X2 (roller coaster)

Not to be confused with X, an indoor roller coaster in Thorpe Park, England

X2

X2's first drop
Previously known as X (2002–2007)
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section Baja Ridge
Coordinates 34°25′16″N 118°35′34″W / 34.421005°N 118.592885°W / 34.421005; -118.592885Coordinates: 34°25′16″N 118°35′34″W / 34.421005°N 118.592885°W / 34.421005; -118.592885
Status Operating
Opening date January 12, 2002 (2002-01-12)
General statistics
Type Steel – 4th Dimension
Manufacturer Arrow Dynamics
Designer Alan Schilke
Model 4th Dimension Coaster
Lift/launch system Chain Lift
Height 175 ft (53 m)
Drop 215 ft (66 m)
Length 3,610 ft (1,100 m)
Speed 76 mph (122 km/h)
Inversions 2
Max vertical angle 88.5°
Capacity 1600[1] riders per hour
G-force 4Gs
Height restriction 48 in (122 cm)
Trains 3 trains with 7 cars. Riders are arranged 4 across in a single row for a total of 28 riders per train.
Gold & Platinum Flash Pass only available
Must transfer from wheelchair
X2 at RCDB
Pictures of X2 at RCDB

X2 (formerly known as X) is a steel roller coaster operating at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. It is the world's first 4th Dimension roller coaster and was the final roller coaster conceived and installed by ride manufacturer Arrow Dynamics. The ride is unique in that the trains' seats pitch 360 degrees forwards and in reverse independent of the main chassis. The coaster initially opened to the public on January 12, 2002; numerous malfunctions delayed it from debuting in 2001 as was originally anticipated. On December 2, 2007, the ride closed for its transformation into X2. It was completely repainted, received new third generation vehicles, and featured new special effects including a sound system and a pair of flame throwers. The ride reopened on May 24, 2008, following the upgrades.

Description

An overview of the track when the ride was known as X.

X2 is a unique prototype design in which the seats can rotate forward or backward 360 degrees in a controlled spin. This is achieved by having four rails on the track. Two of these are running rails while the other two are for spin control. The two rails that control the spin of the seats move up and down relative to the main track and spin the seats using a rack and pinion gear mechanism. The ride also has an on-board audio soundtrack.

X2's lift-hill climbs 175 feet (53 m) into the sky with the ride's tallest point above ground at 190 feet (58 m). During this lift, riders are facing backwards. The first drop is 215 feet (65.5 m) and is sloped at 88.8 degrees, causing the train to reach a maximum speed of 76 mph (122 km/h) (faster than X, at about 70 mph). The 3,610-foot (1100 m) long layout features two inversions including a skydive, two "raven turns", one back flip, and a twisting front flip.

Although the ride has received mostly rave reviews from enthusiasts and is a huge hit among the general public, X had problems. Due to design flaws, particularly with the trains, the ride's opening was delayed from Summer 2001 until January 2002. In June 2002, the ride closed to modify the trains. In August 2002, the ride reopened and has been running smoothly ever since, except for a train in the summer of 2005. The ride also closed down sometime in mid-August 2006 due to a blown gear box part and reopened on February 3, 2007.

Redesigning X

One of the new trains during testing

On November 1, 2007, Six Flags Magic Mountain announced a redesign to the popular thrill ride. X closed on December 2, 2007, to be redesigned including new trains with a pneumatic restraint system (an improvement over the original mechanically operated restraints that would frequently jam), a new color scheme of red track and black supports (originally pink track and yellow supports), and an all-new, innovative state-of-the-art visual, audio and sensory effects. In a projected $10 million investment, X reopened on May 24, 2008, renamed as X2.[2] Six Flags Magic Mountain hired S&S Arrow to build new trains for X2.[3] The new trains are lighter to reduce the amount wear and downtime. X2 also took on a new load/unload method and third train to increase the ride capacity by 50%. Testing of the trains began on March 6, 2008.[4]

Ride experience

After departing from the loading station, the ride makes a 180-degree turn traveling over the line queue and onto the lift hill. After ascending 175 feet (53 m), the train enters a short drop and then ascends an additional 15 feet (4.6 m) to a maximum height of 190 feet (58 m) before dropping 215 feet (66 m). Each car on the train spins on its own independent axis 360 degrees forward or backward, which is being controlled by the outer rails of the track.

During the main drop, the cars are rotated 180 degrees so that riders are facing toward the ground. The train then enters an inside raven loop, where the cars are rotated again halfway through the loop to create a "lie-to-fly" maneuver; riders transition from laying on their backs facing backward to a flying prone position facing forward. After exiting the loop, the cars rotate backwards 360 degrees simulating a backflip. This is followed by a sweeping fan turn and a half twist "fly-to-lie" maneuver, in which riders flip forward 180 degrees to return to the original position of laying on their backs. Flame throwing special effects can be seen overhead as the train enters an outside raven loop immediately followed by another half twist. The track levels out and the train enters the final brake run before returning to the station.[5]

Similar roller coasters

Eejanaika is a similar roller coaster to X2, located in Japan

S&S Arrow opened the second roller coaster of this type, Eejanaika at Fuji-Q Highland in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi, Japan. Eejanaika has several meanings, but "Ain't it great" is believed to be the relevant meaning in this situation. This second 4th Dimension coaster is very similar to X2, but differs in height (Eejanaika is 250 feet (76 m) tall), and some elements are altered, such as the first 'half-half' element, in which the trains rotate on the track one half turn as the seats also rotate one half turn, has now been replaced with a 'full-full' element, in which the train rotates on the track for one full turn as the seats rotate one full turn. The turn back towards the lift hill on Eejanaika is a true overbanked turn, while on X2 this turn was not. Dinoconda, a third 4th Dimension coaster, opened at Dinosaur Valley in Shanghai, China in May 2012.[6]

Awards

Golden Ticket Awards: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016
Ranking 20[7]15[8]15[9]32[10]30[11]17[12]16[13]13[14]15[15]16[16]18[17]16[18]18[19] 20[20] 23[21]
Mitch Hawker's Best Roller Coaster Poll: Best steel-Tracked Roller Coaster[22]
Year20022003200420052006200720082009201020112012
Ranking 71414415357284432 No poll25

Mechanism

A) Rotation of Seats
B) Seat on Axle
C) Rack Gear
D) Rails

The prototype vehicle design on X2 allows riders to spin 360-degrees forwards and backwards, independent of the train's primary movement. Weighing 5 tons, each vehicle has a wing-shaped design that spans 20 feet (6.1 m). Riders sit on the outside of the coaster track in pairs. Four, 1-foot (0.30 m) tall rack gears move up and down following the profile of the seat rotation rails below the vehicle. This gear rotates the seats forwards and backwards throughout the ride. Unlike traditional roller coasters, 4th Dimension roller coasters, like X2, have four rails. The seat rotation rails bend up and down slightly pushing the rack gear up and down which in turn rotates the seats.[23] These "rotation" rails don't support the train. The other two rails are for the weight-bearing wheels, capable of supporting these heavy trains.

References

  1. ↑ X Facts Sheet Archived May 16, 2006, at the Wayback Machine. Roller Coaster Database Retrieved 2007-11-04
  2. ↑ X launches into a new galaxy, becoming X2. Six Flags Retrieved 2007-11-02
  3. ↑ "YouTube - X2 Trains (Theme Park Review)".
  4. ↑ X is taken to the next dimension with the first test ride of X2 Six Flags Retrieved 2015-011-30
  5. ↑ Dahln, Kurt (January 12, 2012). "X2 Roller Coaster At Six Flags Magic Mountain". The Coaster Guy. Retrieved May 24, 2016.
  6. ↑ http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/themeparks/la-trb-dinoconda-4d-coaster-dino-land-china-05201210-pg,0,5604322.photogallery
  7. ↑ "Top 25 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 7B. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 14–15B. September 2003. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 18–19B. September 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 3, 2007. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today: 26–27B. September 2005. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  11. ↑ "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.
  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 14, 2015.
  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 14, 2015.
  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 14, 2015.
  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 14, 2015.
  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 14, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Top 50 steel roller coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 16 (6.2): 36–37. September 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  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 14, 2015.
  19. ↑ "2014 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 18 (6.2): 46–47. September 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  20. ↑ "2015 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 19 (6.2): 49–50. September 2015. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  21. ↑ "2016 Top 50 steel Roller Coasters" (PDF). Amusement Today. 20 (6.2): 50–50. September 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2015.
  22. ↑ Hawker, Mitch. "Steel Roller Coaster Poll 13 Year Results Table (1999–2013)". Best Roller Coaster Poll. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ How X2 Rotates
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