Titan (Six Flags Over Texas)

Titan is a steel hyper coaster located at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. Unlike most hypercoasters, Titan is a combination of an out and back roller coaster and a twister roller coaster. It stands at 245 feet and contains a 255 drop at 85 miles per hour. It is the tallest, fastest, and longest coaster in Texas.[1]

Titan
Six Flags Over Texas
LocationSix Flags Over Texas
Park sectionTexas
Coordinates32°45′20″N 97°04′27″W
StatusOperating
Opening dateApril 27, 2001
Cost$25,000,000
General statistics
TypeSteel
ManufacturerGiovanola
DesignerWerner Stengel
ModelHyper Coaster
Track layoutTwister
Lift/launch systemChain Lift
Height245 ft (75 m)
Drop255 ft (78 m)
Length5,312 ft (1,619 m)
Speed85 mph (137 km/h)
Inversions0
Duration3:30
Max vertical angle65°
Capacity1,600 riders per hour
G-force4.5
Height restriction48 in (122 cm)
Trains3 trains with 5 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 30 riders per train.
Flash Pass Available
Titan at RCDB
Pictures of Titan at RCDB

History

Six Flags Over Texas had plans to add a hypercoaster to the park for several years. An early proposal from Arrow Dynamics showed a hypercoaster over the park's reservoir next to Judge Roy Scream. In August 2000, Six Flags Over Texas announced plans to build a new steel roller coaster for the park's 40th anniversary. Although no statistics were revealed, information that was released confirmed Giovanola as the manufacturer, that the new coaster would be similar to Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain and that it would be built in the Texas section of the park.[2] As survey markers began to appear in September it became clear that the new coaster would extend from the Texas section to the employee cantina, pool and softball fields then out into the parking lot. By the time the official announcement was made on November 14, 2000, the employee areas had been demolished, excavation had already begun and teal-colored supports were stacked in the parking lot. Construction of the ride was completed in March 2001 and testing began in early April. A media preview was held on April 26, 2001 and the coaster opened to the public the following day.[2]

Ride experience
The lift hill

Titan begins with a slow U-turn out of the station then a climbs up a 245-foot (75 m) hill. At the crest of the hill the train drops 255-foot (78 m) into a 120-foot (37 m) underground tunnel. Immediately after the tunnel, riders are taken through a large turnaround to the right. Following the turnaround, riders encounter a large camel back that provides significant airtime. The train subsequently enters a 540 degree upwards helix which leads to the mid-course brake run. Off the mid-course brakes, the trains maneuver a left hand drop, leading into an over-banked turn. Then followed by a 570 degree downward helix with a camera installed for souvenir photos. Afterwards, the trains navigate a banked turn to the left and then another to the right. After this, the trains enters the final brake run and returns to the station.[2]

Characteristics

Track

With one difference, the overall track layout of Titan is identical to that of Goliath at Six Flags Magic Mountain, the difference being that Goliath is 10' shorter in height and lacks the upward helix into the mid-course brake run, instead having a simple uphill left turn.

Titan's supports used 2.8 million pounds of steel to manufacture.[3] When it was built, Titan was the longest roller coaster ever to be built at a Six Flags park.

Trains

Titan operates with up to three trains, each with five cars holding three rows of two riders for a total of 30 riders per train. The three trains are colored red, orange, and yellow. It will usually run only two trains on slow days, with the unused train stored in the train's storage shed (the train that is unused from day to day is swapped out on a regular basis).

During the summer months, as the train rolls into the station, a cloud of mist can be seen under the train. Owing to problems with the wheels on the trains overheating, water is sprayed on the wheel assembly to help cool down the wheels after the train completes the course.[4]

Incidents

Like Goliath, Titan has been known for occasionally causing blackouts or grayouts in the helices. Some riders have complained about headaches caused by sections of the course. Most of these incidents occur during the summer when riders are dehydrated due to the extreme Texas heat. Because of the complaints about the G-forces given during the second helix, the trains have to be severely braked at the mid-course brakes, almost to the point of stopping.[5]

Rankings
Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year2001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013
Ranking 21[6]23[7]27[8]25[9]34 (tied)[10]27[11]26[12]24[13]37[14]42[15]25[16]36[17]42 (tied)[18]

References
  1. "Record Holders". Retrieved 17 January 2013.
  2. Ross, Jeremy (2001). "There's a New Giant in Town". RollerCoaster! Magazine. Vol. 22 no. 4. Mission, Kansas: American Coaster Enthusiasts. pp. 12–16. ISSN 0896-7261.
  3. Official Page
  4. Pictures of Titan, CoasterGallery.com
  5. http://www.guidetosfot.com/attractions/coasters/titan/
  6. "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. August 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  7. "Top 25 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  8. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  9. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 18–19B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  10. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  11. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  12. "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 8, 2013.
  13. "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 8, 2013.
  14. "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 8, 2013.
  15. "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 8, 2013.
  16. "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 8, 2013.
  17. "Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2013.
  18. "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 8, 2013.
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