American Eagle

Click here to watch the on-ride POV

roller coaster

American Eagle

Six Flags Great America
Location	Gurnee, Illinois, USA
Status	Operating since May 23, 1981

Statistics

Manufacturer

Intamin

Type

Wooden - Twin

Track layout

Out and Back

Riders per train

30

Hourly capacity

1800

Propulsion

Chain lift hill

Height127 feet

Drop147 feet

Top speed66 mph

Length4650 feet

Inversions0

Steepest drop55°

Duration2:23

HELP

American Eagle is a twin wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, USA. The ride contains a helix and several large drops.

It is the second roller coaster from Intamin and the company's first wooden coaster.

History[edit | edit source]

American Eagle in 2004, with one train facing forwards and the other facing backwards

American Eagle opened on May 23, 1981.^[1]

During the 2002 season, one half operated backwards.^[2]

Design[edit | edit source]

Elements
127 foot tall chain lift hill with a 147 foot drop Block brake Helix

American Eagle has an out and back layout. The ride begins with several airtime hills and a turnaround consisting of a large downward helix. More airtime hills follow and American Eagle concludes with a helix.

Trains[edit | edit source]

4 trains with 5 cars per train. In each car, riders are arranged 2 across in 3 rows for a total of 30 riders per train.

Incidents[edit | edit source]

9/9/1984: Three guests were hospitalized after two trains collided in the station.
9/7/1997: Four guests were slightly injured after the second and third cars on the blue train separated and collided on the brake run.^[3]

Photo Gallery[edit | edit source]

The drop
The lift hill

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

American Eagle on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
Official page

Tallest wooden roller coaster May 1981 - July 1985
Preceded by Colossus	Tallest wooden roller coaster May 1981 - July 1985	Succeeded by Le Monstre

Tallest roller coaster drop May 1981 - June 1988
Preceded by The Beast	Tallest roller coaster drop May 1981 - June 1988	Succeeded by ShockWave

Tallest wooden roller coaster drop May 1981 - May 1989
Preceded by The Beast	Tallest wooden roller coaster drop May 1981 - May 1989	Succeeded by Hercules

Fastest roller coaster May 1981 - March 1988
Preceded by The Beast	Fastest roller coaster May 1981 - March 1988	Succeeded by Bandit

Fastest wooden roller coaster May 1981 - April 2000
Preceded by The Beast	Fastest wooden roller coaster May 1981 - April 2000	Succeeded by Boss

[1] Scream like an eagle on Great America's new bird - Daily Herald

[2] Wooden Coaster To Race Backwards For 2002 Season - Ultimate Rollercoaster

[3] Roller Coaster Rollback - CoasterBuzz (Wayback Archive)

[1]

[2]

[3]

Roller coasters at Six Flags Great America
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Present	American Eagle • Batman The Ride • Dark Knight • Demon • Goliath • Joker • Little Dipper • Maxx Force • Raging Bull • Sprocket Rockets • Superman Ultimate Flight • Vertical Velocity • Viper • Whizzer • X-Flight
Former	Déjà Vu • Gulf Coaster • Iron Wolf • Rolling Thunder • ShockWave • Tidal Wave • Ragin' Cajun • Z-Force
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