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| Manufacturer | Intamin[2] | ||||||||||||||
| Designer / calculations | Curtis D. Summers, Inc, Jim Figley, Leonard Wright[3] | ||||||||||||||
| Type | Wooden - Twin | ||||||||||||||
| Track layout | Out and Back | ||||||||||||||
| Hourly capacity | 1800 | ||||||||||||||
| Propulsion | Chain lift hill | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 127 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Drop | 147 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Top speed | 66 mph | ||||||||||||||
| Length | 4650 feet | ||||||||||||||
| Inversions | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| Drop angle | 55° | ||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2:23 | ||||||||||||||
| Rolling stock | |||||||||||||||
| Manufacturer | Philadelphia Toboggan Coasters | ||||||||||||||
| Riders per train | 30 | ||||||||||||||
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American Eagle is a twin wooden roller coaster located at Six Flags Great America in Gurnee, Illinois, USA. First opened in 1981, 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
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Construction of the attraction began in June 1980.[4] American Eagle opened on May 23, 1981.[5] It was advertised as the longest roller coaster in the world. However, this is only true if the length is considered to be that of both sides added together.
After the ride's opening, the park discovered design and construction defects and required Intamin to make repairs. Intamin sough compensation from the design and construction companies it contracted, Curtis D. Summers, Inc. and Figley-Wright Contractors, Inc., respectively. Intamin entered a settlement agreement with Summers on July 10, 1984 in which Intamin released all present and future claims against Summers in return for a payment of $203,820.49.[6]
During the 2002 season, one half of the ride operated backwards.[7]
The tent that housed the original American Eagle queue line from 1981 to 2006 was used as a circus tent from 1976 to 1980. In 2007, it was converted into a children's area named Kidzopolis. The current entrance is located to the right of Kidzopolis, utilizing part of the entry building for the adjacent Dare Devil Dive skycoaster. The old entrance was demolished in 2006. The original bald eagle that was on the roof of the old entrance is being used again on the new entrance.[8]
For the ride's 30th anniversary in 2011, the ride operated with backwards trains.[9]
Sometime during the 2016 or 2017 season, the park stopped racing American Eagle around this time and only extremely rarely will it occur. In more recent years, only one side would be open while the ride operates with the other side not or occasionally both sides will run but one side will dispatch while the other unloads as the process alternates between both. The official reason for why the coaster no longer races is unknown. For the 2021 season, only the red side of the ride would operate as the blue side would remain closed for refurbishment and small retracking. In the 2022 season, the blue side would return to operation while the red side would be closed for similar reasons as blue the year prior.
Design
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American Eagle has an out and back layout. The ride begins with several hills and a turnaround consisting of a large downward helix. More airtime hills follow and it concludes with a helix.
Trains
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
Images
The ride's current entrance
The safety sign
The lift hill
A train in the station
The queue line bridge
The side selection
The red train
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References
- ↑ "Frank Mathie rides American Eagle rollercoaster in 1981". https://abc7chicago.com/frank-mathie-american-eagle-rollercoaster-six-flags-great-america/90023/.
- ↑ "Losing his 'cool' on the American Eagle", The Post-Crescent.
- ↑ "American Eagle: A rocketful of screams lets good times roll", Chicago Tribune.
- ↑ "A Blast From The Past - Six Flags Great America's American Eagle (Part 1)". NewsPlusNotes. https://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2011/08/blast-from-past-six-flags-great.html.
- ↑ "Scream like an eagle on Great America's new bird". Daily Herald. https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-herald-suburban-chicago-may-23-1981-p-21/.
- ↑ "INTAMIN, INC. v. FIGLEY-WRIGHT CONTRACTORS, INC.". 1985-02-12. https://www.leagle.com/decision/19851312605fsupp70711195. Retrieved 2022-11-24.
- ↑ Wooden Coaster To Race Backwards For 2002 Season - Ultimate Rollercoaster
- ↑ "A Blast From The Past - Six Flags Great America's American Eagle (Part 2)". NewsPlusNotes. https://newsplusnotes.blogspot.com/2011/09/blast-from-past-six-flags-great.html.
- ↑ "Six Flags’ American Eagle To Run Backwards For 30th Anniversary". https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2011/08/09/six-flags-american-eagle-to-run-backwards-for-30th-anniversary/.
- ↑ "3 hurt on ride at Great America", Chicago Tribune (September 9, 1984), pp. 25. Retrieved on February 26, 2023.
- ↑ Roller Coaster Rollback - CoasterBuzz (Wayback Archive)
External links
- American Eagle on the Roller Coaster DataBase.
| 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 |
