Six Flags Fiesta Texas | "Iron Rattler" |Steel Hybrid
- Thread starter bizarrofan10
- Start date
Screaming Coasters
Strata Poster
Yay to us all being engineers...
After my trip to Mexico City and Guadalajara I spent a couple of days in San Antonio on Easter Sunday and Monday with the hope of getting some photos and footage of Iron Rattler and possibly some testing of the trains. I'm happy to report that it was much more successful than I could imagine and well worth the two day layover.
Since the park is only open on weekends throughout April, I made the most of Easter Sunday and arrived at the park shortly after opening and headed straight for Iron Rattler, where I was greeted by this sign.
The station is completely closed off to the public, but I did manage to get a couple photos of the train sitting just outside.
Since there was little more I could do here, I continued on to get a better look at the coaster. Along the way I passed this booth.
I like this idea and think more parks should do this for their guests interested in any new coaster or ride. Wouldn't you like to see something similar at Alton Towers for the Smiler?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzjBvpOZKpE[/youtube]
The first view I got of the coaster was the lift hill and drop just behind the sky coaster.
There was an even better vantage point at the exit of the nearby train station. (Please excuse my rather rough panoramas - I don't have proper software for making them and have to wing it.)
The photo above was taken with my camera, but I also like the one I took with my phone.
This is one of the great vantage points to view the lower sections of the coaster. which unfortunately would be all I would really get to see on the day.
And my first good look at the barrel roll.
The final drop over the quarry also looks epic.
Since I've been to the park before, I knew that the best views would be had going through the exit queue of Gully Washer, the park's water rapids ride.
In spite of the use of much of the old Rattler support structure (for the drop into the quarry), you can really see how they've tightened up this entire section.
Once again, please excuse my crude panoramas.
The barrel roll from this vantage point.
Again you can see all the old support structure still in use.
Looking up at the first 90 degree bank.
A look back at the barrel roll from a little further up the exit queue.
The handicap ramp at Gully Washer's loading station gives some more fantastic views of the lower portion of Iron Rattler.
On the way back through the exit queue I came across some of the RMC guys, who just returned from a lunch break, working on the track.
Josh, on the left, was welding in the photo above. Here he's switched with Bob, on the right, and is smoothing out the welds he had previously made.
Justin, the crew supervisor, doing some paint touch ups inside the barrel roll some 90+ feet over the quarry.
Justin has been around the longest of the five man crew still onsite. He helped build El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure, T Express at Everland, Tremors & Timber Terror at Silverwood and New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas. He also was part of the crew that moved Aftershock to Silverwood.
After filming the guys working and a short conversation with Josh and Bob, I went to enjoy some of the other rides in the park where I managed to snap this areal shot of the coaster.
My last ride of the day was on the train, where I was able to film and take a few photos of the coaster from angels that I couldn't get from anywhere else.
The lift hill and tunnel exit into the brake run.
The transfer track.
The back of the station.
The train from behind the station.
Love the way the lift hill is built around and over the quarry plateau.
Gully Washer's loading station.
I went back for another chat with Josh and Bob and we agreed to get together after they got off work for dinner and drinks. Then we all left the park as a huge thunderstorm was moving into the area.
Here's the video i filmed of the day showing more of the work that the RMC crew were doing that day.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxPhS9Znc08[/youtube]
That evening we had a great meal and afterwards I took Josh, on the left, and Bob back to their apartment complex where I got to meet the rest of the RMC crew.
They are such a hard working group of guys (and gal), that really love what they do. We hung out all night (until around 2am?) drinking beer and talking about building coasters. Much of what they explained went over my head at first, but they were really informative and very patient until I could understand much of what goes into building coasters properly.
The next day I woke up bright and early, in spite of the late night, and called the park to arrange for a return visit. The park was closed to the public, but their PR rep Jamie Barrientos arranged for an immediate visit and tour of the construction site.
Upon arrival I also met the park's Marketing Director, Jeffrey Siebert, who joined in of the tour and gave me this interview.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400zuj9mlQQ[/youtube]
The first stop on the tour (before the interview) was the section on top of the quarry where the triple helix once stood and the area I couldn't see from the park the previous day.
The top of the barrel roll.
The first 90 degree banked turn in this upper section.
And the second one.
Looking back through the opposite side of the first one.
Another very crude panorama, but gives you an idea of the transition between the two 90 degree banks.
The last airtime hill before that final drop back into the quarry.
Here's the barrel roll again with the 90 degree bank turn that drops into the quarry in the background.
After taking these photos and shooting some footage up here, we went back down near where I was the previous day. This time we were even closer to the coaster on the other side of Gully Washer's loading station, where I filmed the interview above and took some more photos.
That drop!
One last look at the barrel roll.
The entire Gully Washer loading station area where you can see the handicap ramp on the right of the station where I was the previous day.
Here's the front of the train...
...and the tail end. :wink:
One of my favorite photos is the one taken from on top of the brake run.
After filming everything and taking all these photos it was time to say goodbye and thank Jamie and Jeffery for their kind hospitality. Since it was just after noon, I decided to head over to SeaWorld and do some off-ride filming of Steel Eel. On my way back to my hotel I passed back by Six Flags Fiesta Texas and saw that the park was testing the trains. So I went to the nearby mall that overlooks the top section of the coaster and was able to film a few of the test runs from there.
Here's the video footage I shot that morning at the park and the trains testing that evening.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff2rcPJwVqY[/youtube]
I can't tell you how impressed I am by this coaster and I can't wait to get back to San Antonio on May 15th for the media day to actually ride this baby. :--D
Since the park is only open on weekends throughout April, I made the most of Easter Sunday and arrived at the park shortly after opening and headed straight for Iron Rattler, where I was greeted by this sign.
The station is completely closed off to the public, but I did manage to get a couple photos of the train sitting just outside.
Since there was little more I could do here, I continued on to get a better look at the coaster. Along the way I passed this booth.
I like this idea and think more parks should do this for their guests interested in any new coaster or ride. Wouldn't you like to see something similar at Alton Towers for the Smiler?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzjBvpOZKpE[/youtube]
The first view I got of the coaster was the lift hill and drop just behind the sky coaster.
There was an even better vantage point at the exit of the nearby train station. (Please excuse my rather rough panoramas - I don't have proper software for making them and have to wing it.)
The photo above was taken with my camera, but I also like the one I took with my phone.
This is one of the great vantage points to view the lower sections of the coaster. which unfortunately would be all I would really get to see on the day.
And my first good look at the barrel roll.
The final drop over the quarry also looks epic.
Since I've been to the park before, I knew that the best views would be had going through the exit queue of Gully Washer, the park's water rapids ride.
In spite of the use of much of the old Rattler support structure (for the drop into the quarry), you can really see how they've tightened up this entire section.
Once again, please excuse my crude panoramas.
The barrel roll from this vantage point.
Again you can see all the old support structure still in use.
Looking up at the first 90 degree bank.
A look back at the barrel roll from a little further up the exit queue.
The handicap ramp at Gully Washer's loading station gives some more fantastic views of the lower portion of Iron Rattler.
On the way back through the exit queue I came across some of the RMC guys, who just returned from a lunch break, working on the track.
Josh, on the left, was welding in the photo above. Here he's switched with Bob, on the right, and is smoothing out the welds he had previously made.
Justin, the crew supervisor, doing some paint touch ups inside the barrel roll some 90+ feet over the quarry.
Justin has been around the longest of the five man crew still onsite. He helped build El Toro at Six Flags Great Adventure, T Express at Everland, Tremors & Timber Terror at Silverwood and New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas. He also was part of the crew that moved Aftershock to Silverwood.
After filming the guys working and a short conversation with Josh and Bob, I went to enjoy some of the other rides in the park where I managed to snap this areal shot of the coaster.
My last ride of the day was on the train, where I was able to film and take a few photos of the coaster from angels that I couldn't get from anywhere else.
The lift hill and tunnel exit into the brake run.
The transfer track.
The back of the station.
The train from behind the station.
Love the way the lift hill is built around and over the quarry plateau.
Gully Washer's loading station.
I went back for another chat with Josh and Bob and we agreed to get together after they got off work for dinner and drinks. Then we all left the park as a huge thunderstorm was moving into the area.
Here's the video i filmed of the day showing more of the work that the RMC crew were doing that day.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxPhS9Znc08[/youtube]
That evening we had a great meal and afterwards I took Josh, on the left, and Bob back to their apartment complex where I got to meet the rest of the RMC crew.
They are such a hard working group of guys (and gal), that really love what they do. We hung out all night (until around 2am?) drinking beer and talking about building coasters. Much of what they explained went over my head at first, but they were really informative and very patient until I could understand much of what goes into building coasters properly.
The next day I woke up bright and early, in spite of the late night, and called the park to arrange for a return visit. The park was closed to the public, but their PR rep Jamie Barrientos arranged for an immediate visit and tour of the construction site.
Upon arrival I also met the park's Marketing Director, Jeffrey Siebert, who joined in of the tour and gave me this interview.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=400zuj9mlQQ[/youtube]
The first stop on the tour (before the interview) was the section on top of the quarry where the triple helix once stood and the area I couldn't see from the park the previous day.
The top of the barrel roll.
The first 90 degree banked turn in this upper section.
And the second one.
Looking back through the opposite side of the first one.
Another very crude panorama, but gives you an idea of the transition between the two 90 degree banks.
The last airtime hill before that final drop back into the quarry.
Here's the barrel roll again with the 90 degree bank turn that drops into the quarry in the background.
After taking these photos and shooting some footage up here, we went back down near where I was the previous day. This time we were even closer to the coaster on the other side of Gully Washer's loading station, where I filmed the interview above and took some more photos.
That drop!
One last look at the barrel roll.
The entire Gully Washer loading station area where you can see the handicap ramp on the right of the station where I was the previous day.
Here's the front of the train...
...and the tail end. :wink:
One of my favorite photos is the one taken from on top of the brake run.
After filming everything and taking all these photos it was time to say goodbye and thank Jamie and Jeffery for their kind hospitality. Since it was just after noon, I decided to head over to SeaWorld and do some off-ride filming of Steel Eel. On my way back to my hotel I passed back by Six Flags Fiesta Texas and saw that the park was testing the trains. So I went to the nearby mall that overlooks the top section of the coaster and was able to film a few of the test runs from there.
Here's the video footage I shot that morning at the park and the trains testing that evening.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff2rcPJwVqY[/youtube]
I can't tell you how impressed I am by this coaster and I can't wait to get back to San Antonio on May 15th for the media day to actually ride this baby. :--D
Thanks for the great update Jerry! If there is a way to describe how RMC coasters look - it is wreckless abandon. Very raw and elemental, yet composed and flowing. The airtime on that second major hill will be interesting, as it certainly looks like the train hauls through it.
IntaminToWin
Mega Poster
furie said:I think these rides look ugly as sin, but at the same time, completely and utterly awesome. They're functional (unavoidably) rather than aesthetically pleasing, but wow, absolutely stunning in terms of what the track does
I think RMC's look fantastic- this ride in particular.
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
I like the Red track on the Wood supports. It makes the track pop out.
Youngster Joey
Strata Poster
^It looks like red/orange hybrid so i figured either was acceptable. Is the track the same color as the track on New Texas Giant?
rollermonkey
Strata Poster
Jeez, Jerry. Be all stingy with the pictures and video, why don't you?
That drop off the quarry wall at the end looks amazeballs.
That drop off the quarry wall at the end looks amazeballs.
