Superman: Krypton Coaster

Superman: Krypton Coaster
An overview of Superman: Krypton Coaster from the ride's lift hill
Six Flags Fiesta Texas
Park section	Spassburg
Coordinates	29°35′43″N 98°36′36″W / 29.595150°N 98.609991°W / 29.595150; -98.609991Coordinates: 29°35′43″N 98°36′36″W / 29.595150°N 98.609991°W / 29.595150; -98.609991
Status	Operating
Opening date	March 11, 2000 (2000-03-11)
Cost	$20 million
General statistics
Type	Steel – Floorless Coaster
Manufacturer	Bolliger & Mabillard
Designer	Ing.-Büro Stengel GmbH
Model	Floorless Coaster
Track layout	Custom
Lift/launch system	Chain lift hill
Height	168 ft (51 m)
Drop	163 ft (50 m)
Length	4,025 ft (1,227 m)
Speed	70 mph (110 km/h)
Inversions	6
Duration	2:35
Max vertical angle	58°
Capacity	1600 riders per hour
G-force	3.8
Height restriction	54 in (137 cm)
Trains	3 trains with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 32 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Superman: Krypton Coaster at RCDB Pictures of Superman: Krypton Coaster at RCDB

Superman: Krypton Coaster is a Bolliger & Mabillard Floorless Coaster at the Six Flags Fiesta Texas amusement park in San Antonio, Texas, USA. Opened in 2000, Superman: Krypton Coaster was one of the first floorless roller coasters in the world. The well-received ride held the title for the world's tallest vertical loop (145 feet) from its opening until 2013.

History

In 1999, Six Flags Great Adventure spent $42 million on new attractions including a prototype Floorless Coaster by Bolliger & Mabillard, Medusa (later Bizarro).^[1] The immediate popularity of the ride,^[2] led to Six Flags Fiesta Texas and three other amusement parks to announce plans to install Floorless Coasters in 2000;^[3] aside from the announcement of Superman: Krypton Coaster on November 1, 1999,^[4] Six Flags Discovery Kingdom announced Medusa, Geauga Lake announced Dominator, and SeaWorld Orlando announced Kraken.^[3] The $20 million Superman: Krypton Coaster was announced as part of a wider multi-million-dollar expansion of Six Flags Fiesta Texas.^[5]

At the time of the ride's announcement, construction had already began on unused land bordered by quarry walls and an irrigation pond.^[5][6] The initial plans for the ride specified it would have seven inversions including a 114-foot-tall (35 m) vertical loop and a 96-foot-tall (29 m) dive loop.^[6] Following the ride's announcement, the design was altered to remove the dive loop and increase the size of the vertical loop to 145 feet (44 m).^[7][8] This saw Superman: Krypton Coaster obtain the record for the world's tallest vertical loop when it officially opened to the public on March 11, 2000.^[7][8]

On March 6, 2010, Six Flags Fiesta Texas offered exclusive ride time on Superman: Krypton Coaster to help celebrate the ride's 10th anniversary.^[9] On June 22, 2013, Superman: Krypton Coaster lost the title of having the world's tallest vertical loop since Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California opened Full Throttle which features a 160-foot-tall (49 m) vertical loop, 15 feet (4.6 m) taller than the loop on Superman: Krypton Coaster.^{[8][10][11][12]}

Characteristics

The ride's vertical loop and mid-course helix

Statistics

The 4,025-foot-long (1,227 m) Superman: Krypton Coaster stands 168 feet (51 m) tall.^[7] With a top speed of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h), the ride will tie with Iron Rattler as the fastest roller coaster at Six Flags Fiesta Texas.^[7][13] The ride features six inversions including a 145-foot-tall (44 m) vertical loop, a zero-g roll, a 78-foot-tall (24 m) cobra roll and two corkscrews.^[7][8]

Trains

Superman: Krypton Coaster operates with three floorless trains. Each train seats 32 riders in eight rows of four. This gives the ride a theoretical hourly capacity of 1600 riders per hour.^[7] The open-air trains feature seats which leave riders' legs dangling above the track. Riders are restrainted with over-the-shoulder restraints (OTSRs).^[5] As the trains are floorless, the station has a retractable floor for safe boarding.^[6]

Ride experience

Superman: Krypton Coaster's initial plunge over the quarry wall

After riders have boarded and the station floor is retracted, Superman: Krypton Coaster departs with a left turn out of the station. This leads directly to the 168-foot-tall (51 m) chain lift hill. At the top, the train crests the lift hill and follows a fairly level 180 degree turn to the right above the quarry wall. This leads into a 168-foot (51 m) drop off the quarry wall directly into the 145-foot-tall (44 m) vertical loop. With the quarry wall on the track's right, the train inclines to the top of the wall where it performs a helix to the right. After dropping from the quarry wall again, the train enters the zero-g roll where riders experience a feeling of weightlessness. This is followed by the 78-foot-tall (24 m) cobra roll and a mid-course brake run. The exit from the mid-course brake run banks down to the right into the two interlocking corkscrews. This leads to a final turn before the final brake run and return to the station.^[7][14][15]

Reception

Prior to launch, General Manager of Six Flags Fiesta Texas John Odum stated Superman: Krypton Coaster was "the big-league ride we have really needed". He stated the design of the ride, which interacts with the quarry wall, would make a thrilling ride: "being that close to the wall there is a good sense of speed".^[5] In May 2000, two months after Superman: Krypton Coaster opened, it was reported that the park was "off to a flying start" for the season.^[16] Six Flags Fiesta Texas officials stated the ride proved popular in its first year of operation.^[17]

In Amusement Today's annual Golden Ticket Awards, Superman: Krypton Coaster was ranked in the top 50 steel roller coasters numerous times since its opening. It peaked at position 24 in 2002,^[18] before it dropped to 50 in 2008^[19] and rose again to 38 in 2011.^[20]

In Mitch Hawker's worldwide Best Roller Coaster Poll, Superman: Krypton Coaster entered at position 20 in 2001 and peaked at 17 in 2004. The ride's ranking in subsequent polls is shown in the table below.^[31]

Notes

References

External links

• Official website
• Media related to Superman: Krypton Coaster at Wikimedia Commons