Goliath (Six Flags New England) Explained

Goliath
Previousnames:Déjà Vu at Six Flags Magic Mountain (2001–2011)
Extend:
Déjà Vu
Location:Six Flags Magic Mountain
Section:Cyclone Bay
Status:Relocated to Six Flags New England
Year:2001
Replacement:West Coast Racers
Rcdb Number:748
Location:Six Flags New England
Section:Crackaxle Canyon
Type:Steel
Type2:Shuttle
Type3:Inverted
Manufacturer:Vekoma
Designer:Stefan Holtman
Model:Giant Inverted Boomerang
Lift:Cable lift hill
Status:Removed
Year:2012
Height Ft:191.6
Drop Ft:177
Length Ft:1,204.1
Speed Mph:65.6
Duration:1:32
Angle:90
Inversions:3
Capacity:870
Previousattraction:Shipwreck Falls
Replacement:Quantum Accelerator
Gforce:4.5
Restriction In:54-75
Trains:1
Carspertrain:8
Rowspercar:1
Ridersperrow:4
Rcdb Number:10138

Goliath was a steel shuttle roller coaster located at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts. Manufactured by Vekoma, the ride originally opened as Déjà Vu at Six Flags Magic Mountain in 2001. The ride was a larger, inverted version of Vekoma's popular Boomerang sit-down roller coasters. In 2021, the park removed the ride from its map indicating it would not reopen for the remainder of the season. In late 2021, demolition of the coaster began.[1]

History

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Three Giant Inverted Boomerang roller coasters, all named Déjà Vu, were slated to open for the start of the 2001 season at three Six Flags amusement parks. Errors and malfunctions that occurred during testing caused the openings to be delayed. The ride first opened at Six Flags Magic Mountain on August 25, 2001.[2] [3] The installations at Six Flags Over Georgia and Six Flags Great America opened on September 1 and October 7 of the same year, respectively.[4] [5]

Six Flags New England

On August 16, 2011, Masslive reported that Six Flags New England was planning on building a Giant Inverted Boomerang for the park's 2012 season where the Shipwreck Falls attraction was located.[6] On August 18, 2011, the ride was approved by the Agawam Planning Board,[6] with the Los Angeles Times confirming a day later that Déjà Vu from Six Flags Magic Mountain would be relocated to Six Flags New England in 2012 and given a new name.[7] An official announcement from Six Flags followed on September 1, 2011, confirming the relocation and announcing that Déjà Vu would be renamed Goliath.[7] [8] [9] Déjà Vu's last day of operation was October 16, 2011.[10] Shipwreck Falls was removed from Six Flags New England around the same time to make way for Goliath.[11] Goliath opened to the public on May 25, 2012.[12]

In 2021, Six Flags New England removed Goliath from the park map, and a park representative confirmed it would not operate for the remainder of the season.[13] The coaster began demolition in late 2021 confirming its permanent closure. The ride was completely demolished before the 2022 season started.

Ride experience

Layout and design

Goliath featured a vertical cable lift hill that lifted the train up a vertical tower. The Giant Inverted Boomerang model is larger than previous designs from Vekoma, such as their Invertigo model released several years earlier.

Train

Goliath featured a train by Premier Rides, which was unlike the other Giant Inverted Boomerang installations. It featured a seating layout of four riders per row directly in line with one another, identical to the layout used on inverted coasters from Bolliger & Mabillard. It was chosen to make the boarding in the station less confusing and complicated, while also increasing rider capacity.[14] [15] However, this train caused the ride experience to become rougher.[16]

Incidents

On July 11, 2016, a cable on tower one snapped on Goliath, causing an extended closure.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Goliath is Being Demolished at Six Flags New England. youtube.com.
  2. Roller Coaster Search Results. Giant Inverted Boomerangs. August 20, 2011. http://www.rcdb.com/r.htm?ot=2&mo=8207.
  3. Déjà Vu. Six Flags Magic Mountain. 748. August 20, 2011.
  4. Déjà Vu. Six Flags Over Georgia. 1040. August 20, 2011.
  5. Déjà Vu. Six Flags Great America. 746. August 20, 2011.
  6. Web site: Constantine. Sandra. Six Flags New England working to add new roller coaster ride to its Agawam amusement park. News Article. MassLive.com. August 16, 2011.
  7. News: MacDonald. Brady. Six Flags Magic Mountain to remove Deja Vu coaster. August 20, 2011. Los Angeles Times. August 19, 2011.
  8. Web site: Hagist. Jenna. Six Flags Adds New Coaster. News Article. Wggb.com. August 18, 2011. December 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20111002155826/http://www.wggb.com/story/15294563/six-flags-adds-new-coaster. October 2, 2011. dead.
  9. Web site: Six Flags New England Announces Goliath – A Coaster Of Epic Proportions For The 2012 Season. Six Flags. September 4, 2011. Six Flags New England. September 1, 2011.
  10. Web site: Déjà Vu fans.... Six Flags Magic Mountain. Facebook. September 13, 2011. September 13, 2011.
  11. Web site: Last Chance to ride.... Six Flags New England. Facebook. September 3, 2011. September 4, 2011.
  12. Goliath. Six Flags New England. 10138. April 19, 2021.
  13. Web site: Six Flags New England 2021. April 21, 2021.
  14. Web site: ...new train for Goliath?. Six Flags New England. Facebook. October 2, 2011. December 7, 2011.
  15. Web site: ...Goliath created Premier Rides. Six Flags New England. Facebook. December 7, 2011. December 7, 2011.
  16. Web site: Lost Coasters of California - Part 10: Déjà Vu - The Coaster Kings.
  17. Web site: Roller coaster cable malfunction prompts Six Flags New England to close ride indefinitely. 12 July 2016 . July 12, 2016.