Superman The Ride

Coordinates: 42°02′19″N 72°36′41″W / 42.03861°N 72.61139°W / 42.03861; -72.61139
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Superman The Ride
Previously known as Superman: Ride of Steel (2000–2008)
Bizarro (2009–2015)
Flash Pass available
Single rider line Non-Participating Attraction
Superman The Ride at RCDB

Superman The Ride (formerly known as Bizarro and Superman – Ride of Steel) is a steel roller coaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. Built by Swiss manufacturer Intamin, the hypercoaster opened to the public as Superman – Ride of Steel in 2000. It features a 208-foot (63 m) lift hill, a 221-foot (67 m) drop, and a maximum speed of 77 mph (124 km/h). In 2009, the park changed the name to Bizarro, named after a DC Comics character portrayed as the antithesis of Superman. In accordance with the theme change, the coaster's track and supports were repainted with a purple and dark blue color scheme, and other special effects were added. In 2016, the Six Flags reverted to the original theme, but instead of restoring the name, it was changed to Superman The Ride. A virtual reality feature was added the same year, which created an optional 3D experience for passengers, but was removed prior to the 2017 season.

Superman The Ride has been well received, consistently holding a high ranking among steel roller coasters in the annual

Golden Ticket Awards published by Amusement Today
. The ride has topped the list five times since its debut. It has also weathered criticism from two serious accidents that occurred early in its tenure with one resulting in a passenger's death. Several safety modifications were made in their wake.

History

Prior to the 2000 season, Six Flags New England was known as Riverside Park. Six Flags purchased the park and added their own DC Comics theming. The site on which Superman The Ride operates is the former site of the Riverside Park Speedway.[1] The Speedway was closed and demolished after the 1999 season to make room for a new themed area, DC Universe (known as DC Superhero Adventure until 2020). As part of the $40 million expansion, the park built Superman: Ride of Steel.[2][3] A year before the Speedway's demolition, Six Flags had worked with Swiss manufacturer Intamin to build and design the ride. The final track piece of Superman was installed on March 27, 2000, about 40 days before opening day.[2] The ride officially opened on May 5, 2000 as the tallest and longest roller coaster on the East Coast of the United States.[4][5] The entrance and station were themed to Superman with Superman logos and a picture of him located above the entrance.[6] The second tunnel also had a mist effect.[7]

2009 theme change

Superman: Ride of Steel was re-themed as Bizarro at the start of the 2009 season. Six Flags had to work with the Zoning Board of Appeals to file a permit for the new effects because the ride sits on the Connecticut River floodplain.[8] Although no changes were made to the track layout, a new theme highlighting Superman's evil clone, Bizarro, was added. The track was repainted purple with dark blue supports, and multiple special effects were added; including building structures that give riders the impression of speeding through a city, rings in the shape of Bizarro's S shield that the train passes through, and flame effects. The two trains were repainted purple with new on-board audio. Six Flags introduced an "alternate reality game" to market the newly themed ride.[9] Bizarro opened on May 22, 2009, at the start of Memorial Day weekend.[10] Since the transformation, some of the effects have been removed. The fire effects were relocated to the New Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas.

2016 theme change and VR experience

On September 3, 2015, it was announced that Bizarro's theme would be restored to Superman The Ride for the 2016 season.

Superman - Ride of Steel at Six Flags America.[12] Starting July 25, 2016, the Virtual Reality experience was offered during the afternoons.[13][14] VR was removed for the 2017 season.[15]

Ride experience

Track layout

After departing from the

on-ride photo is taken. After the fourth hill, the train drops through Superman's S shields. Riders crest a small hill, turning right into a clockwise helix, known as the spaghetti bowl. It then jumps over a bunny hill into a counter-clockwise helix. The train makes a right turn drop into a fogged tunnel followed by three bunny hills before banking right into the station.[16][17]

Trains

Train in the station prior to the theme change in 2009

The roller coaster features two fiberglass trains with stadium-style seating.

hydraulic T-shaped lap bar restraints, but after several safety modifications, the restraints now consist of two metal bars on each side.[20]

Track

The steel track is 5,400 feet (1,600 m) in length and the height of the lift is approximately 208 feet (63 m).[4] The track was originally painted red with blue supports, to fit the theme of Superman. In 2009, after the re-theme to Bizarro, the track was repainted purple while the supports were painted a darker shade of blue.[17] In 2016, the track and supports were repainted to their original colors but using more vibrant shades.[21]

Accidents and incidents

Main article: Incidents at Six Flags parks

On August 6, 2001, one of the trains failed to stop at the ride's

brake run, colliding with the other train in the loading station. 22 people were sent to hospitals, without any major injuries.[22] The ride reopened on August 18, 2001.[23]

On May 1, 2004, a 55-year-old man was thrown from the coaster during the last turn and was killed. An investigation later showed that the ride attendant failed to properly check and secure the rider's seat restraint, as the rider's large girth size was a factor in the T-bar restraint's ability to close.[24] The victim's family claimed that due to his various medical conditions, such as cerebral palsy, he shouldn't have been allowed to ride. The park responded by saying the federal Americans with Disabilities Act forbids them from denying rides to persons with disabilities if the person is able to board without assistance.[25]

Safety modifications

Superman The Ride has undergone numerous safety upgrades. After the 2001 incident, the PVC airlines were replaced with steel reinforced air hoses to prevent a similar accident from occurring.

go or no go" belt for each seat and T-bar restraint. The "go or no-go" belt ensured the T-bar restraint was in an effective position before leaving the station.[20] During the 2009 rebranding, new trains were deployed with new restraints added. The new lap bars eliminated the center pole, leaving only the exterior poles. New seat belts provided more strength and were less likely to come undone unintentionally.[26]

Rankings

Superman The Ride, as Superman: Ride of Steel, viewed from in front of a football field

Superman The Ride, along with Millennium Force, have held the top two spots in the Golden Ticket Awards poll every year from 2001 to 2015. Superman The Ride is praised by the roller coaster community, and the ride is noted for its smoothness and large amount of airtime.

Golden Ticket Awards
: Top steel Roller Coasters
Year 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2021 2022 2023
Ranking 10[27] 2[28] 2[29] 1[30] 2[31] 2[32] 1[33] 1[34] 1[35] 1[36] 2[37] 2[38] 2[39] 2[40] 2[41] 2[42] 3[43] 3[44] 5[45] 4[46] 4[47] 7[48] 7[49]
NAPHA Survey: Favorite Steel Roller Coaster
Year 2005 2006 2007 2008
Ranking
3[50]
4[50]
2[50]
2[50]

References

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External links

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