Twisted Colossus Construction Update #1

OK, I know you have all been waiting patiently for me to start providing construction updates on Twisted Colossus at Six Flags Magic Mountain. I apologize for it taking so long, but the park is now closed during the week and I’ve had a huge “honey-do” list the past couple of weekends. I think I’m finally all caught up, so I was able to sneak away to the park today for my first look at what’s been do to Colossus so far.

From the parking lot side, it really doesn’t look any different:

Of course, there’s a big crane out front and a bunch of construction containers:

At first, it didn’t look like the first drop had been touched yet:

However, on closer inspection you can see that there have been cuts made all the way across the track, through both the steel plating and the first layer of wood. I’m assuming that this breaks the track up into smaller pieces so it’s easier to remove. I’m not sure why the cuts are several inches wide:

The second drop didn’t look like it had been touched either:

A closer inspection of that also revealed the same cuts across both tracks:

You can tell by looking up at the lift hill from the underside that they have been working on that. The first half of it appears to be completely gone:

There was a dumpster full of debris, but it looked like old drinking fountains. I have no idea where they would have come from because there were no fountains near Colossus:

Side note: There used to be a pair of drinking fountains in the middle of the Colossus queue. This was great for those hot days when you’re standing in line forever. Unfortunately, those were removed years ago. I really wish they would do that in all ride queues as a standard practice, but I guess they don’t quite pay as well as vending machines that dispense $4 bottles of soda.

Holy cow! I didn’t how far I walked from my car. My FitBit is going to love me today:

On the inside of the park, the Colossus station entrance has been boarded up:

SFMM: Please don’t toss that sign. It’ll make a great addition to the in-park museum that I’m going to talk you into building someday.

Both of the ride operator control panels have been completely removed:

The most notable change is the complete removal of the track leading away from the station on the right side. This is the side that hasn’t been used in the past couple of years. It used to bank left and go under this exit bridge:

I can’t help but wonder if all those people who kept asking for the two sides to race one final time are going to start asking when the new track will be installed here so it can race again.

This is where that track went around the corner and off to meet up with the other track at the lift hill:

Speaking of the lift hill, this is what we were looking at earlier from the underside. They have been busy removing both tracks leading up the lift hill:

A closer inspection shows what looks like burns. I’m wondering if they have been using a cutting torch to get the lift hill chain rail off the supporting rail underneath. If so, I hope they are careful not to catch the main structure on fire, because that would really suck:

If you look at the rails above, that they haven’t gotten to yet, you can see more of the same cuts that we saw earlier. This has got to be how they make manageable size chunks to work with:

The bathrooms you pass as you head down the hill towards Colossus have been boarded up. I hope this means that they are getting an overhaul, because they needed it:

The first couple of new track pieces have arrived and are sitting right next to the storage track area. This was the best shot I could get without breaking park policy and going behind a barricade or wandering into a backstage area, which I am not willing to do:

These next flat metal plates are what help connect the iBox track pieces together. If you look at the previous photo, you’ll notice there is a green top plate on the green track, but it doesn’t go all the way to the end. When you put two pieces of track together, these flat plates are bolted across the top of both sides to help secure the two pieces together. Once secure, there is a smooth, flat, continuous surface for the coaster train to glide along:

There really didn’t appear to be much more to see behind the fence. There are several pallets of lumber stacked up and ready to be used, but that’s about it:

Here’s a short video showing much of the same:

If you like what you see here, be sure to use the social media buttons below to share with your friends. I’ve also been doing a lot of posting on Instagram lately, so be sure to follow me there as well.

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44 Comments

1. 

   Steven

   09/07/2014 at 7:02 pm

   One more reason to get a 2015 season pass. I can’t wait to visits the park more often next year. Thanks for the update Kurt!

   Reply
2. 

   Casey

   09/07/2014 at 7:12 pm

   Wow. I’m so excited to see how Twisted Colossus will turn out! As for the cuts in the track, I believe they are for making it easier to dismantle, but they also had a contest on Twitter to win a piece of Colossus track. Maybe that’s what they’re using the bits and pieces for.

   Reply
3. 

   RollerCoasterCentral

   09/07/2014 at 7:34 pm

   The reason I got into your site was the full throttle updates and I can’t wait for these next updates! They’re the best!

   Reply
   • 

     The Coaster Guy

     09/07/2014 at 7:36 pm

     Thank you!

     Reply
     • 

       RollerCoasterCentral

       09/07/2014 at 8:32 pm

       Your welcome! I was googling some one that had reliable construction updates and I’ve been hooked ever since!

       Reply
4. 

   Dean

   09/07/2014 at 7:39 pm

   Great update!
   Do you know how to enter in the track give away contest?

   Reply
   • 

     The Coaster Guy

     09/07/2014 at 7:51 pm

     I’m sorry, but I’m not even aware of the contest.

     Reply
5. 

   Ralph Bugarin

   09/07/2014 at 8:08 pm

   Great 1st update, Kurt. Can’t wait 4 what’s next. So the 1st drop is going 2 be steeper than the original 1 right?? Cus that’s how it looks on the video. I really hope it is though. It’s going 2 be an awesome ride. =)

   Reply
   • 

     The Coaster Guy

     09/07/2014 at 8:23 pm

     It definitely looks steeper to me!

     Reply
6. 

   Domingo

   09/07/2014 at 8:13 pm

   Great update! You should put watermarks in your videos cause someone could screen shot your pictures… but awesome update love the track

   Reply
7. 

   Domingo

   09/07/2014 at 8:14 pm

   You should put watermarks in your videos cause someone could screenshot your footage…

   Reply
   • 

     The Coaster Guy

     09/07/2014 at 8:24 pm

     I do. Very small, top-right corner. I don’t like them to be obtrusive.

     Reply
8. 

   tacalert

   09/07/2014 at 8:22 pm

   Won’t there only be one side to the station now? I thought the animation shows you going through the ride once, then going up the other lift to do it again. My thought is you will only be entering on one side of the station at all times so there won’t be a need for a left or right, right?

   Reply
   • 

     The Coaster Guy

     09/07/2014 at 8:25 pm

     There will only be one side, which is why they’ve removed the side I showed in the update.

     Reply
9. 

   steve

   09/07/2014 at 8:24 pm

   It will be nice to see it get a nice new coat of white paint. Woodies are really a thing of beauty and awe!

   Reply
10. 

    Ryan O'Neill

    09/07/2014 at 8:26 pm

    So the path to Scream! is still open? I assume they will eventually close it off so they can renovate it into the “Back Alley”. Do you have any predictions on when that will be?

    Reply
    • 

      The Coaster Guy

      09/07/2014 at 9:17 pm

      I’m not sure that Back Alley will be all that different than what we have now. They said new food and retail locations. I expect the existing restaurant will reopen as something new. With regards to retail, that could just be some portable kiosks. I’m not expecting much of an impact to Scream at all.

      Reply
11. 

    Roger

    09/07/2014 at 8:39 pm

    Great update, Kurt! Looking forward to see the building process and, of course, the ride. Became a season pass member for the 1st time in my entire life, now that’s twisted! See ya in the park!

    Reply
12. 

    CoasterGuru14

    09/07/2014 at 9:59 pm

    Kurt, if you watch the announcement video, and pause it at the right place, it shows the track turning to the left, on the side that you showed has been removed, and for some reason, the video showed it being very bumpy and hilly…

    Reply
13. 

    Eric

    09/07/2014 at 11:34 pm

    It’s a little bittersweet watching Colossus being taken apart. This is something I thought I’d never see in my lifetime. But in the end it’ll all be worth it.

    I look forward to upcoming reports on the progress of Twisted Colossus. It’s getting off to a slow start, of course, but as it gets nearer to next summer, construction is going to pick up quickly.

    Reply
14. 

    Randie

    09/08/2014 at 8:33 am

    I started coming on here for the Full Throttle updates as well and have been hooked ever since. Great job with the updates Kurt! I second what Eric said about looking forward to the upcoming reports.

    Reply
15. 

    benjamin

    09/08/2014 at 11:27 am

    Hopefully theride will be able to race the trains again but it is going to depend on the location of block brakes. The video for full thottle showed one train going through the loop and another train going over the top hat but due to brake locations that effect could never happen (2 trains can’t share the same block brake)

    Reply

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17. 

    Scott C.

    09/08/2014 at 1:53 pm

    KTLA reporting Colossus is on fire. Pic on their website.

    Reply
    • 

      Randie

      09/08/2014 at 1:58 pm

      Just seen that report also

      Reply
18. 

    jairo

    09/08/2014 at 2:00 pm

    you said it .. the top of colossus is burning up and some of it is collapsing .. this is gonna be a major set back. for twisted. colossus

    Reply
19. 

    Scott C.

    09/08/2014 at 2:09 pm

    Ironic, given Kurt’s statement:
    “A closer inspection shows what looks like burns. I’m wondering if they have been using a cutting torch to get the lift hill chain rail off the supporting rail underneath. If so, I hope they are careful not to catch the main structure on fire, because that would really suck”

    Yes, suck indeed!

    Reply
20. 

    M. Smith

    09/08/2014 at 2:51 pm

    Oh man, I just saw the news, Kurt look what you said!

    “the lift hill chain rail off the supporting rail underneath. If so, I hope they are careful not to catch the main structure on fire, because that would really suck”

    Reply
21. 

    Clare

    09/08/2014 at 3:09 pm

    Is scream still open during all the construction?

    Reply
22. 

    Wayne

    09/08/2014 at 4:10 pm

    Video of part of the lift hill collapsing

    http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Six-Flags-Magic-Mountain-Colossus-Rollercoaster-274377201.html

    Reply
23. 

    Casey

    09/08/2014 at 4:39 pm

    Wow! The Coaster Guy even knows how to predict the future!

    Reply
24. 

    Henry

    09/08/2014 at 4:50 pm

    BOOM! Kurt whens best theme park blogger of the year award?

    Reply

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28. 

    JuanC

    09/08/2014 at 9:19 pm

    Hey man, thanks for keeping us coaster freaks updated. Maybe you should be out there with the construction workers giving the safety tips, haha. Can’t wait for your next update… Have a good one.

    Reply
29. 

    Jaimey

    09/09/2014 at 8:49 am

    Closed during the week?! Isn’t that weird?

    I haven’t been there since I was a kid. I miss so cal sometimes.

    Reply
    • 

      The Coaster Guy

      09/09/2014 at 9:06 am

      Not weird at all. During the off season, they’re only open on weekends and holidays. The season just ended on Labor Day.

      Reply
30. 

    UNKNOWN

    09/14/2014 at 10:47 pm

    Do you know if their is going to be a camera on the ride like Full Throttle or Goliath has??

    Reply
    • 

      The Coaster Guy

      09/14/2014 at 11:08 pm

      I’m sorry, but I don’t know the answer to that question yet.

      Reply

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32. 

    James

    09/30/2014 at 12:55 am

    You mentioned an in-park museum. There is (or was, I’ve not been there in a while) an in-park museum at the top of the Sky Tower.

    Reply
    • 

      The Coaster Guy

      09/30/2014 at 12:03 pm

      It was in the Sky Tower and it was called The Magic of the Mountain. However, it was removed a few years ago.

      Reply
33. 

    Jacob

    10/10/2014 at 6:10 pm

    Lol, when I saw your comment about the burn marks and you hoping that they don’t catch the structure on fire, I laughed. Oh the irony…

    Reply