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Texas Giant opening date confirmed

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The Legend
Texas Giant goes hybrid

Amusement Today said:
The Texas Giant's $10 million makeover officially got underway this week at Six Flags Over Texas.

Six Flags Over Texas Park President Steve Martindale, left, and Fred Grubb, owner Rocky Mountain Construction, point to the new Iron Horse Coaster track being installed on the Texas Giant. The first-of-its-kind track design is just part of a $10 million makeover the wooden coaster is receiving. When complete, the super hybrid coaster will open in 2011 for the park's 50th anniversary celebration.

During a press introduction Wednesday, the Arlington, Texas park, debuted the newest in track design for the traditional wooden coaster with the unveiling of Iron Horse Coaster track. The steel I-beam design is the result of three years of engineering. The Chinchillian Red painted track is not bent, but is cut, then welded together in 40 to 53-foot lengths before being bolted to the Texas Giant's wooden support structure. The new track design does not use any wood on the track bed, nor does it use any track bolts. A newly engineered galvanized ledger design, that the Iron Horse Coaster track bolts to, acts as the spine/backbone for the steel railed track. Weight of the new track is said to be about the same as the former 9-ply wooden track complete with steel track and track bolts.

The park also announced that when the new Texas Giant opens in spring 2011, it will stand 153 feet tall, 10 feet taller than it is now, feature a 79-degree first drop and will incorporate numerous 95-degree banked turns throughout the ride. The coaster will also be faster, reaching speeds of 65 mph.

"This ride is going to take the entire industry by storm," said Steve Martindale, Six Flags Over Texas park president. "Six Flags has built a reputation for developing original ride concepts and the Texas Giant will be our crowing jewel." Construction of the super hybrid coaster will be done by Rocky Mountain Construction Group of Hayden, Idaho.

Other details about the Texas Giant's renovation have yet to be to be announced.
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http://www.amusementtoday.com/

SFOT-Reps.gif

Very interesting track design.


UPDATE 03/25/2010

Six Flags Over Texas Begins $10 Million Texas Giant Renovation
(Arlington, TX)-

Six Flags Over Texas, the Entertainment Capital of Texas, and the parent company’s flagship park, today began the first phase of its highly-anticipated $10 Million Texas Giant enhancement project, unveiling the state-of-the-art track that park officials say will return the Giant to its proper place as the world’s top wooden coaster.

The new Texas Giant will boast a unique hybrid design— combining the classic features of a wooden roller coaster with the advanced scientific capabilities of a steel track fabrication. The renovated coaster will feature:
  • The steepest drop of any wooden coaster IN THE WORLD at 79 degrees.
    The steepest bank of any wooden coaster IN THE WORLD at 95 degrees.
    A lift hill that is ten feet taller than the original Texas Giant.
    A top speed faster than the original Texas Giant at 65 mph.
    The world’s first Iron Horse Coaster track™©®. This rail system is made completely of steel and engineered for long term durability.

The track will be constructed by Rocky Mountain Construction Group. Based in Hayden, Idaho, Rocky Mountain is the mastermind behind Six Flags Great Adventure’s “El Toro,” the “Express” wooden coaster in Seoul, South Korea, and “Timber Terror” at Silverwood Theme Park in Idaho.

“This ride is going to take the entire industry by storm," said Steve Martindale, Six Flags Over Texas Park President. “Six Flags has built a reputation for developing original ride concepts and the Texas Giant will be our crowning jewel.”

The existing Texas Giant is more than fourteen stories tall with speeds of up to 63 mph. The ride was added to Six Flags Over Texas in 1990 as the tallest and fastest wooden roller coaster in the world. The enhancement project will take a full year to complete and the new Texas Giant will make its debut in 2011 in celebration of the company's 50th anniversary.
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Click on each of the pictures for a larger version:




















Once again, thanks to Six Flags over Texas and Ms. Threadgill for the pictures and press release.
 
Do you know if they are going to re-track the whole thing using this steel track or just parts of the ride, since it have the same profile as the wooden track which means that they can have part of the ride with steel and the rest with wooden track.

It's a really interesting concept, just wonder if it's worth it...
 
^I've heard that they're only retracking separate parts as opposed to the whole ride but that looks amazingly awesome.

<3 I can't wait till this opens again.
 
From what I've heard, this is a completely different design, so likely replacing the whole layout. Also, the coaster will be taller and have a nearly 80 degree drop.. so many things are likely to be changed along with replaced.
 
TBH this thing used to be able to compete with SOB in terms of roughness. but the fact that they're redoing the WHOLE ride (which I thought they were just retracking a bit and getting new trains) is a totally different hing. Expect to see me in this topic a lot. :wink:
 
^ I know but I'm gonna ride it before y'all come. :wink:


Shoot if they do a first rider thing then I'm going for it. :p
 
Looks like I'll be putting off my Texas trip for one more year & it'll be worth it! :)
 
Amusement Today said:
During a press introduction Wednesday, the Arlington, Texas park, debuted the newest in track design for the traditional wooden coaster with the unveiling of Iron Horse Coaster track. The steel I-beam design is the result of three years of engineering. The Chinchillian Red painted track is not bent, but is cut, then welded together in 40 to 53-foot lengths before being bolted to the Texas Giant's wooden support structure. The new track design does not use any wood on the track bed, nor does it use any track bolts. A newly engineered galvanized ledger design, that the Iron Horse Coaster track bolts to, acts as the spine/backbone for the steel railed track. Weight of the new track is said to be about the same as the former 9-ply wooden track complete with steel track and track bolts.
Click to expand...

it says it does not use any wood on the track bed, nor does it have any track bolts. I'm confuzzled. :?
 
Basically, what they're doing is replacing the eleven or so(I think it's 11) layers of wood stacked on top of eachother to make a rail for wooden coaster track with a steel beam that is similar in shape. To be honest, I think that it is a great idea. The ride will still look almost exactly like a wooden coaster(minus the red paint) and be a lot smoother.
 
No doubt this will be sponsored by the Toyota Prius. Let's hope the brakes work at the end.. :roll:
 
^But they could call it a hybrid if the structure was still wooden, right? Basically a reverse of something like Voyage.
 
I'd be intrigued to see if this trends for old Dinn Corp. and CCI wooden coaster *coughMeanStreakcough*

If all of the track is indeed to be replaced with steel track, it would make the coaster a hybrid.

RCDB has two hybrid categories, wooden structure and steel structure.

Texas Giant would be a wooden structure Hybrid, similar to Gemini, California Screamin', or Adventure Express.

Examples of steel structures include the Voyage, the former Villain, and Hades.

UPDATE: RCDB has relisted Texas Giant as a wooden structure hybrid.

http://www.rcdb.com/2.htm
 
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