams into Six Flags". Park World Magazine: 38, 39. July 2014.
  34. Carol Motsinger (July 29, 2016). "Kings Island reveals new ride: Mystic Timbers". Cincinnati.com. Gannett Newspapers. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
  35. "Video: Take a virtual ride on the new world record-breaking roller-coaster Goliath". The Australian. News Corporation. June 20, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  36. Jerreat, Jessica (June 20, 2014). "Are you brave enough to take on Goliath? Six Flags open world's tallest, steepest and fastest wooden roller coaster". Daily Mail. DMG Media. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  37. "New rollercoaster breaks three records". MSN New Zealand. Microsoft. June 21, 2014. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  38. Bustos, Joseph (26 June 2014). "Six Flags unveils Goliath wooden roller coaster". Kane County Chronicle. Shaw Media. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
  39. "Park and ride winners". Amusement Today. September 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  40. "2014 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 38–39. September 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  41. "2015 Top 50 wood Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 45–46. September 2015. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  42. "2016 top 50 wooden roller coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2016. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  43. "2017 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2017. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  44. "2018 Top 50 Wooden Coasters". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2018. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
  45. "2019 Top Wood". Golden Ticket Awards. Amusement Today. September 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2016.
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