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Full Throttle “Top Hat” Topped Off At Six Flags Magic Mountain
Today was the topping off ceremony for the Full Throttle roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The highest part of the ride, which just happens to also be the very top of the world record-breaking 160′ vertical loop and one-of-a-kind top hat element, was installed as we watched with mouths wide open, drooling with anticipation to ride it.
As I was walking to the construction site, I could already see they had the top piece of the loop on the crane and were ready to install it:
We couldn’t have asked for better weather for this event. It was a beautiful day:
Both Bonnie Rabjohn, President of Six Flags Magic Mountain, and Tim Burkhart, Vice President of Maintenance and Construction for Six Flags Entertainment Corp., watch closely as the last loop piece is slowly and carefully hoisted into place:
Hiding in the trees were a bunch of strong guys pulling on the tag lines connected to the piece, helping to keep it from swinging and twisting as it’s lifted into the air:
These guys were suspended in a basket from another crane, waiting to help guide the piece into position and then secure it:
As the piece got closer to its final position, Ms. Rabjohn did not take her eye off the action:
Once the right side was very close, one of the guys jumped out of the basket and onto the track. He stayed there as his buddies were swung over to line up the left side:
Once the piece was in place, they wasted no time in bolting it down:
The guy left over on the right side was busy putting bolts in place as well:
Ta-da!! The last piece of the loop is finally in place:
Pictures really don’t do this justice. A 160′ vertical loop is massive in person:
A few more pieces of track were being prepped before being installed:
These curved pieces are for where the track turns from the final brakes into the station:
This appears to be the very first piece of the launch section of track for the station:
Lots of pieces lying around, ready to be applied to the track:
I have no idea what these are. If anyone knows, please let us know:
Lots of guys digging holes on the back hill. I assume it’s for new landscaping for the area:
I’d be foolish not to have my picture taken in such a stylish hard hat, right?
Here’s a short video I threw together from the few video clips I was able to capture:
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jordan
04/11/2013 at 1:52 pm
should we expect testing my months end?
The Coaster Guy
04/11/2013 at 3:32 pm
I highly doubt it. They don’t even have the entire track finished yet. Probably closer to the end of May would be my guess.
Ralph B.
04/11/2013 at 1:57 pm
Can’t believe the loop is finally finished. It looks like it’s going to be so much fun once the ride opens. I can already see myself up there. Lol. Thank u so much for these amazing pictures and video. 🙂
Dan Sheffer
04/11/2013 at 2:37 pm
OMG! I Was There On 4/09/2013 I Saw TheM Top t Off, Until I Was Told That It Was To See If It Would Fit And It Was A Pre Top Off.
Glad To Finally See It Topped Off, Thanks Kevin(CoasterGuy), You Made My Day And Can’t Wait To Ride This Beauty
James
04/11/2013 at 6:25 pm
His name is Kurt
Dan Sheffer
04/11/2013 at 7:49 pm
Thanks!
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M. Smith
04/11/2013 at 4:00 pm
Cool, how do roller coasters (structure, track) do during an earthquake? Are they designed to flex during a quake? I don’t want to be on one when a quake hits.
The Coaster Guy
04/11/2013 at 6:45 pm
The track is solid steel, attached to concrete footers, so I don’t think it flexes. There have been a couple of major quakes near SFMM over the years and the steel coasters faired well. However, the wooden coaster Psyclone didn’t fair well in the 1994 Northridge quake. The park tried fixing it, but it was never the same and they eventually replaced it with Apocalypse. No coaster is invulnerable to all quakes, but I think you’re very safe riding them. There’s just as much chance of getting hurt or worse while driving your car during a quake.
Brandon
04/12/2013 at 11:17 am
Even steel coasters must flex some…not just for earthquake protection, but also for everyday operation of the ride.
Casey
04/11/2013 at 4:02 pm
WOW.That thing is huge!!!This is going to be a great ride.WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!Full Throttle!!!
Zach
04/11/2013 at 4:51 pm
Could the thing you didn’t know in that picture be the LSMs?
Justin
04/11/2013 at 6:13 pm
That is what I think it is
Nathan
04/11/2013 at 8:27 pm
Those aren’t LSMs.
Looper
04/11/2013 at 5:33 pm
Great Video!
The banner was down by 2pm … oh well.
steve austin
04/11/2013 at 6:18 pm
Great job as usual Kurt! How well can you see it from I-5? I was kind of hoping you might get pic of the whole park as seen from the freeway to see how much Full Throttle shows up.
The Coaster Guy
04/11/2013 at 6:47 pm
I’ll get a pic tomorrow. It doesn’t stick out as much as I thought it would. It’s so wide, and the track is so skinny, that it kind of just blends in with the background.
The Coaster Guy
04/13/2013 at 8:00 am
I added a pic from the freeway in my next post, but it’s not the greatest.
Justin
04/11/2013 at 6:18 pm
So Premier Rides manufactures the track and SFMM hires people to assemble the ride, right?
The Coaster Guy
04/11/2013 at 6:49 pm
I believe that is correct. The park manages the project and I think Premier Rides provides a representative to consult on the build as well.
Justin
04/11/2013 at 8:21 pm
Ok, thanks
steve austin
04/11/2013 at 6:20 pm
The pic of the item you had no idea about, how many of those are there? Several? Or just what is seen in the pic?
The Coaster Guy
04/11/2013 at 6:49 pm
There was like 2 or 3 of them sitting on pallets.
Nathan
04/11/2013 at 8:44 pm
Maybe something like rollers for the transfer track? Some regulator for the LSMs? Devices to move the train through block sections? Sensors to alert the computer that a train is passing a section?
Justin
04/11/2013 at 9:24 pm
it looks more like a sensor or a regulator
Ezra
04/11/2013 at 6:26 pm
Woah that loop is massive!! I can’t wait for o
Ryan O
04/11/2013 at 9:21 pm
That’s such a beautiful area of the park! I love how the top hat is almost hidden by the trees surrounding it. Can’t wait to see this massive loop in person!
Eric
04/11/2013 at 10:48 pm
What time was the final piece placed on the top of the loop? Just curious…
It would have been great to be there. This is going to be incredible.
The Coaster Guy
04/13/2013 at 8:00 am
It went up right around 9:00 am.
Marc
04/11/2013 at 11:57 pm
Amazing! Thank you for these! I’ll probably be going to SFMM every week till this opens!
John
04/12/2013 at 8:08 am
Those things are air bags connected to a pivoting arm… My guess would be used to hold/release something on the track. Maybe a 2nd track to move trains on and off the maintenance track to the live track?
It is air powered for sure… (IMO)
Nathan
04/12/2013 at 3:04 pm
What? Where are the airbags? It’s probably a sensor or regulator like I said previously.
John
04/15/2013 at 2:19 pm
I am thinking, the bags are incases in the black cans. It might only be a diaphragm. Maybe that is a better way to explain it. Not a air bag.
But it looks like some sort of a air powered device to me.
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Webb, R
04/12/2013 at 10:31 pm
The drop off the backside of the top hat looks pretty steep. Only if it dropped into an upwards helix for a finally.
The Coaster Guy
04/12/2013 at 10:41 pm
A 720 degree helix THROUGH the loop and then into the station would have been one helluva finale!!
Nathan
04/13/2013 at 5:21 pm
Yeah! Do you know how steep the last drop is?
The Coaster Guy
04/13/2013 at 9:53 pm
Ummm…very? I’m not sure if you’re asking about height or angle of descent. If the top of the loop is 160′, then it’s probably around a 150′ drop.
Nathan
04/22/2013 at 6:34 pm
Angle of Descent. Probably around 90 degrees
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Randie
04/25/2013 at 10:10 pm
I have a vacation trip scheduled with my kids over the 4th of july weekend. I hope its open by then!
The Coaster Guy
04/25/2013 at 10:15 pm
Oh yah, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Huge crowds, but it should be open.
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