Road Runner Express (Six Flags Magic Mountain)

Road Runner Express

Road Runner Express
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Park section Bugs Bunny World
Coordinates 34°25′32″N 118°35′45″W / 34.425656°N 118.595842°W / 34.425656; -118.595842Coordinates: 34°25′32″N 118°35′45″W / 34.425656°N 118.595842°W / 34.425656; -118.595842
Status Operating
Opening date May 28, 2011 (2011-05-28) [1]
Six Flags New Orleans
Park section Looney Tunes Adventures
Coordinates 30°03′15″N 89°56′10″W / 30.054167°N 89.936128°W / 30.054167; -89.936128
Status Relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain
Opening date May 20, 2000 (2000-05-20)
Closing date August 2005 (2005-08)
Cost 10000
General statistics
Type Steel – Junior
Manufacturer Vekoma
Model Junior Coaster (207m)
Lift/launch system Chain lift hill
Height 27.9 ft (8.5 m)
Length 679.2 ft (207.0 m)
Speed 21.7 mph (34.9 km/h)
Inversions 0
Duration 0:44
Capacity 780 riders per hour
Height restriction 36 in (91 cm)
Trains Single train with 8 cars. Riders are arranged 2 across in a single row for a total of 16 riders per train.
Flash Pass available
Must transfer from wheelchair
Road Runner Express at RCDB
Pictures of Road Runner Express at RCDB

Road Runner Express is a steel junior roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California. On November 4, 2010, Six Flags corporate had an Investor Meeting webcast where they released the new name for the kid's coaster[1] and that it will have a new location in Bugs Bunny World.[2] As of April 25, 2011, the entire coaster has been constructed on site and is ready to go.[3] The ride opened on May 28, 2011, for Memorial Day Weekend.[2]

History

SFNO (2000—2010)

Road Runner Express originally opened at Jazzland in New Orleans on May 20, 2000. It operated under the name Rex's Rail Runner[4] in the Kid's Carnival section of the park.

Six Flags took over the lease of Jazzland in 2002 and changed the park's name to Six Flags New Orleans the following year.[5] The ride was renamed to Road Runner Express in the "Looney Tunes Adventures" section of the park.

When Hurricane Katrina hit the park on August 29, 2005, the park was severely flooded causing the park to shut down and rides to remain standing but not operating.[4][6] In 2007, Six Flags began the process of moving rides from the park to their other properties. For example, Batman: The Ride was taken to Six Flags Fiesta Texas where it was refurbished and renamed Goliath in 2008. In 2008, Bayou Blaster and Sonic Slam were removed and taken to Great Escape where it was refurbished and renamed Sasquatch in 2009. In 2009, Road Runner Express was removed and relocated to Six Flags Magic Mountain.[4][7][8][9]

Six Flags Magic Mountain (2010—present)

Road Runner Express was dismantled and moved in 2009 to its current location at Six Flags Magic Mountain. The ride was due to open for their 2010 season under the name Mr. Six's Dance Coaster in the Cyclone Bay section of the park, however, the opening was delayed for a year.[7][10][11]

On August 3, 2010, the LA Times reported "the junior coaster will keep the current red and black color scheme and stay in the same planned location in the northwest corner of the park but will likely receive a new name and theme."[12] On November 4, 2010, Six Flags announced that the ride will not use the originally planned Mr. Six's Dance Coaster name and theme, but will operate from early May 2011 as Little Flash which is, themed to the DC Comics superhero sidekicks in Bugs Bunny World.[1][7]

On January 18, 2011, the LA Times reported after considering a new theme based on DC Comics superhero sidekicks, the park opted for simplicity and would name the coaster Road Runner Express.[13] Two days later, Six Flags Magic Mountain confirmed that the kid's coaster would be called Road Runner Express and that it would open on March 19, along with the revamped Superman: Escape from Krypton.[14] However, the construction of the ride was delayed forcing the opening day to be bumped back. On April 25, 2011, the construction of Road Runner Express was complete and is expected to open for Memorial Day Weekend.[3] The coaster officially opened on May 28, 2011.[2][15] This resulted with the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote theme, rockets on the roller blade-style train, and Arizona desert background.

Ride

Track layout

Guests board a train which seat 16 riders. The train is taken up using a drive tire system to a height of 9.1 metres (30 ft). 207 metres (679 ft) of twists, turns, and elevation changes follow, before the ride comes to a halt in the brake run. Riders will reach a top speed of 40.2 kilometres per hour (25.0 mph) on the one-minute ride.[7] The background blends in with the ride's Road Runner theming. The station is surrounded by rocks and Acme crates to decorate the area and Wile E. Coyote can be seen standing on top of some Acme crates.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Six Flags Entertainment Corporation Investor Meeting". WebCast. Six Flags. November 4, 2010. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Six Flags Magic Mountain. "Family Rides". Six Flags Magic Mountain. Retrieved November 4, 2010.
  3. 1 2 Hart, Lance (April 25, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain". Screamscape. Retrieved April 29, 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Marden, Duane. "Road Runner's Express  (Six Flags New Orleans)". Roller Coaster DataBase.
  5. ↑ SFNO (November 14, 2002). "Six Flags to Fly Over The Crescent City in 2003". Press Release. RCDB. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "New Orleans: Six Flags New Orleans". Six Flags. Archived from the original on March 27, 2007. Retrieved November 13, 2010.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Marden, Duane. "Little Flash  (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Roller Coaster DataBase. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Mr. Six's DanceCoaster (Six Flags Magic Mountain)". Database Entry. Parkz. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
  9. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (January 27, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain to add Mr. Six’s coaster for 2010". News Article. LA Times. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
  10. ↑ Shrout, Ryan. "Mr. Six's Dance Coaster Delayed". News Release. Coaster Net. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
  11. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (May 27, 2010). "Six Flags Magic Mountain delays launch of 17th coaster until 2011". News Article. LA Times. Retrieved August 1, 2010.
  12. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (August 3, 2010). "Superman coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain to get major makeover in 2011". News Article. LA Times.
  13. ↑ MacDonald, Brady (January 18, 2011). "Five 'new' coasters coming to Six Flags Magic Mountain? Not so fast". News Article. LA Times.
  14. ↑ Six Flags Magic Mountain (January 20, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Photos". Facebook. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
  15. ↑ Six Flags Magic Mountain (May 23, 2011). "Six Flags Magic Mountain's Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
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