Lightnin' Loops
| Lightnin' Loops | |
|---|---|
| Six Flags Great Adventure | |
| Park section | Movietown |
| Coordinates | 40°08′09″N 74°26′37″W / 40.1358°N 74.4437°WCoordinates: 40°08′09″N 74°26′37″W / 40.1358°N 74.4437°W |
| Status | Removed |
| Opening date | May 23, 1978 |
| Closing date | 1992 |
| Replaced by | Batman: The Ride |
|
Lightnin' Loops at Six Flags Great Adventure at RCDB Pictures of Lightnin' Loops at Six Flags Great Adventure at RCDB |
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| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Launched – Shuttle |
| Manufacturer | Arrow Development |
| Track layout | Interlocking Shuttle Loop |
| Height | 56 ft (17 m) |
| Drop | 47 ft (14 m) |
| Length | 635 ft (194 m) |
| Speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) |
| Inversions | 2 |
| Duration | 1:06 |
| Acceleration | 45mph |
| G-force | 4 |
| Height restriction | 44 in (112 cm) |
|
Lightnin' Loops at RCDB Pictures of Lightnin' Loops at RCDB |
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The Lightnin' Loops were two interlocking track Arrow Development Shuttle Loop roller coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure.
Lightnin' Loops was built in 1977 and opened in 1978 at Six Flags Great Adventure. Six Flags had acquired the park in 1977 and Lightnin' Loops was planned by the prior ownership as far back as 1976. It was the second looping roller coaster on the east coast, although several full circuit looping coasters were in operation as far back as 1975. The coaster was located on the west side of the park that is currently occupied by Movietown, Batman: The Ride, and Nitro.
Lightnin' Loops was the first roller coaster to feature interlocking loops, a feature that would eventually be repeated on Loch Ness Monster at Busch Gardens Williamsburg and the Orient Express at Worlds of Fun. However Lightnin' Loops was the world's only interlocking dual shuttle shuttle loop coaster. Lightnin' Loops featured a launch system that propelled the train downward into the loop, and to another launch station at the same height as the loading station. Then the train was launched backwards returning to the loading station.
This coaster continued to be the star attraction at the park throughout the 1980s, although other coasters such as Rolling Thunder (built in 1979), Sarajevo Bobsleds (built in 1984), and Ultra Twister (built in 1986) also were major coasters. The popularity of Lightnin' Loops faded in 1989 when the bobsleds were replaced with a multiple looping full circuit then-state of the art roller coaster called the Great American Scream Machine (also built by Arrow), which featured seven inversions, three of which were loops. Also unpopular was the 56 feet (17 m) high stair-climb to reach the Loops loading station.
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Wikipedia